FRAUD AT POLLS!

When Charles Foster Kane runs for governor in Citizen Kane, his newspaper is prepared ahead of time for a bad election result:



Clearly, the tea party movement has learned something from Kane about starting your damage control early. It's obvious that the tea parties are going to come and go and (except in the right-wing media) be a one-day story at best. But it's unacceptable for the movement to admit it's not succeeding -- somebody must be at fault.

I noted in an earlier post that Michelle Malkin is already blaming ACORN, but I didn't realize that the word had gone out across Wingnuttia to spread the "ACORN saboteurs" meme far and wide -- why, here's NewsBusters to tell us that Fox News is already on the case:

On Fox News Channel's April 7 "Your World," host Neil Cavuto reported that the Tax Day tea party protests on April 15 will be "infiltrated" by their political opponents and led by left-wing activist organizations. He specifically named Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN).

"Only eight days before a nationwide tea party, some over-caffeinated crashers aiming to lay waste to it," Cavuto said. "Reports of very well-organized infiltrators trying to mix in and rain on this parade. Talk about taxing." ...



Meanwhile, this blog (cited by Malkin) spreads the ACORN meme (in this case, saying that ACORN petition drives are the key to the sabotage) and tells us how truly sinister ACORN is -- ACORN is apparently guilty of sabotage even if there are no actual ACORN saboteurs! How fiendishly deviously deceitfully sinister!!!!

This is interesting, because whether it is true or not, part of the goal is achieved none the less. As a result of people having to be aware of the possibility of dirty tricks like this, doubt is cast on all efforts to gain signatures on anything. That is what the ACORN lives for. Sewing doubt in legitimate democratic processes.

Yes, ACORN would spoil a simple thing like sewing, wouldn't it?

As I noted in the earlier post, Malkin also throws George Soros into the mix, while NewsBusters says the saboteurs will include the Huffington Post -- which, in its sneaky way, wants to find people to cover the event! Journalism! What will these liberal fiends try next!

In any case, it's all about preemptive damage control. These things are having no impact, except among the converted; the wingers have to do something to dispel the stink of flop sweat.