Most everyone with a scintilla of sense and ethical backbone, from both the left and the right, has disavowed this little gem from the bowels of the right-wing noise machine:
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton turned furious and considered legal action after learning bestselling author Ed Klein would allege in a new book: Bill Clinton raped her — resulting in the conception of daughter Chelsea Clinton!“[Author] Klein is going to rot in hell for this,” a well-placed source close to Hillary said over the weekend.
The explosive charge comes in THE TRUTH ABOUT HILLARY: WHAT SHE KNEW, WHEN SHE KNEW IT, AND HOW FAR SHE’LL GO TO BECOME PRESIDENT — set for release next week.
It is all to sell a book, of course. It was eagerly profferd by the Drudge Report and NewsMax, of course, which offers this little morsel: Publishing insiders say the book and its revelations could destroy her bid to run for the presidency in 2008.
The tactic is notable for a few things. Notice how it claims that Hillary Clinton was raped by her husband Bill, yet, wisely attempts to dispell any sympathy for her by attributing a quote to her that indicates vengennce. The right-wing faithful are going to believe it anyway. But, by labeling any reaction as vengeful right off the bat assists the entire fantasy. It’s basic disinfo tactic.
And, people actually believe it.
John Cole at Balloon Juice puts it best, while not calling it disinfo straight out, he does see it for what it is:
The only people who are going to read this book are the true believers and the true defenders. As a side note, when you hear the usual suspects echoing ths charge as fact in some circles, it probably should be pointed out that this makes anything Howard Dean has said seem positively innocuous.I have had just about enough of these so-called ‘insider’ true stories that are really nothing more than smear jobs, regardless of the target.
The thing is, it’s more than a smear job. It’s disinformation. Because, regardless of whether it is true or not, it will be repeated, and believed. Like the scandalous tidbit offered by an attorney in court that is objected to and sustained by the judge, it does not matter. It is out there. People will believe it.
It’s a simple attempt at working on Hillary Clinton’s image as weak, a victim, attached to a “rapist”. Hillary Clinton is feared by the extreme right. They hate her passionately. Their works prove the point.
So does the reaction of the ever loyal wingnut troops. Take a gander of the reaction to this story over at Free Republic.
Enough to make any sane, decent, truth seeking person quite ill.
Be afraid.
