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Paper perpetuates a false smear

Jason Korzen
Published: July 14, 2008

I have read some ridiculous letters in your newspaper lately regarding Barrack Obama. But a recent letter from A. Vic Poillucci just might take the cake.

Mr. Poillucci wrote in because he is upset about a quote from Senator Obama regarding our national anthem.

The problem is that Senator Obama never actually said the words Mr. Poillucci quoted. The “quote” was a piece of satire written by a syndicated columnist named John Semmens and posted on a Web
site called The Arizona Conservative.

I assume Mr. Poillucci probably received the quote forwarded to him in an email and like many other Americans just didn’t bother to check his facts. Who can blame him really?

Forwarded mass e-mails are always such reliable sources of information.

Unfortunately, thanks to Mr. Poillucci and your newspaper, many people in Prince William County will read this incredibly ignorant letter to the editor and won’t bother to check their facts either.

They will believe that regarding the national anthem, Barrack Obama actually said, “It should be swapped for something less parochial and less bellicose. I like the song ‘I’d Like to Teach the World to
Sing.’ If that were our anthem, then I might salute it.”

So, I am really writing in to commend both your newspaper and A. Vic Poillucci for helping to spread a smear and a complete lie. You have just put the Potomac News on par with the e-mail I received
today from a Nigerian prince who wants to send me $20,000. Spam.

JASON KORZEN

Montclair

Reader Reactions

Posted by ( zcxnissan ) on July 22, 2008 at 9:51 am

Thanks for agreeing and good luck. LOL Chris Cummings

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Posted by ( jVA ) on July 21, 2008 at 8:51 pm

“The surge wasn’t expected to bring a political solution, it was only expected to cut the violence.”

What a total crock. The whole point of the surge was to cut the violence so the Iraqis could work on a political solution. I’ll be happy to dig up a Bush quote making this very point for you.

“Declaring “War on Terror” is the only way this world will ever see true peace.”

Right. That’s a beautiful platitude. But please tell me when “terror” surrenders.

Give our military a mission that they can accomplish. Don’t tell them to go rid the world of “terror”.

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Posted by ( zcxnissan ) on July 21, 2008 at 5:23 pm

The surge wasn’t expected to bring a political solution, it was only expected to cut the violence. Which it did. Iraq has been long part of terrorism. Saddam was paying bombers and their families that blew themselves up in Israel and adjacent occupied terrotories. I never said Al Qaeda was in Iraq before we invaded. Declaring “War on Terror” is the only way this world will ever see true peace. As for Gore he is still out there in left field. Cuckoo. LOL Chris Cummings

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Posted by ( jVA ) on July 21, 2008 at 4:05 pm

“Nobody has said that Iraq has worked out its political differences.”

But I thought you said the surge worked? Wasn’t the whole point of the surge to quash the violence so Iraq could work out it’s political differences?

So how much longer do we have to “surge”, Chris?

“After all i am assuming that all of us want to win the war on terror is that not true?”

Unfortunately, Iraq has nothing to do with the “war on terror”. Al Qaeda was not in Iraq before we went there. How do win a war on “terror” in the first place? What kind of idiot declares war on TERROR?

Oh yeah, our President did. Why not just declare a war on evil or something equally meaningless? Then we can just go around fightin’ the evil-doers endlessly.

“As for Gore his ideas are impractical until we put into place the infrastructure”

Ok, so what are we waiting for? Let’s go.

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Posted by ( zcxnissan ) on July 21, 2008 at 2:55 pm

Nobody has said that Iraq has worked out its political differences. We should only withdraw troops from the areas that can guarantee the safety and security of that region. Troop levels are salted to decline again by the end of 2008 to 100000 is that not good? 2010 maybe too long. As for Gore his ideas are impractical until we put into place the infrastructure, like hydrogen fueling stations, more practical all electric cars<i.e better mileage, more room, etc.> We also need to stop using ethanol a bigger polluter of the environment according to many scientists now. 6 gallons of sewage created per gallon of ethanol, and the evidence seems to be pointing that ethanol is actually speeding up global warming as well, also cars mpg has declined because of ethanols lesser efficency. If we are going to use ethanol i am sure we can do just as much with plant waste besides digging into the food supply. Hybrids currently are the only viable system on the market that is both environmentally friendly and efficient. Gore is a crackpot with good intentions, although he should really consider alternative energy when it comes to his residences. LOL Chris Cummings

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Posted by ( zcxnissan ) on July 21, 2008 at 2:44 pm

The “Civil Rights Act” is what made society more fair. Her thesis couldn’t have been anymore shortsighted then it is being proven to be. Nor can BO’s lack of community organizer experience as well as political record, all outlined in his voting record and the book he wrote about himself he even says what does a community organizer do? Hmmm. Leaves one to think. When did we ever have 300000 troops in Iraq? The max level was 192000 at the start. Currently we have about 140000 or so and it appears to be shrinking because of the good news on the ground. We should be down to about 100000 by years’ end. As well as having more available for Afghanistan. After all i am assuming that all of us want to win the war on terror is that not true? LOL Chris Cummings

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Posted by ( zcxnissan ) on July 21, 2008 at 2:08 pm

Sorry JVA, please explain why the government has to bailout Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae? Why not let them fail like other companies. By the way those same rules were in effect in the 80’s and 90’s and maybe even earlier then that. Why didn’t the government act then when foreseeing potential problems witht the system? Obama said we should all learn Spanish. Facts are facts, i am surprised you still haven’t listened to the entire news clip. Comprende’. Chris Cummings

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Posted by ( jVA ) on July 21, 2008 at 11:39 am

“Clinton didn’t inhale? What kind of idiot doesn’t inhale when they smoke?”

I like Clinton. But this may be one of the stupidest things any politican has ever said.

“The surge did work or is less violence not enough for you and or you don’t want more troops headed to Afghanistan? “

Ok the surge worked. Violence is down (true!), and the Iraqis have worked out their political differences (not true!). So we can all pack up and go home in about the next 16 months or so like Obama and Maliki have both agreed. Sounds great to me.

Or do we have to continue to “surge” for the next one hundred years? What kind of “surge” is that?

I’m not trying to be annoying here or anything. I just think if McSame/Bush intend to keep 300,000 troops in Iraq for the next 20 years or more, they need to be up front with us about it. Explain how much longer, how much more it will cost, and why its important that we do it. We voters have the right to hear the truth and decide if we think its worth continuing on this course in Iraq.

Personally I’d rather use that money to pursue something like Al Gore’s plan for energy independence in ten years. Or use that money to build your border fence or hire more INS agents or whatever floats your boat.

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Posted by ( jVA ) on July 21, 2008 at 11:25 am

Chris, I had not heard about Michelle Obama’s theseis and don’t really have time to read the whole thing. I did read the article about it on the Politico though (not an especially partisan website). She wrote a thesis on the racial divide in 1985. What about it do you think is so awful?

I thought this bit was really interesting though:
“Obama writes that the path she chose by attending Princeton would likely lead to her “further integration and/or assimilation into a white cultural and social structure that will only allow me to remain on the periphery of society; never becoming a full participant.”

I can see why she might have felt that way in 1985, but she couldn’t have been any more wrong, could she? That really says a lot about how far our country has come since then. Good for us.

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Posted by ( zcxnissan ) on July 20, 2008 at 2:13 pm

Have you read Michelle Obama’s college thesis about race? Perhaps not? LOL Chris Cummings

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