Even the facts are arrayed against us

Here's the lede from a post by the brilliant Johnny Rocketseed today:

Yesterday, we wrote about an Associated Press article on Fred Thompson's career as a lobbyist. The article was factually accurate, as far as I know, but it took a decidedly anti-Thompson bent, as is evident from the opening paragraphs:

Republican Fred Thompson, who likes to cast himself in the role of Washington outsider, has a long history as a political insider who earned more than $1 million lobbying the federal government.

As a lobbyist for more than 20 years, billion-dollar corporations paid Thompson for his access to members of Congress and White House staff.

Then Johnny goes on, of course, to attack the AP reporter. Brilliant, Johnny. This is another example of the right wing's use of the Texas Cockroach Defense: when you don't have a defense, you just crawl all over the plaintiff or prosecution.

Let Spot explain something to you Johnny. You attack the credibility of a witness or declarant in order to try to call into question the truth of what s/he says. When you admit the truth of what is said, attacking the witness is just venal, not useful. You just reveal yourself as a crank.

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