Demo-blogs Misquote McConnell

Several of the Demo-blogs have been claiming this week that Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell described Anne Northup and Ernie Fletcher as "casualties of the Iraq war" because they lost elections last year.

The McConnell website released the audio from the event at which the senator supposedly made the statement, and it confirms that he said no such thing. Listen to the audio and verify this for yourself.

What's fascinating is how the story "evolved" once the Demo-blogs got hold of it. Bob White, a reporter at the News-Enterprise wrote:

Describing the party’s 2006 loss of Congressional District Rep. Anne Northup and last year’s loss of Republican Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher as casualties of the Iraq war, McConnell said he’s optimistic Republicans will hold the 2nd congressional district seat left up for grabs with the announcement of Rep. Ron Lewis’, R-Cecilia, retirement.

Note that White purports to paraphrase McConnell (albeit erroneously). He does not quote McConnell as characterizing Northup and Fletcher as casualties of the Iraq war.

But when Demo-blogs Bluegrass Roots and DitchMitch report the story, they give the impression that the supposed remark about the war was a direct quote from McConnell. Note in particular the headline:

McConnell: Northup, Fletcher are "casualties of the Iraq War"

by: MediaCzech
Mon Feb 04, 2008 at 09:56:31 AM EST

McConnell's done it again.

In an appearance at Elizabethtown this weekend, Mitch McConnell showed how deeply out of touch he is with the sacrifice our armed forces have given in Bush's folly of the Iraq War. Who are the real victims and "casualties" of the Iraq War? His poor little Republican friends who lost their office.

Describing the party’s 2006 loss of Congressional District Rep. Anne Northup and last year’s loss of Republican Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher as casualties of the Iraq war, McConnell said he’s optimistic Republicans will hold the 2nd congressional district seat left up for grabs with the announcement of Rep. Ron Lewis’, R-Cecilia, retirement.

Yes, poor Anne Northup, one of Bush's biggest enablers in the House, is a casualty of the Iraq War.

It is possible, maybe even probable, that Bob White simply made a mistake in good faith in his piece for the News-Enterprise. But as the very headlines on DitchMitch and Bluegrass Roots make clear, these sites are so desperate to send a liberal -- excuse me, "progressive" -- senator to D.C. that they will lie to do so.