Learn your 123s with Mr. Sandwich!

When the Dems first tried to get a resolution passed on a redeployment timetable last month,it was reported by pretty much the entire American press that the Democrats were at fault for giving up, caving in, and wussing out. At the time, I noted that the only report I heard that gave an accurate account of the actual events came from the BBC, who summed it up like this: "It's clear to the Democrats that they won't have the votes to beat a veto, so they're moving on to other issues."

Last night's attempt also wound up falling short, with a 52-47 vote that blocked the withdrawal amendment (4 Repubs siding with Dems, and Joe Lieberman being a a douche). I think it's pretty obvious that the Democratic leadership did this to show the nation "Look, we're trying to do what you want us to. The GOP is doing everything it can to thwart the public will."

And in a country with a responsible press, it would have been reported that way. But not here.

During the July 17 edition of ABC's Good Morning America, co-anchor Diane Sawyer falsely claimed that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) "vows to filibuster, talking all night to close out all topics besides a vote on Iraqi troop withdrawals." Sawyer was referring to Reid's plan to hold an all-night Senate debate prior to the July 18 cloture vote on a Democratic proposal to withdraw troops from Iraq. However, by planning to extend the Senate session throughout the night, Reid is not "vow[ing] to filibuster," as Sawyer reported. Rather, he is highlighting the Republicans' blocking of an up-or-down vote on the proposal; in other words, it is the Republicans who are filibustering the withdrawal proposal by requiring that 60 senators vote for the amendment in order for it to pass.

Additionally, on the July 16 edition of Fox News' Special Report with Brit Hume, Weekly Standard executive editor Fred Barnes asserted that Reid is "filibustering his own bill."

Bonus hackery: David Shuster was on "Hardball" earlier interviewing some of the MoveOn folks who are coming out to the Capitol to protest Republican obstructionism and support Harry Reid's all-nighter. And what was the first thing out of Chris Matthews' mouth? "Well it's certainly a wholesome-looking crowd for an antiwar bunch."

I know that wingers are still frighteningly obsessed with what hippies and students were doing 30+ years ago, but this is staggering. No, I take that back. When all available evidence indicates that some 70% of Americans are against this war, I would fully expect Matthews to interpret it as meaning that 3% of Americans-- every one a hippie-dippie teenager-- are against the war.