While the mainstream media is obsessed with the non-scandal of Tasergate up in Alaska, bloggers are doing real reporting and looking into things that are actually important, like Obama-related PR firms spreading Internet smears about Sarah Palin:
Someone emailed the video to a forum administrator at the Democratic Underground–a message board considerably to the left and far nuttier than even the far left wing bloggers. Says “EarlG” about the video he posted on the very day after it was created (and the same day that this particular version was uploaded):
Nice independent YouTube attack ad. I don’t know who made this, it arrived in my email inbox this morning from “A Group Of Concerned Americans.” [emphasis added]
As previously noted “A Group of Concerned Americans” just happens to be the name of the YouTube channel created by a person who we have reason to believe is Ethan S. Winner (aka, “eswinner”) of the W&A PR firm.
This is what’s known as “astroturfing,” professionally generated videos and rumors that are disguised as being generated spontaneously from the “grassroots.” Keep an eye out for it. There will be more. Question: Will the media ask the Obama campaign if they funded this Web-based smear campaign?
UPDATE: Dan Riehl has more.
