Yesterday, the right-wing news service, Newsmax, issued a "news story." I can't provide a direct link to it but if you hurry, you might still see it in the Google cache. Here's just the first part…
Bono, U2 in Fund-Raiser for Senator Rick Santorum
On Sunday, October 16, a truly unique political event will take place. Teaming up with the legendary rock group U2 for a one-night only appearance will be Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Penn.). The thousand-dollar-a-seat concert has been put together by Sean and Ana Wolfington and will take place at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia in support of Santorums re-election, reports NewsMax's James Hirsen.
U2 front man Bono is no stranger to Washington, D.C. He has come often to the nation's capital to network with politicians on behalf of his many causes…[snip]
Not long after the story was released, the following appeared on the newswires…
STATEMENT BY JAMIE DRUMMOND, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF DATA (debt AIDS trade Africa), THE AFRICA ADVOCACY GROUP CO-FOUNDED BY BONO:
It is not uncommon for politicians, from both parties, to organize events at all kinds of music concerts and other entertainment events. If any political fundraising events take place at a U2 concert, it is without the involvement or knowledge of Data, U2 or Bono. U2 concerts are categorically not fundraisers for any politician – they are rock concerts for U2 fans.
Shortly after, the original story was amended on the Newsmax site without comment. The beginning of the story now reads…
Fundraiser for Senator Rick Santorum at U2 Concert
On Sunday, October 16, a unique political event will take place. At a concert of the legendary rock group U2, Senator Rick Santorum will hold a fund-raising event for one night only. The thousand-dollar-a-seat fund-raiser has been put together by Sean and Ana Wolfington, and it will take place at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia in support of Santorum's reelection.
U2 front man Bono is no stranger to Washington, D.C. He has come often to the nation's capital to network with politicians on behalf of his many causes…[snip]
In other words, the first story tried to suggest that Bono and U2 were throwing a fund-raising concert expressly for Rick Santorum and were, by implication, endorsing his re-election bid. The amended story more accurately says that a group supporting Santorum hopes to raise some cash for him by selling tickets to a U2 concert that was always going to occur.
That's quite a difference but it could, I suppose, be an innocent mistake. On the other hand, it's worth pointing out that in the past, whenever a news story favorable to Liberals or Democrats could in any way, shape or form be interpreted as inaccurate, Newsmax has always taken the position that someone deliberately lied.