We try to teach, but they just won't learn

We've been around this bush with BounceBoyda before- the affable SOB's dedicated to lying and "she's so stupid"-ing their way to defeating Nancy Boyda in November. Beaten to Hell for refusing to be big kids and call a member of Congress by her actual name, they've finally been convinced it doesn't do their cause any good if they, you know, aren't talking about a real person in their posts.

While they're just so clever in calling this blog "BlocBoyda," "Boyda Blocheads," or some other deeply amusing junior high-caliber name, they do actually do one thing that's worth being upset about, and one thing that's worth giving them the time of day on this blog.

They lie.

Now, in the end, we expect Republicans to lie. We expect them to fear-monger (think the 2004 Jim Ryun for Congress ad that morphed Nancy Boyda's face into Osama bin Laden's and the current fight over FISA), and we expect them to misrepresent reality whenever reality doesn't suit them (again, think FISA currently).

This time, luckily, it's a little deal, but it speaks to the character of the people on the other side.

You've all seen the story we posted the other day- "Boyda: 'The New Center'"- about Boyda being on the cover of National Journal and being listed as one of the most centrist members of the House of Representatives- something all of our colleagues in ConservativeLand call preposterous because, well, I mean, she's voted with liberal Speaker of the House San Francisco Nancy Pelosi 93% of the time! (Which isn't true, of course, and if the italicized part of the sentence could be dripping blood it would better represent the vitriol being spewed when they mention Speaker Pelosi by name).

Anyway, the article did, indeed, just as Bounce pointed out, have an error in it...which Boyda's press staff noted when they sent out their press release announcing the article to the Kansas press. That release said, in part:

(Please note that the mention of the Blue Dog Coalition is slightly inaccurate. Nancy did apply for membership in the Blue Dog Coalition early last year, and at the time the Blue Dogs had reached their membership limit. Since then Nancy has found that not being a Blue Dog has helped to preserve her independence.)

So, the National Journal made a small reporting error- BounceBoyda would be all over them for that one, right? Seeing as they're already so horribly wrong about her being a centrist, it's just icing on the cake, right?

Oh, of course not. That'd just be coherent logic, and we know Republicans don't like logical flow to interrupt their viciousness.

In fact, they now say this about the esteemed publication:

Moreover, I tend to believe that the National Journal had the impression Boyda was trying to say she didn't apply to the Blue Dogs. It is a reputable publication with good reporters. What would they have to gain by making it up?

So, we have to ask: Which is it? Are they "a reputable publication with good reporters," and thus we should take them at their word Nancy Boyda is a centrist, or is it they don't know what they're talking about when it comes to Nancy Boyda's rating, but, oh, they're beyond reproach when it comes to the article?

We're certain they're a reputable publication, and equally certain that they weren't trying to "make it up," you dolt, they simply made a small error. And, you know what? Boyda's staff was stand-up enough to make sure the press release they sent out about it clarified the situation. You and the good folk from the NRCC that are feeding you your content are the only ones who see a vast conspiracy here.

One last snip:

Since Rep. Boyda's office didn't send me the press release she ... sent out clarifying the information she gave the National Journal that she did not apply to the Blue Dog Coalition, I'm under no obligation to do anything. In fact, if the National Journal was in error in reporting, then they should be the ones to issue a correction, not a retraction. Please, BlocBoyda [told you...aren't they mature?- BB], if you are going to pretend to be a journalist, at least know what you're saying.

Since you seem befuddled, let us help: National Journal should indeed issue a correction- that would be appropriate. You, though, should retract your post and apologize for calling a sitting member of Congress a liar, when she isn't the one who made the mistake. You've screwed up, and you should be a big enough person to admit that- publicly.

If you were a journalist, you would certainly apologize for printing a lie. But you aren't a journalist, you're a partisan blogger with no great desire to admit you were simply bashing an elected official without cause. This time, though, you've been caught playing a dirty game.

We've said it before, and we'll say it again: If you want to play ball with us, bring a bigger bat.



(We'd like to thank our new friends over at Left Brain Kansas for defending Congresswoman Boyda tonight, too. It's great to have another logical voice in the field that is the Kansas blogosphere).