Cheney slip sends Net surfers to anti-Bush site

[Fluffybunny]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- All he wanted were the facts. But Dick Cheney ended up generating confusion-- and lots of it.

A slip of the tongue by the vice president during Tuesday night's debate with Sen. John Edwards led Web surfers to a site run by George Soros, a billionaire who makes no secret of his opposition to the Bush administration.

In answering a question about his involvement with Halliburton, Cheney meant to direct people to FactCheck.org, a nonpartisan site run by the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg Public Policy Center. He urged people watching the debate to go to the site for facts countering Edwards' statements about the corporation Cheney used to run.

But Cheney cited FactCheck.com, a for-profit advertising site based in the Cayman Islands.

The company decided to redirect traffic to the Soros site after it became inundated with hits -- about 100 a second after the debate, John Berryhill, a Philadelphia lawyer for FactCheck.com, said Wednesday.

"This was to relieve stress on the service and to express a political point of view," said Berryhill, who spoke with the site's administrators shortly after the debate ended.

They picked Soros not only for his political views, Berryhill said, but because the billionaire could afford the costly deluge of hits the site would receive in the wake of the debate. Plus, the site administrators didn't want to point surfers to a candidate's site that was asking for money.

Web site operators typically pay fees to the companies that host their sites. The more hits a site receives, the more its operator pays.

Soros was not advised of the switch and did not know it had taken place until Wednesday, said a spokesman, Jeremy Ben-Ami.

"We are as surprised as anyone by this turn of events but certainly encourage voters to visit both of these valuable sites," Michael Vachon, a senior aide to Soros, said in a statement.

An unprecedented number of visitors to FactCheck.org caused the site to crash several times Wednesday, said Brooks Jackson, the site's director.

Link

[Talon]

Muhahahahahahahaha

[Fluffybunny]

This is on the factcheck.com site:

Wednesday, October 6, 2004

Concerning FactCheck.com

While I want to get my message out, I certainly do not want to force it on people. I apologize to those who were annoyed by FactCheck.com redirecting to GeorgeSoros.com, but I'm also pleased that I may have reached some people who would not otherwise have known about the site.

Once we became aware of what was happening, my spokesman issued the following statement:

"Neither George Soros nor any organization or company with which he is affiliated owns the FactCheck.com domain name, and we are not responsible for it redirecting visitors to our site. We believe that Vice President Cheney intended to direct viewers of last night's debate to FactCheck.org. We are as surprised as anyone by this turn of events but certainly encourage voters to visit both of these valuable sites."

There has been much speculation, on sites such as Josh Marshall's and others, as to what occurred, and a recent AP story clarifies the details. I welcome all visitors to my website, and hope that whether you are here inadvertently or not, you will take the time to read my message.

Wow, I bet that Cheney is kicking himself about now.

[AztecInca]

Ooopppppsssss, he he he he he he he, thats a bit of a stuff up there, I bet hes not the only one kicking him!

[Velikovsky]

Is this the same mistake that led us to attack Iraq and not Iran?

I just love my countries leaders.

They're always so accurate

[bathory]

Is this the same mistake that led us to attack Iraq and not Iran?

if you look at a map, you will see that iran is surrounded by US troops, surely that wasn't an accident

[Me_Again]

To quote Independent1, from another thread

Factcheck.orc (a nuetral, non-partisan site) has dealt with the "lie" issue. Basically, everything Bush said regarding WMD, he believed at the time, based on reports from our CIA, British MI-5, Russian intelligence, Italian intelligence, Jordanian Intelligence, etc... Even France in Feb of 2003 was conceding the Iraq had WMD, they just wanted us to give Iraq more time.

I am not saying Bush was right about the WMD---Obviously he wasn't. But there is a big difference between being wrong and lying.

Regarding taking us to war illegally, that is also wrong. We had upwards of 17 UN resolutions authorizing the use of force against Iraq. Just because France blocked the last one with a threat of veto does not make our actions illegal. Yes I know the corrupt Kofi Annan, whose son was involved in the embezzlement of oil-for-food funds, perpetuated the idea that this war is illegal, but that just shows that all of those who benefited from Iraq (France, Germany, & the UN) want to get rid of Bush because he wrecked their gravy trains.

Is this the website that Cheney was suppose to refer to I think I am confused

My hope is that ALL of the people who THINK that wars solve problems, will get a clue and stop being so fearful. BUSH lied people DIED ( a sign I saw the other day ) I fight with a sword of LOVE and a shield of LIGHT.

[Stellar]

As it was said, theres a difference between being wrong and lying.

[Me_Again]

OK I will comment one more time...

I know, I know but I just HAVE to...

BEING WRONG OFTEN LEADS TO LIES, THE WRONG LIES

[Stellar]

Not always, and not that often. Each time a teacher gives you a new problem to figure out in math or science class and you're wrong, does that mean you lied, or you were just wrong?

[Me_Again]

Being wrong in a political sense, has nothing to do with being wrong in a scientific sense. You see if you are wrong in a scientific sense, you keep doing experiments to draw your conclusions. If you are wrong in a political sense, should you keep doing experiments? To test if you are right or not? Personally I don't want a president doing his political experiments with OUR world

[Stellar]

Like I said, being wrong isnt necessairly lying. Just like with my school example. Face it.

[Me_Again]

OK - I see I need to become more philisopical here, for myself So that I will understand my own opinions better...

*A child runs across the street, without looking

Mother: (angry voice) Why did you run across the street?

Child: I didn't (lie)

Mother: You did run across the street I watched you with my own eyes.

Child: No I didn't (scared)

Mother: Don't lie to me, thats wrong

Child: Well I didn't mean to run, but we were playing ball...

Mother: I know you didn't mean to run across the street or lie about it.

Child: I'm sorry mom

Mother: I know sweetie. Just remember to look both ways before you cross the street and never run. Its not safe and I love you so much, I want you to do the right thing.

Child: I love you to mom for teaching me the right things and for keeping me safe.

So I will reiterate my idea that being wrong often leads to lying. Eventually the truth comes out, sometimes not so easily. But what is in the dark WILL ALWAYS come to light. If you were wrong and a whole country said "your wrong", your first response would be to defend yourself and say "no I wasn't" (lie). Being wrong often leads it lying about it

Note: This is my humble opinion

[Stellar]

Your basing your "being wrong often leads to lying" on that? Please, accept it, being wrong isnt always lying, just like in school.

[Me_Again]

I know that being wrong isn't always lying. Obviously, you missed the point.

I am talking about our political system being wrong, that is the thread topic?

I was trying to make myself clearer, to my own self. And that I did so...

Being wrong itsn't always lying, first you must be wrong to learn whats right or vice versa?

[Guest Lottie]

A slip of the tongue by the vice president during Tuesday night's debate with Sen. John Edwards led Web surfers to a site run by George Soros, a billionaire who makes no secret of his opposition to the Bush administration.

Oops a daisy!