Sarah Palin said that Paul Revere “warned the British that they weren’t gonna be taking away our arms, by ringing those bells and making sure, as he’s riding his horse through town, to send those warning shots and bells that we were gonna be secure and we were gonna be free.”
Revere’s story is famous for warning the colonists and that is why Palins summary was a flub: because it would have been like describing Superbowl Sunday as “the time Coach whatever picked his nose on camera” – even if that really happened, thats not what the day is best known for so its poor media relations and spontaneous talking to phrase it that way.
Palin was accurate. Revere did warn the troops of exactly what she said. Scroll to page 4 in this 1789 letter maintained by the Massachusetts Historical Society, written by Revere talking about his encounter with a British soldier.
“He demanded what time I left Boston? I told him; and aded, that their troops had catched aground in passing the River, and that There would be five hundred Americans there in a short time, for I had alarmed the Country all the way up.”
The people accusing Palin of silly ignorance are themselves committing the crime even though it was still a legit flub – and hell – i’m not even convinced that it wasn’t a flub due to ignorance that she just happened to be factually accurate on by coincidence.
UPDATE: I know I shouldn’t be the least bit shocked at the “conservative female is a moron” meme but I still have to admit that I’m fascinated at seeing this scenario play out again.
Rep. Michele Bachmann kicked off her presidential campaign on Monday in Waterloo, Iowa, and in one interview surrounding the official event she promised to mimic the spirit of Waterloo’s own John Wayne.
The only problem, as one eagle-eyed reader notes: Waterloo’s John Wayne was not the beloved movie star, but rather John Wayne Gacy, the serial killer.
That quote quickly circulated around the internet and cable news but it turns out not to be true. Of course it wont stop anyone from using false info to attack someone they hate, but it’s worth pointing out the ignorance at the base of this.
Mrs. Bachmann grew up in Waterloo, and used the town as the backdrop for her campaign announcement, where she told Fox News: “Well what I want them to know is just like, John Wayne was from Waterloo, Iowa. That’s the kind of spirit that I have, too.” (Someone has already posted the clip to YouTube under the name BachmannLovesGacy)
The Bachmann campaign sent this explanation: “John Wayne is from Iowa, his parents lived in Waterloo.”
So then wtf does Gacy have to do with anything? Is there any evidence that she cited a source thinking it was the actor and it turned out to be the killer? none. Of all the things to criticize these women for – you manufacture controversies? for what gain?
And indeed his parents did in fact live briefly in Waterloo — in fact, according to “Duke: The Life and Image of John Wayne,” it’s where they met. But soon after their marriage they moved to Winterset, where Wayne was born.
It’s also worth noting that Mrs. Bachmann herself is no stranger to the actor. In the run-up to her campaign announcement she gave an interview to NewsMax.com in which she talked about him as a symbol of a good time in the country’s history.
“We’re seeing the nation move into decline. I’m not willing to do that. I’m not satisfied. I grew up with John Wayne’s America. I was proud that you grew up in John Wayne’s America: Proud to be an American, thrilled to be a patriot,” she said.
Gacy isn’t from Waterloo Iowa. He lived there briefly just like John Waynes parents. So to recap: Both John Wayne the movie actor and John Wayne Gacy the serial killer have roots in Iowa, but Michelle Bachmann is a fool for citing one because…I already forgot why. Cuz someone else lived there? Or is it really allegedly a big deal that the actors parents lived there and not him? This is stupid.