Left In Lowell

Massachusetts voters are about to get an up-close look at the right-wing smear machine

Fighting Dirty
By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN | July 3, 2012

If you followed last month’s story about the ousting and reinstatement of University of Virginia president Teresa Sullivan, it might surprise you to learn that many Massachusetts Republicans believe that Sullivan was forced out over academic fraud she committed 23 years ago with US Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren.

That theory was put forward on breitbart.com, the immensely popular conservative pseudo-journalistic Web site. And, while that site later conceded that the UVA situation had nothing to do with the alleged (and entirely unfounded) claim of misconduct, that retraction has not made it to local conservatives — including Rob Eno, proprietor of RedMassGroup, who stood by his post linking to the original article when I spoke with him last week.

This is just one example of how the national right-wing smear machine has begun insinuating itself into the race between Warren and Scott Brown — and it’s just a taste of what is sure to come this fall.
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When the fabricated story appeared locally, I opted to twist the premise around versus trying to argue the merit.

ZOMG! Liz Warren is not only a hoity toity, Ivy League, eggheaded elitists; she isn’t a very good one at THAT!!!!

I realize that the GOPers are going to scrape the bottom of the barrel in their opposition research, but to hold Warren up against a credential that the GOPers normally flog is odd.

What, the only good Harvard elitist is a “bad” Harvard elitist?

I realize that Scott Brown supporters are desperate, but they need to remember; after November we will all still be here. Campaigns are flashes in the pan. Don’t get burned.