I can't believe this is still out there!!
We've seen comments and a few "drop Biden" troll diaries here on DKos for a few weeks now.
I always assumed it was because McCain's campaign was thinking (for a minute) about dropping Palin, so they did what comes naturally, and spread a false rumor about their opponent, accusing them of same.
Well, now the rumor has made it into the always-reliable Daily Mail:
Could Clinton Still Come Back? Internet Buzzes with Rumor about Biden Dropping Out.
Check this out:
The internet is buzzing today with the rumour that Barack Obama's gaffe-prone running mate Joe Biden will drop out of the race for health reasons to be replaced by Hillary Clinton.
Uh, no.
First off, the Internet is buzzing today with "WTF!! Is-McCain-dodging-the-debates?" talk. One thing the Internet is NOT buzzing about today, is Biden dropping out (aside from a few troll diaries and right-wing wishful thinking).
Second, does anyone really believe that with Obama ahead, he would suddenly decide to switch games? Regardless of what you think about Bill Clinton's presidential role in signing de-regulatory legislation, you have to admit that adding Hillary to the ticket in the midst of our economic crisis would be like handing the Republicans a big, shiny pony.
This is b.s.
Next:
John McCain's selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate has created so much interest in the Republicans that Mr Obama will have to make a radical move to regain momentum, the argument goes.
ROFL!!!! Hew....--wipes eyes-- it is like it was written by a McCain "op-ed volunteer writer" and placed into the paper. In fact, some of it is almost word-for-word from some stupid email forwards I received last week.
Like this:
Mrs Clinton could be just the key. Mr Biden, who had surgery in 1998 to repair two brain aneurysms, would drop out after the vice presidential debates due to be held on October 2, according to the claims - leaving the way open for the former First Lady.
Again, if Joe was dropping out, why wouldn't the Obama campaign be smart enough to give the people what they would want to see: a Clinton dessimation of Palin during the V.P. debates.
And then:
Fight the Smears is a website the Obama campaign set up to quash just such damaging Internet rumours - but it has not yet touched this one, though that may be out of fear of fuelling the rumour.
"OMG!!! Fight the Smears hasn't responded to an absolutely ridiculous, baseless claim! Therefore it must be true!!"
Here is the recipe, straight from the GOP playbook. We've seen it over and over again.
Step 1 - Start Internet Rumor. (Check)
Step 2 - Have your PR folks start pitching reporters about said rumor (Check)
Step 3 - Convince unreliable media source to cover said rumor. Include comments on "Biden's Gaffes" and sneaky Tom Eagleton references and innuendo. (Check)
Step 4 - Get Drudge to link to unreliable media source and hype the story. (Check)
Step 5 - Hope to God the MSM pick up on the Drudge hype. (Check)