Ari Melber wrote recently that the Internets have put a leash on Republican smear tactics, the argument being that it's harder for smears and dogwhistle's to work, now, because we can deconstruct them visibly enough that they can no longer function below the radar, and rapidly enough that there's a chance to ride along on whatever news cycle they generate and thereby mute the effect.
So, today it's a smear about someone vaguely connected to Obama living in the US illegally.
TPM puts the pieces together: Somehow -- now clear how -- a Murdoch-owned tabloid finds out that the aunt in question is living in the country illegally. The feed goes to other Murdoch-owned tabloids, and of course to Drudge and lower wingnut bloggers. The media pick it up -- in the case, the AP -- and find themselves obligated to confirm the story. Administration officials leak the necessary confirmation, while concurrently stonewalling inquiries about the leak itself.
Enter the nascent left-wing echo chamber; the news spreads from TPM, to OpenLeft, to Hullabaloo.
So. Any chance we can help shift the story to be about the corrupt Bushies in cahoots with a partisan news conglomerate?
Previous relevant diaries and discussions here, here, here, here, and here.