Posted 2:23 PM by Scoobie Davis

The Internet Versus Right-Wing Disinformation: A Case Study
Over the past couple years, this blog has received hundreds of hits for a Google search of some combination of the "Gore Monticello." The reason for this is a canard, apparently started on Rush Limbaugh's 1990's television show (quick note: the show was produced by current Fox News CEO Roger Ailes). Here's what happened: prior to their inauguration as president and vice president, Bill Clinton and Al Gore toured Monticello with Hillary and Tipper. As they entered one of the rooms, directly in front of them were busts of John Paul Jones and Marquis de Lafayette (on the extreme left and right of the room were busts of Washington and Benjamin Franklin). Gore asked "who are these people?" clearly referring to the busts of the Marquis and Jones. On the TV show, Limbaugh tried to pretend as if Gore couldn't recognize Washington and Franklin.

In the 2002 book Slander: Liberal Lies about American Right, Ann Coulter repeated the lie. I wrote about this on my blog with the correct information. This blog entry is in the top ten for a Google search of "Gore Monticello." While the Internet is a source for rumors and misinformation, it is a good resource for correct information about right-wing talk radio smears and dishonest authors like Coulter.

Addendum--More on Gore: The Daily Howler has a recent article on the Gore/Love Story media hoax. Also, in case you haven't read it, here's the transcript of phone call I made to Limbaugh's radio show in which I corrected Limbaugh to his audience about Love Story and other anti-Gore disinformation he was spreading to his millions of Dittoheads during the 2000 campaign.