With just a little over an hour to go before Sarah Palin invades the airwaves for the forseable future now may be a good time, in the past is prologue sense, to consider the effect she had last time she invaded the Internets. Earl Blumenauer, a Democratic congressman from Oregon, penned very instructive op-ed piece this weekend about how perfectly reasonable, run-of-the-mill political decision can get hijacked by politicians (and others) looking to make a quick headline. The example in this case is the end-of-life provisions added to the health care bill by Blumenauer -- you may be familiar with them under their alternate label: death panels. (more...)

Dylan Ratigan is the host of MSNBC's Morning Meeting which airs weekdays from 9 to 11amET. He went to MSNBC on the heels of a successful stint hosting Fast Money, the CNBC show he co-created in 2006. Since joining MSNBC in late June, Ratigan has made a bit of a stir with his quick-wit and sometimes confrontational style. His interview with Betsy McCaughey over the Health Care debate got a lot of attention for being "one of the most brow-beating interviews in history," as McCaughey called it. (more...)

Why do people keep letting crazy Birther lady Orly Taitz on their TV shows? Maybe because she's Rod Blagojevich say-anything kee-razy with a head of hair to match? Joy Behar's show is new, and everyone needs the buzz, so there you have it: Orly Taitz was on Joy Behar last night, accusing President Barack Obama of "massive fraud" and waving around some highlighted binder like Betsy McCaughey about to sing Happy Birthday to the President. Apparently Taitz has a court date? In California? Questioning Obama's birth? Because as an Israeli that makes perfect sense. Also, she's a dentist. (more...)

video Betsy McCaughey (the former Lt. Gov. of New York and "Death Panel" term originator) debated Rep. Anthony Weiner about health care last night in New York City, and they went for an encore performance today on MSNBC's Morning Meeting. But one thing they didn't factor in - host Dylan Ratigan. Weiner was left in the dust while Ratigan and McCaughey went at it for more than 12 minutes. (more...)

Media Matters has really outdone itself with this organized, fact-based post, "Myths and falsehoods about health care reform," that brings clarity to the misrepresentations and obfuscations about the Health Care debate over the past few weeks. (more...)

video Two interesting things about this Daily Show interview with GOP health care demagogue Betsy McCaughey: (1) It was cut off in the middle, with Stewart directing viewers immediately after to the website, where the unedited second part would be waiting; and (2) Stewart patiently, politely, and firmly smacked down her exaggerations, misrepresentations and lies. I hope every other newscaster in America was watching. (more...)

Looks like Senator Arlen Specter learned a little something from that feisty health care town hall he held last week — at least on Twitter, where rants are at least limited to 140 characters. Specter's target: Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, who has emerged as a voice promoting the "death panel" myth. Grassley told an audience in Iowa that they had "every right to fear" and that the country "should not have a government-run plan to decide when to pull the plug on grandma." (more...)

James Fallows isn't being subtle about pointing the finger at Betsy McCaughey: A huge photo on his blog leaves no room for error about who's to blame for the "Death Panel" rumors. Neither is the New York Times, singling out McCaughey on the front page for derailing the health care debate with pernicious rumours. Again. (more...)