‘Michelle Bachmann Wants Labor Camps For Illegal Immigrants’: Hoax Story Tricks Liberal Media
Michelle Bachmann is calling for “Americanization” labor camps for illegal immigrant children — or so read the headline on liberal media outlet Think Progress. The Michelle Bachmann hoax story has gone viral, leaving the Center for America Progress website likely more than a little bit embarrassed. Bachmann is a Republican and a United States Representative from Minnesota.
The Think Progress Michelle Bachmann labor camps for unaccompanied children article read:
“I’m calling on all of us, Obama and Congress and everyone, to chip in and build special new facilities… ‘Americanization facilities,’ if you will. And we’d send these kids to these facilities, in Arizona and Texas and wherever else. And we’d get private sector business leaders to locate to those facilities and give these children low-risk jobs to do. And they’d learn about the American way of life, earn their keep, and everyone wins in the end.”
The Center for American Progress was tricked by parody news website, KCTV 7. The news media has chastised Think Progress for not properly researching the story with Bachmann’s office and vetting the original source as journalism standards dictate. KCTV 7 bills itself as a news outlet based in Kansas City. A fairly quick Google search reveals multiple posts noting that KCTV 7 if a fake news or satire website with no connection to any major news network. TV channel guides for the Kansas City area also note that channel 7 is not currently in use.
The KCTV 7 Michelle Bachmann spoof article claims that the Republican Representative called for the creation of work camps for illegal immigrants during an interview with Twin Cities News talk radio show host Jason Lewis. The news source Think Progress referenced in the unaccompanied minors labor camps article provided only a link to the Twin Cities News’ website and not to a specific interview with Michelle Bachmann. Linking to a specific article, video, or picture cited as a reference is also a highly regarded journalism standard and a mandatory practice at news outlets.
When Raw Story, also a left-leaning news website, pointed out that Think Progress had just made a huge error, one which could also spark a successful lawsuit by Bachmann, the Center for American Progress issued a brief apology. The Raw Story headline for the Bachmann illegal immigrants spoof story said, “Crazy racist Bachmann story so believable liberal websites fall for parody.”
The Think Progress correction for the Michelle Bachmann hoax read:
“The news site KCTV7 News is a parody. Rep. Bachmann (R-MN) never made the statement. We sincerely regret the error.”
The Daily Kos and Crooks and Liars websites also published a story about Michelle Bachmann calling for labor camps for illegal immigrant children. What do you think about the Bachmann “Americanization” labor camps story being republished as fact by liberal media outlets?
[Image Via: The Cutting Edge]
