It's Officially A Hoax!

The story never really passed the smell test, but the Trib was more than ready to run with it. If Obama becomes P.O.T.U.S. is this really the end of the world for racists? They seem to be becoming more brazen, high tech, open and flat out desperate like in the case listed below.

Moments like these bring everything that's bubbling below the surface to light for those who refuse to see. They may like to keep their head in the sand and shout down those who acknowledge the state of the country & my hometown specifically. I think the most disappointing part is when those that are denial look like me. But this political season has even opened Mr. Norm's closed eyes.

Mr. Murtha wasn't trying to be provocative. He was answering the question as honestly as he could. It did echo Gov. Ed Rendell's remark to the editorial board during the primary campaign -- that in Pennsylvania, "some whites are probably not ready to vote for an African-American candidate." But Mr. Murtha's quip did not carry a partisan taint.

I was originally annoyed with Mr. Rendell because his glib dismissal of Mr. Obama's chances of beating Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton in Pennsylvania seemed to sell the state's white ethnic voters short at a time when other majority white states were embracing him.

Then came the April primary in which Mrs. Clinton trounced Mr. Obama by a wider margin than even Mr. Rendell predicted.

Campaign Volunteer Made Up Attack Story

A Pittsburgh police commander told KDKA Investigator Marty Griffin that Ashley Todd confessed to making up the story & is facing charges

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― Police sources tell KDKA that a campaign worker has now confessed to making up a story that a mugger attacked her and cut the letter "B" in her face after seeing her McCain bumper sticker.

Ashley Todd, 20, of Texas, initially told police that she was robbed at an ATM in Bloomfield and that the suspect became enraged and started beating her after seeing her GOP sticker on her car.

Police investigating the alleged attack, however, began to notice some inconsistencies in her story and administered a polygraph test.

Authorities, however, declined to release the results of that test.

Investigators did say that they received photos from the ATM machine and "the photographs were verified as not being the victim making the transaction."

This afternoon, a Pittsburgh police commander told KDKA Investigator Marty Griffin that Todd confessed to making up the story.

The commander added that Todd will face charges; but police have not commented on what those charges will be.

According to police, investigators working on the interview process detected several inconsistencies in Todd's story that differed from statements made in the original police report.

Pittsburgh Police Public Information Officer Diane Richard released a statement earlier today, saying: "Because of the inconsistencies in her statements, Ms. Todd was asked to submit to a polygraph examination which she agreed to do."

No photos of Todd are being released by Pittsburgh Police at this time.

The investigation is continuing as officials determine what charges will be filed.