I normally get quite angry at right wing spin, particularly the kind that's based on a spun half-truth, and then becomes a meme on talk radio, Fox News, and then gains traction in the mainstream media. It's very destructive. But sometimes - rarely - the spin is so over the top as to be laughable. As in, funny ha ha. But then, rarely, they hit on something with complete accuracy, seeing through the spin that the lamestream media ignores. Yesterday, they did us all a public service.
Yesterday, was such a day. Drudge had a link with this headline:
Michelle Obama's 'Get Moving' Program Linked to Pedestrian Deaths?
The story was written by a reporter at WMAL, the conservative talk station in Balitmore.
It reads:
WASHINGTON -- The Governors Highway Safety Association says pedestrian deaths increased in the first half of 2010 and the First Lady's program to get Americans to be more active could be partly responsible.
Governors Highway Safety Administration spokesman Jonathan Adkins told 630 WMAL that Michelle Obama is "trying to get us to walk to work and exercise a little bit more. While that's good, it also increases our exposure to risk."
Pedestrian deaths increased this year over last year by a whopping seven people. A 0.4% rise over last year! Now, even if it had been a 40% increase, blaming the First Lady's exercise initiative for people being hit by cars, or doing stuff like this might be seen as, umm, ever so slightly unfair. When in fact, every pedestrian death, regardless of reason, should now be viewed in light of Michelle Obama's dangerous foot-using scheme.
Accordingto the website, www.letsmove.gov: 'The Let’s Move! campaign, started by First Lady Michelle Obama, has an ambitious national goal of solving the challenge of childhood obesity within a generation so that children born today will reach adulthood at a healthy weight.
Don't believe this, people. It's a trap! Of course, that's their stated objective. In truth, her Let's Move! campaign is a way to slowly kill us off, by getting people who are unfamiliar with the act of putting one foot in front of another, which leads, invariably, into situations where people who don't know any better are walking onto the Interstate, wearing headphones near construction sites, and using their iPad near open sewer grates. Had the First Lady said nothing, how many people would still be alive today, sitting in front of their television sets, or in their very safe cars?
Now, clearly after pressure from the White House that their plot has been discovered by WMAL and a similar article in the Washington Examiner, the spokesperson walked (get it?) back their comment:
Well, the folks at GHSA were awfully surprised when they read this morning’s paper. In fact, Harsha tells us, she didn’t tell the Examiner that at all. "It’s ridiculous," she says. According to Harsha, the first lady’s fitness campaign never even came up in her discussion with McCabe. "Absolutely not," she says, adding that she actually supports the "Let’s Move" campaign.
Uh huh. Sure. I'm just glad this story is out there. Yet, right now, I'm staring outside a window and looking at people who, clearly having taken the First Lady's advice, are carelessly using the sidewalk. I pity these people. I'm sitting here in front of my laptop, chomping on M&Ms and cold deep dish pizza, safe in the knowledge that no harm can come to me. Thank you, conservative media, for exposing the First Lady's diabolical plot.
Read also, The Atlantic's take.
Or, this:
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go for a stroll on an icy pond. If something happens to me, you know who to blame.