Medicaid Responds to Bill Minor

Bill Minor's latest senile ramblings on Medicaid and how everything is always the fault of a secret Haley Barbour conspiracy drew the ire of Francis Rullan, Communications Director for the Division of Medicaid.

Rullan responding:

Bill Minor's most recent column...brings to mind what Germany's former Minister of Propaganda Paul Joseph Goebbels once said, “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it."

Bill wrote, "In his June 30 statement, the MHA's [Sam] Cameron made a point that got no attention: that the existing Medicaid Division 'has yet to demonstrate its ability to plan, project and administer any budget.'" The aspersion cast concerning the capability of this (or any other) Medicaid administration's ability to balance the books is a lie by omission. What's omitted are indisputable facts.

Rullan then lists and comments on 12 facts before concluding:

Perhaps the real reason "that we hear no outrage in the Mississippi news media about "[Governor] Barbour's heavy-handed tactics" is Mississippians are finally getting both sides of the story and can see through this columnist's spin.

Snap.

He could have just said, "Mr. Minor, this is Medicaid calling. You forgot to take your pills again."

(Tip o the Hat to Y'all.)

Patsy, Please Call The Secret Service

It is with horror that I have heard some people at recent televised political rallies shout "Kill him!" when one of our major presidential candidates raised questions about his opponent. We cannot be that shining beacon on the hill, if we keep silent to hate. We must turn to that person who suggests the unthinkable and say, "That is unacceptable! Go home and pray for your very soul. We don't do that in America." - Patsy Brumfield, Notheast Mississippi Daily, October 16, 2008

The agent in charge of the Secret Service field office in Scranton said allegations that someone yelled “kill him” when presidential hopeful Barack Obama’s name was mentioned during Tuesday’s Sarah Palin rally are unfounded. Agent Bill Slavoski said he was in the audience, along with an undisclosed number of additional secret service agents and other law enforcement officers and not one heard the comment. He said the agency conducted an investigation Wednesday, after seeing the story, and could not find one person to corroborate the allegation other than Singleton. Slavoski said more than 20 non-security agents were interviewed Wednesday, from news media to ordinary citizens in attendance at the rally for the Republican vice presidential candidate held at the Riverfront Sports Complex. “We have yet to find someone to back up the story,” Slavoski said. “We had people all over and we have yet to find anyone who said they heard it.” Slavoski said the agents take such threats or comments seriously and immediately opened an investigation but after due diligence “as far as we’re concerned it’s closed unless someone comes forward.” He urged anyone with knowledge of the alleged incident to call him at 346-5781. “We’ll run at all leads,” he said. - Andrew M. Seder, Scranton Times Leader, October 15, 2008

No Fact Check at AP?

On July 16, the Associated Press moved this story (linked here to yesterday's Clarion Ledger) which reported:

Democrat Ronnie Musgrove has filed a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission accusing U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker of accepting illegal campaign contributions...Musgrove filed his complaint Wednesday.

On July 18, the Associated Press moved this story which reports:

The Federal Elections Commission says it has not yet seen a complaint filed by Democrat Ronnie Musgrove's campaign against U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker.

I wonder, can you file a complaint without the person you're filing with know it? Did the AP report this based on a Musgrove Campaign press release? Where is the fact check?