Air America Host in Mugging Hoax

I was very suspicious of this story when I first read about it today, and sure enough, it's a sham.

Maybe it was just satire.

Air America radio host Randi Rhodes is temporarily off the air, but claims she was brutally attacked near her Manhattan apartment are bogus, her lawyer and a police source said today.

Fellow host Jon Elliott claimed on the liberal radio network that Rhodes had been mugged while walking her dog, Simon, on Sunday night. Elliot, who said Rhodes lost several teeth in the attack, waxed about a possible conspiracy.

"Is this an attempt by the right-wing, hate machine to silence one of our own?" he asked on the air, according to Talking Radio, a blog. "Are we threatening them? Are they afraid that we’re winning? Are they trying to silence intimidate us?"

A police source said Rhodes never filed a report and never claimed to be the victim of a mugging. Cops from Manhattan's 17th Precinct called her attorney, who told them Rhodes was not a victim of a crime, the source said.

Rhodes' lawyer told the Daily News she was injured in a fall while walking her dog. He said she's not sure what happened, and only knows that she fell down and is in a lot of pain. The lawyer said Rhodes expects to be back on the air Thursday. He stressed there is no indication she was targeted or that she was the victim of a "hate crime."

Rhodes started with the Air America when it launched in 2004. Her show airs from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays.

The network released a statement that said Rhodes "experienced an unfortunate incident."

Yes, like the end of her radio career.

Remarkably, this site still has the original allegation up (headline: Randi Rhodes is the Victim of a Violent Attack), burying down deep this:

AAR's official blogger, Nancy Scola, posted the following message on the lib network's website this morning:

Air America host Randi Rhodes experienced an unfortunate incident hindering her from hosting her show. The reports of a presumed hate crime are unfounded. Ms. Rhodes looks forward to being back on the air on Thursday.

Thanks for clearing that up. I wonder if these suckers will be issuing any retractions?

The Moderate Voice had a roundup of opinion earlier. Let's see how quickly the retractions and apologies are forthcoming. Something called Brilliant at Breakfast obviously hasn't eaten today.

Granted, we don’t know for certain that Rhodes was specifically targeted for political reasons. We are, after all, talking about New York and people do get mugged. But taken in the context of a right wing hate machine that’s grown ever more shrill as not just their president, but their entire ideology, has shown to be a hollow shell constituting just a veneer over a fetid, stinking core of greed, hypocrisy, and incompetence, they’re going to lash out at those who shattered their illusions, rather than those who manipulated them in the first place.

Brilliant!

UPDATE: More from Michelle Malkin, A Blog For All, Hot Air, Captain's Quarters, Vodka Pundit.

Now that the truth is out, bizarrely it still is top story here two hours later.

UPDATE II: Don Surber links. Thanks! Oh and take this report for what it's worth, but it does seem plausible.

If only her dog could talk.