It sure looked like a flash fire but it actually smoldered for nearly a year. In early '09, the Washington Times, George Neumayr, and Cal Thomas linked HCR to euthanasia while "Dr" Betsy McCaughey PhD, the same "expert" who helped torpedo ClintonCare) hoisted repeated bogus incendiaries about health rationing. But it wasn't until McCaughey hit on compulsory end-of-life counseling that she really got things going. Then, with a boost from Michelle Bachmann (R-MN)'s assertion that "Ezekiel Emanual" HCR would cut off health care for the disabled, Palin was primed for full ignition:
EUTHANASIA + RATIONING + BUREAUCRATS = DEATH PANEL
And the blast was AWESOME. The MSM couldn't get enough:
...the Washington Post mentioned the phrase 18 times, the New York Times 16 times, and network and cable news at least 154 times...
In just 2 weeks 86% of Americans to hear about 'Death Panels'. Overheated townhallers screamed and shouted and HCR was nearly collared for failure.
Read More