Swift-Boating Olmert
Topic: WorldNetDaily
WorldNetDaily has apparently decided to give acting Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert the John Kerry treatment.

A March 20 article by Aaron Klein uses anonymous sources to allege that an investigation of alleged "multiple charges of corruption and illegal appointments" by Olmert is "being delayed until after next week's elections in which Olmert is running for top office." There are no on-the-record quotes in the article at all; Klein cites "a source close to the report" and "a spokesman for the Likud party," which stands to benefit from Klein's attack on Olmert (who is running in the Kadima party). Nobody from Olmert's side is given a chance to respond.

Klein and WND have long opposed Olmert and supported his opponent, Likud candidate Benjamin Netanyahu. A March 15 article accused Olmert of staging a military raid "to boost acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's campaign ahead of elections later this month." Klein added: "Israeli analysts have pointed out Olmert, who lacks a military background, has been loosing some ground on security issues to other candidates, particularly to Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu, known for his tough stance against Palestinian terrorism." A Feb. 7 Klein article featured another anonymous source accusing Olmert of staging an evacuation of Jewish homes in the West Bank "as a tactic to win votes from leftist Israelis by demonstrating he is capable of withdrawing Jews from the West Bank."

UPDATE: What was it that WND editor Joseph Farah said about things said by anonymous sources? Ah, yes: he said they are "usually quotes made up out of whole cloth to help make the story read better."