LAT reporter gets kicked out of Nevada caucus

Nevada is holding its caucus today. Yes, I know. Zzzzzzzzzzz. It's a given that Willard is going to win this one. The twitter tells me the Mormon turnout was strong. And so was the Tea Party turnout which probably was at the root of this little imbroglio. Ashley Powers of the LAT was kicked out of a caucus even though she was there with a press pass issued by the Clark County GOP.

Ashley was there, doing her job, taking notes on a legal pad when the the caucus chair announced: No. Press. Allowed. Or course, it wasn't true but caucus goers in her immediate vicinity responded forcefully:

So the verdict on my presence was loud, and near-unanimous.

“BOOOOOOO!”

“You’re a bunch of liars!” someone shouted.

“Spy! She’s a spy!” someone else said.

A woman waved a button at me, which said: DON’T BELIEVE THE LIBERAL MEDIA.

Tough crowd, I thought.

Then a man walked over to me and said if I didn’t leave, he’d call security. So I left the room while voters cast their ballots.

Paranoia runs deep in this crowd, fed by most high ranking Republicans generally, Newt and Limbaugh specifically and of course, the entire Fox "News" media empire. And then there's Brent Bozell's new campaign against the liberal media.

Don't want to think what might have happened if Ashley had refused to leave since she really was there by permission. Wingnut wurlitzer is playing with fire by pushing this meme so hard. I expect the anger and paranoia will only escalate in the months ahead. Afraid one of these days, somebody is going to get hurt.

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