'Toy journalist’: Politifact hack's not-so-extensive effort to contact National Review writer mercilessly mocked

https://twitter.com/FWD_OBSERVER/status/570397672785338369
https://twitter.com/OrwellForks/status/570391168699240448

Politifact Deputy Editor Louis Jacobson attempted to reach National Review’s Kevin Williamson via a tweet for information about a “fact check” article:

@KevinNR I'm checking an interesting claim by you for PolitiFact re ACA & alternatv medicine. You can contact me via http://t.co/3eV66rjidV

— Louis Jacobson (@loujacobson) February 23, 2015

Williamson couldn’t respond in a timely enough fashion, so…

@KevinNR Sorry you didn't see my tweet yesterday morning, here: http://t.co/6PD4IxSNVu Happy to consider/link to comments as addendum

— Louis Jacobson (@loujacobson) February 25, 2015

The Politifact article notes that “neither Williamson nor Goldberg returned inquiries for this fact-check.” The “inquiry” was a tweet. Williamson reminded Jacobson that there are other ways to contact him:

https://twitter.com/KevinNR/status/570386415411970048
https://twitter.com/KevinNR/status/570387515632422913
https://twitter.com/KevinNR/status/570389219430039552

Well, that was a journalism fail!

Call the people you write about, kids. Or else this might happen. pic.twitter.com/XFKjZDayba

— Chris Moody (@moody) February 25, 2015

“Thorough fact check process completed” status? False.

@loujacobson This has to be the laziest request for comment I've ever seen. Ordering a pizza takes more effort than what you did here.

— Jimmy (@JimmyPrinceton) February 25, 2015

https://twitter.com/JRRBorn/status/570398170242371584

Layers of fact-checking. *Layers.* @loujacobson @KevinNR @AceofSpadesHQ

— Alex S. (@Alex_94706) February 25, 2015

.@moody Been a lot of journalism fails this week, huh?

— Ed Morrissey (@EdMorrissey) February 25, 2015

@EdMorrissey @moody FYI, Ed, you forgot the word "epic."

— John Ocasio-Nolte (@NolteNC) February 25, 2015

https://twitter.com/CuffyMeh/status/570406205065179140

@loujacobson @KevinNR what a transparent attempt to NOT get clarification or confirmation. #polifiction

— Tbutler493 (@Tbutler493) February 25, 2015

@loujacobson @KevinNR This is what's one step less than 'phoning it in'

— John Howard (@SSJIndy) February 25, 2015

@loujacobson @KevinNR Do you seriously consider tweeting at someone an attempt to contact them? Is that your policy?

— David Schumann (@dschumann0) February 25, 2015

@loujacobson @KevinNR Would you consider it fair if some random no-name called u a rapist and then tweeted at u for clarification?

— David Schumann (@dschumann0) February 25, 2015

https://twitter.com/Will_Antonin/status/570388295890440192

@loujacobson @KevinNR Do you think that having a blue checkmark means your tweets are suddenly more important?

— David Schumann (@dschumann0) February 25, 2015

https://twitter.com/notropis01/status/570392412897599488

.@KevinNR give @loujacobson a break. He hasn't tried tin cans & string yet!

— Polyglot Teabilly (@AKTeabilly) February 25, 2015

https://twitter.com/RobProvince/status/570397395860762624
https://twitter.com/shaketiller/status/570397962255216641
https://twitter.com/jimmiebjr/status/570393551474966528

@loujacobson @KevinNR good god, I hope you don't "fact check" anything of critical importance.

— Mike Cortese (@drebin25) February 25, 2015

@loujacobson @KevinNR "Capt. Smith, did you see my tweet about the iceberg?"

— Mike Cortese (@drebin25) February 25, 2015

https://twitter.com/RickMcCargar/status/570394077499404288
https://twitter.com/kinseyholley/status/570394320307556352

Tweeted to PersonB about a "fact-check" on PersonA that referenced PersonB.
Genius!@jneeley78 @KevinNR @Will_Antonin @loujacobson

— J.P. Steve Martin (@submix8c) February 25, 2015

https://twitter.com/Neal_Dewing/status/570397097805131776

.@KevinNR Come on, they shone the Kevin-Williamson-shaped bat signal into the sky for a half hour—what more do you want?

— David Gaw (@davidgaw) February 25, 2015

@KevinNR @loujacobson The younger generation doesn't realize their phones, you know, actually can CALL people.

— Charles (@charleswayne13) February 25, 2015

https://twitter.com/JohnBurtner/status/570409433215447040

@loujacobson @KevinNR If that was the extent of your efforts, you would find ramping up to indolence exhausting.

— GadsdenJazz (@GadsdenJazz) February 25, 2015

https://twitter.com/notropis01/status/570386972981772290

@KevinNR @loujacobson useless rubes are generally lazy asses.

— Hair (@SHannitysHair) February 25, 2015

@KevinNR @loujacobson useless rubes are generally lazy asses.

— Hair (@SHannitysHair) February 25, 2015

quite interesting that @PolitiFact's @loujacobson hasn't bothered to tweet @KevinNR back regarding his tweet request for tweet comment.

— Prudence Paine (@PruPaine) February 25, 2015

@KevinNR I see that @loujacobson just put up his correction: pic.twitter.com/SiXmsh3mt9

— Awkward Fuzzball (@awkwardfuzzball) February 25, 2015

However, it’s being looked into:

https://twitter.com/KevinNR/status/570559192215511041

Don’t put Williamson in the “undecided” category:

https://twitter.com/KevinNR/status/570602843842977792

‘Nuff said.

***

Update:

‘Cred-O-Meter Reading: DEAD’: PolitiFact’s B.S. ‘apology’ to @JonahNRO, @KevinNR

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