Gullible's Travails: Edition 1

Another topic that I'm sad to say will be a regular part of CCM's coverage will be the tendency of some reporters to publish rightwing distortions without pointing out their -- shall we say -- tenuous relationship to reality.

Our first Gullible's Travails award goes to Peter Baker and Charles Babington for their article in today's Post. Consider this quote:

Republicans point out that no Supreme Court nominee has ever been filibustered except Abe Fortas in 1968, when it was unclear that Fortas, an associate justice, had majority support for confirmation as chief justice.

I told you to watch for these verbal shell games -- if he didn't have majority support, why did conservatives filibuster him? Anyway, that's not what wins Baker & Babington their prize. No, it's this gem:

"Throughout the history of the republic, Supreme Court nominations receive an up-or-down vote," Rove said. "We expect the Senate will" hold such a vote, he added.

This claim, unqualified by Baker & Babington, is difficult to reconcile with this item from Sunday's NYT, which says that

Since President Washington nominated John Jay as the first justice, 12 nominees have been rejected by the Senate. Another 16 or so nominees withdrew or declined their nominations, or had their votes postponed (the passive-aggressive way to reject).