The Very Sad State of Ashley Todd

As you all have probably heard or seen by now the biggest political story of yesterday revolved around what turned out to be a total and disgusting hoax. When I first heard about the story of Ashley Todd and her story of how she was supposedly attacked and mutilated by a crazed black man and Obama supporter while she was trying to get money from an ATM, I did think there was something wrong, but I was afraid that I was wishful thinking.

Now it turns out that this very troubled woman made the whole thing up.

Now I am hesitant to write about it because the whole thing was just so sad. What kind of hate does this poor woman have in her heart, to make up such a lie?

The AP has reported that as the police looked into Ashley Todd's story, the more the story fell a part. First the McCain volunteer did not appear in bank surveillance footage at the ATM where the alleged attack occurred, and then she changed her story to say she'd been knocked unconscious by her assailant. Yesterday, Todd shared with news outlets specific remarks the attacker said during the alleged incident, so this represented a rather dramatic change.

Fox and Drudge Report of course jumped on this story and really pushed the idea that it was agame changer. And we have now learned that McCain's Pennsylvania communications director actively pushed the false mutilation story to the media, even claiming that the supposed "B" carved on the Ashley's face stood for "Barack Obama." This is according to multiple sources familiar with the discussions.

TPM Election Central is reporting that John Verrilli, the news director for KDKA in Pittsburgh, told them that McCain's Pennsylvania campaign communications director gave one of his reporters a detailed version of the attack that included a claim that the alleged attacker said, "You're with the McCain campaign? I'm going to teach you a lesson."

In all this was a very sad episode, and I hope Ms. Todd gets the help she needs.