Oops...Kaloogian Blames Iraq Photo Error on Staffer

Kaloogian Blames Iraq Photo Error on Staffer
By Justin Rood - March 29, 2006, 1:06 PM

Howard Kaloogian, a leading GOP candidate for Randy "Duke" Cunningham's seat in Congress, posted a photo on his Web site of a quiet Turkish suburb. No problem there -- but his site said it was of Baghdad, taken during his trip there. He called it proof that Iraq was calmer than the media was reporting.

Josh tells the story at TPM of how the blogosphere rounded up a posse and proved the pic was a fake -- or rather, the pic was real, but the caption was hooey.

We reached Kaloogian by phone moments ago. Here's what he had to say:


Kaloogian noted that he brought back "hundreds and hundreds" of photographs from the trip. He declined to identify his webmaster's name, saying only that he was "a member of my staff."

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/000213.php



Update:
Kaloogian Defended Bogus Iraq Photo

It now appears California GOP Congressional hopeful Howard Kaloogian was for his misidentified "Iraq" photo before he was against it. (Google cache of photo here -- it's third from top)

In a post on the Democratic Underground web site, "KBlagburn" wrote yesterday of a conversation he had with Kaloogian in which he tried to bring the error to the candidate's attention. Kaloogian stood by the photo and caption, according to KBlagburn.

Kaloogian's campaign did not confirm the conversation but said it was possible. "If that's the case, it's because didn't have the correct information," campaign volunteer David Krive told me.

Krive said he first heard Kaloogian admit the error this morning, in a phone conversation with a newspaper reporter.

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/000216.php

It was inevitable.

i hope he runs with it. this is the kind of sh*t he loves.

which is the third worst category for those not familiar with the segment.

:eyes:

to POST some of those hundreds of photos they took of beautiful downtown Baghdad. Let's see 'em Howard!!

that get the blame.......

:eyes:

They really should be called the "Pass the Buck" party.

to some nameless underling. Wow. I'm shocked, I tell you, just shocked! :sarcasm:

situation on the ground? Or are you going to lie again, in a new context?

For mixing up his pictures of Baghdad with another tourist's of Istanbul!

He knew that was not Badhdad, he just hoped that none of the tards that support him would know that...

I would demand that he post pics from badhdad, I do not think he even went!

or if this is just another badly concieved lie...

or perhaps it was from Howard Dean's trip to Istanbul. They have a hard time telling the difference between their pics and Dean's:


http://politicsnj.com/schundlergear2005.htm

I saw this dufus (Schindler) Saturday. Yeah, wanna' guess where? Going into a corporate office out in Short Hills, a super-rich area. This office park is located right across from a Hilton. On the other side is shopping center which caters to the very wealthy. The office building looked empty, so it wasn't like there was a meeting or anything. Meeting someone, I would surmise, judging from his apparel.

So on a freaking Saturday, he's all dressed up going into a corporate office.

Yep, that's what repukes do on Saturdays. Lurk around wealthy office parks, LOL.




Cher

... due to his Armenian heritage. He's half joking of course, but then the response would be is if his staff is also Armenian too, and what sort of other things they did there as well. My Armenian friend was big on Kaloogian before, but he was also a big System of a Down fan too. Go figure. I figure the next time, if and when he talks to System of a Down folks in person, is to ask them how they feel about Kaloogian! :)

is he? Is this what is known as a modified limited hang out a la Nixon, 1973?

he received to copy and paste other people's work and take all the credit.

Damn mean liberals are always attacking the innocent conservatives because they're so filled with hate. :eyes:

Istanbul! Now doesn't that speak well of how "calm" the baghdad vista is to behold. Well, lets see the replacement photo they post instead.

Blame it on the staffer - yeah, that's the ticket! :)

And don't think for a minute that it want get passed around, as an actual picture of downtown Baghdad circa 2006.

Seriously, could we call his offices and request to talk to the so-called "staffer" that put the "mistaken" photo?

Come on, people. This is STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE for Kaloogian, infamous for his "Move America Forward" fake association, created in the same style as the Swiftboat Veterans.

They're a separate ethnicity with a separate language. In fact, the Turks ruled Arabs for centuries under the Ottomon Empire and many Arabs did not like them (ever hear of "Lawrence of Arabia" and how he had Arab supporters who launched an insurgency against the Ottomon Empire during World War I?0

my point. Someone who would have no compunction about passing off Istanbul as Baghdad probably also equates Islam and Arabia.

So, where are all the **genuine** :rofl: photos of Howie K. walking those sleepy, secure streets of Baghdad????? :shrug:

Get caught lying, blame an underling. Who'd ever want to work for a Republican, you'd get blamed for every fuck-up they get caught at.

Can any of his trip be verified?

Can we verify that he actually went to Iraq and stopped in Turkey?

Flight records?

Public or private money??

Picture of him here in the states from that time frame?

Any other ways to prove this or disprove it?

*************

This whole trip is starting to stink to high heaven

she spent $7,000 of her own money on the trip to Iraq and never even submitted her expenses for reimbursement from Move America Forward.

Oh, and all the information she learned from the Iraqi general on how the Iraqi Army is at 60% strength and growing is hooey because nobody can even find the damn ghost general now.

Astroturff in spades.

http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/Content?oid=oid%3A45067

Supposedly taking this trip I should say. Follow the money....

CALLED HIM YESTERDAY BY PHONE AND TALKED TO KALOOGIAN personally ... if I recall and Kaloogian told him the photo was legit. Kaloogian is lying. Anybody remember the post from yesterdays thread?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=776401&mesg_id=778365

KBlagburn (284 posts) Tue Mar-28-06 03:45 PM
Response to Original message
74. JUST SPOKE WITH KALOOGIAN

Edited on Tue Mar-28-06 04:03 PM by KBlagburn
insist its iraq. Told him I was a desert storm vet and it was not like anything I had seen in the region. Made all the points about the photo. I am now analyzing the photo, and will find out where it was taken. Then I will contact the media in his area.

He also said that they had alot of pictures with arabic writeing on the signs but were told they could not publish them. That they had to publish pictures that were "non discript" so that you couldnt tell where the photo was taken.

I think it's a major achievement just letting these rascals know that we're watching them.

The free ride's just about over, Mr. Kaloogian; better start digging into your pockets because a big price is going to need to be paid if you want to keep going.

his Capt'n Morgan at my BBQ. With a chain saw in his right hand, which he says is to hack of them Teccanos.


:evilgrin:

Anyone gonna ask him that? And if so, let's see those photos...

what a moran.

onenote

that some Republicans have little respect for the intellect of the public and will take advantage whenever they can of people who really don't think or care about anything other than the false information they are daily fed.

If you think Bahgdad is SO CALM.... only problem is, YOU DON'T HAVE ANY!

Let's see them pix, baby...

we have a winner!

ANNEXING IRAQ!



A more accurate name for Bush’s Democracy in Iraq is Imperialism! Iraq’s government is a government influenced too much by other people, namely, the Bush Administration! New bases being built in Iraq appear to be permanent. Winning the minds is the chore of the Lincoln Group, planting stories of success is their job, catapulting propaganda of progress hear at home all are signals of Imperialism, which has always been based on the misrepresentation of the facts. Annexing Iraq is the chosen way to change the Middle East by Bush Regime standards and if they must do it by distorting history with Neocon ideas of delusion and over-reaching…so be it!

Iraq is not accepting the “Occupation” quietly! In the past few weeks there are signs the Iraqis are disillusioned, and reports out of Iraq show a definite rebellion towards Bush regime control that is putting our soldiers in harm’s way! Iraqis do not want to allow the dictates of the “occupier” to choose their Prime Minister! Recently some Iraqis have accused us of massacre! In many cases the Iraqi aims are opposite of ours.

Just what is the “end game” in Iraq? The Bush Administration might have set in motion far-reaching terrorism, not the “stability” they had predicted! Besides costing Iraq and the U.S. death and destruction, it could well cost us a permanent loss of reputation as a benevolent power and a credibility gap around the world.


Bush’s plans as stated in recent accounts, suggest there would be no major withdrawal on his watch. That way he could re-gift the next Administration with his failure, and Republicans could demand an exit strategy the one the Bush Administration NEVER HAD! As this unjustified war in Iraq takes its place in history, Bush’s illusion for his legacy will go right down the toilet, as will the blunder of the invasion and annexing of Iraq for political gain!

Seems to be a habit with him.. Situational amnesia?..or just not paying attention??


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=2194954&mesg_id=2195044

1. Lie
2. Cheat
3. Steal
4. Blame everyone else when you get caught
5. Repeat

And where are those "safe and secure Baghdad" photos to replace the "mistake"? He says they have "hundreds and hundreds" of photos - so where are they?

Here's the screenshot:



I'm sure the Kaloogian people will be happy that I acted so quickly, and even made sure that it is properly time-stamped. (You're welcome!)

By the way, if you'd like to see my collection of images that Republicans have altered or taken out of context follow this link: www.brainshrub.com/alterations

ON EDIT: Kaloogian clearly says "We took this photo", so don't buy it if he claims this was a clerical error. If he has pictures of a calm Baghdad, he should post them.

Right. The beauty is these morans are starting to get that the sphere will nail 'em every time now. You can't hide!

Move along, move along. Ask Agent K to show you his nifty flashlight on your way out.

:boring: If you find one that tells the truth, THEN you've got a story!

I just LOVE how these asswipes always blame everything on low-level staffers. Republican low-level staffers must be the stupidest lot in the country. You'd think, with all the money they're making on the Iraq war, that they could afford to hire better help. Gotta' keep those wages down though, the new yacht costs mucho dinero and they can't waste it paying someone a living wage. :grr:

At least the webmaster didn't use the pics of the belly dancers! ...

It's over. Kaloogian can not even fight this one: he LIED.



The photo that you see was just posted at Daily Kos. It is a photo of the same street in the district of Bakirkoy in Istanbul.

It is, without a doubt, the very same street Kaloogian claimed was in Baghdad.

http://www.dailykos.com/comments/2006/3/28/152755/284/758#c758

many reporterss are against the "War On Terrorism". This is pure slander!

Phoenix, right?

a big Casino sign. :shrug:

text is still there though. Ass.

I'm sure it was because of the one I sent this morning that he has now come up with this "staffer" BS. :evilgrin:

Try it, you'll like it. Calling repukes on their lies and crimes is -- cathartic.
howard@kaloogianforcongress.com

By the way, I notice that as of 3:28 PM EST the picture of Istanbul is still on his website.

appropriate name for the git. I do like names which make me smile. Thank you.

They could not publish?

"He also said that they had alot of pictures with arabic writeing on the signs but were told they could not publish them. That they had to publish pictures that were "non discript" so that you couldnt tell where the photo was taken."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=776401&mesg_id=778365

Oops - redact the earlier lie, they found a better one.

No wonder why he was able to walk freely over there and not make it on the front page.

This fucker went to Turkey and thought he was in Iraq. That's the scoop.

how they expect us murkins to know where in the hell we are over there. its the muddle east ait it. any murkin could make the same mistake. hell it sure looked lak a peacful aiyrak and why should ah have gone any further just a lookin fer trouble like the murkin media and did ya see thatun with the big hooters. the murkin prayus just a lookin fer trouble. it was uh friday and that should have been eiyrak. they was just a messin with muh eytenerari.

nm

...take responsibility for everything your staff does and doesn't do, afterall, as a "leader" it's always your fault.

:kick:

The best part of this story is how thoroughly & completely the Kaloonatic was sliced, diced & shredded by a bunch of geeky private citizens who smelled a rat.
Huge props to all those DUers who worked alone but together in ferreting out the truth about a lie.
This is what Al Gore invented the internet for.

So why did he only have one photo of Baghkey?

didn't he? Suppress truth and make up your own. He'll be a great replacement for Duke in Stir.

From the link provided in #26 above...

"*Move America Forward was the leading organization to publicly speak out against Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 - exposing it as an Anti-American propaganda piece filled with countless inaccuracies and misrepresentations.

*Exposed the partnership between Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11" distribution companies and the terrorist group, Hezbollah, which worked to help make sure the Anti-American film was seen throughout the Middle East."

Ha ha - KO is speaking about the photo now on "World's Worst" and busting on Kaloogian! LOL

Picking up Biz on the Truth Tour
By Paul Kiel - March 29, 2006, 5:54 PM
Looks like while Howard Kaloogian was touring Iraq with the truth, his partner at Moving America Forward was signing contracts.

Sal Russo, who's the chief strategist for Move America Forward as well as the chief strategist for Kaloogian's campaign, is also one of the principals of Russo, Marsh, and Rogers, a big-hitting GOP consulting firm. Move America Forward operates out of the firm's offices.

On July 9th, 2005, Kaloogian and his five talk radio hosts went over to Iraq on their trip sponsored by Move America Forward. On July 13th, an item appeared in Jack O'Dwyer's Newsletter, which reports on the PR industry, that Sal Russo's firm had picked up a contract to "to get 'free media' to promote the interests of the Kurds in the post-Hussein Iraq." And that business also extended to the U.S. market - Russo, Marsh, and Rogers were hired to produce ads stateside. The Wall Street Journal described it as a "political-advertising contract with the Kurdish Regional Government in northern Iraq" to produce "advertisements that run in the U.S. seeking investment in Kurdistan."

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/000221.php

are in Baghdad? Obviously, if it were a mix-up, he must have quite similar pics that prove his point, right? Or was that also a screw-up of the staff? Maybe he meant the opposite?

Just another lying Republican weasel who is willing to deceive the voter to further the Republican talking points. If he'd deceive on something like this, imagine what he'll do if elected to Congress.

the dream of the corporatocracy..

Cooligan is a hooligan or he wouldn't be a Republican!

Looks like Baghdad from a hotel balcony, miles away.



Caption:

Downtown Baghdad
We originally posted a photograph not of Baghdad, Iraq but from Istanbul, Turkey where our delegation traveled on the way home to the United States. We apologize for this mistake. We have corrected it with a photograph we took from Baghdad. We took this photo of downtown Baghdad while we were in Iraq. Iraq (including Baghdad) is much more calm and stable than what many people believe it to be. But, each day the news media finds any violence occurring in the country and screams and shouts about it - in part because many journalists are opposed to the U.S. effort to fight terrorism.

We set out to prove how safe Baghdad is by taking a photo of it from a helicopter several miles away. Wrong again, 'liberal media'. If you look really closely, you can see children playing hop scotch in the streets. In the lower left you can see Chevy of Baghdad and they're clear out of '07 Suburbans. And it's kind of hard to make out, but a bit behind the trees, you can see the Baghdad Community Theater where they're putting on a production of 'Fiddler on the Roof'. I was so foolish to have ever doubted ol' Howie.

My son has Asperger's. I've got the ribbon on my car and jacket, and sometimes wear the blue autism awareness wristband. But I never thought about an icon.

I love when someone asks about it. It gives me a chance to educate someone new about autism. The more awareness, the better!

Truth is, it's borrowed. :)

I'm sure the autism society doesn't mind. I have 'em on my cars and I have a wristband too.

:grouphug:

Yeah, the "calm" is fucking palpable from that view! That's the best they could fucking do? My God, it must be even worse than the media is reporting if this douchebag supposedly took hundreds of photographs of the Baghdad "calm" and he first tries to fob off a picture of fucking Istanbul, then gives us a damn near aerial panorama shot of a hundred rooftops and a highway. Oh, right, there's no smoke rising from the panorama, so Baghdad is demonstrably calm! :rofl: I cannot fucking believe that that is their replacement picture! I'm literally crying laughing here.

he could have been in Istanbul and thought he was in Baghdad.

Well, it could happen.

Edit: I was in Chicago once, on Madison and I walked over a bridge. Looked up ahead and there was Canal Street and though, hey, this must be New Orleans.

Not only did he claim the picture was legit.....but he actually was looking at the pic on the site when he told me this. He asked me which page and which pic I was talking about. I called the ABC & NBC affiliates in San Diego and told them about the decption as well.

I guess another repub liar is caught red handed....

:spank: :spank: :spank: :spank: :spank:

We certainly wouldn't want to admit being unequivically proved wrong to be our OWN fault, now, would we? That's just not the Republican Way! We must find a scapegoat and keep lying.

Ugh.

this is getting good airplay. Keith Olbermann listed Kaloogian as his #3 Worst Person of the World tonight.

:wtf: :crazy: :think: :wtf: :crazy: :think::wtf: :crazy: :think::wtf: :crazy: :think::wtf: :crazy: :think:I am really surprised that nobody has posted this yet, or if they have I apologize for the repeat of information.

HECK of a job you are doing there Mr. Lorenz. Well dagumit', I am just gonna fire off an email to you right now telling you how swell of a job you and your staff are doing.

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

:kick:

Taken from www.ns.com

Whois info for kaloogianforcongress.com

Source: whois.easydns.com
Registrant:
Russo Marsh & Rogers
770 L Street, #950
Sacramento, CA 95814
US

Domain name: KALOOGIANFORCONGRESS.COM

Administrative Contact:
Lorenz, Douglas dlorenz@rmrwest.com
770 L Street, #950
Sacramento, CA 95814
US
916-441-3734 Fax: 916-441-6057

Technical Contact:
Lorenz, Douglas dlorenz@rmrwest.com
770 L Street, #950
Sacramento, CA 95814
US
916-441-3734 Fax: 916-441-6057



Registrar of Record: easyDNS Technologies, Inc.
Record last updated on 27-Oct-2005.
Record expires on 11-Jul-2006.
Record created on 11-Jul-2005.

Domain servers in listed order:
NS1.EASYDNS.COM 216.220.40.243
NS2.EASYDNS.COM 209.200.151.4
REMOTE1.EASYDNS.COM 209.200.131.4
REMOTE2.EASYDNS.COM 205.210.42.20
REMOTE3.EASYDNS.COM 209.200.131.10


Domain status: REGISTRAR-LOCK

claim of Invading Iraq for wmd's is a hard act to follow!

No rubble, or blood. What's a wingnut congressional candidate to do?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x776401
thread title (3-28-06 GD): Fake photo of Baghdad used to bolster GOP's claims?
Howard Kaloogian (R) has posted a photograph on his campaign website which he claims to have recently taken in downtown Baghdad, to show how "calm" and "stable" the city was during his visit. But the photo is actually from Istambul, TURKEY!!! Long thread with additional finds all confirming Istambul ID. Now up at Huffington Post and other blogs too.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x785305
thread title (3-29-06 GD): Oops...Kaloogian Blames Iraq Photo Error on Staffer
Says there were “hundreds and hundreds” of photos taken on his Iraq trip, and they had a layover in Istambul. His campaign site says “Baghdad is calm and secure. I know. I’ve been there.” So egregious!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2194954
thread title (3-29-06 LBN): Baghdad, Turkey Baghdad photo scandal
See Reply #17 – It’s not the first time Kaloogian “got lost” like this. What a lying slime. Good composite photo showing obviously NOT in Iraq but Turkey.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x784983
thread title (3-29-06 GD): More photos of things going great in Baghdad
Hilarious! Photos from all over the world – favorite: the “banana burka” from Rio

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x786665
thread title (3-29-06 GD): Kaloogian Slams Press Coverage of Iraq With Bogus Photo (Its made the MSM)
Cites 3/29 Editor & Publisher article on the whole debacle.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x789542
thread title (3-29-06 GD): NEWSWEEK - Baghdad/Istanbul - Blogosphere Nails Kaloogian

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x785264
thread title (3-29-06 GD): Re FAKE PHOTO: It's not just Howard Kaloogian, it's BIG right-wing players
” It's Move America Forward, and it's Russo Marsh & Rogers, the Sacramento-based political public relations firm with major right-wing ties. Move America Forward is an astroturf political action group that RM&R uses to woo big-money financiers of right wing candidates and causes. While it feels good to nail Howard Kaloogian, that phony "downtown Baghdad" photo used on his Web site has a stream that runs right to the heart the right wing ….”

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x787933
thread title (3-29-06 GD): UK Guardian now linking to DU thread on the Kalgoolian photo
Excerpt from the Guardian UK: “The Backbencher has been enjoying the spat over a picture, allegedly of Baghdad, that wannabe Republican congressman Howard Kaloogian posted on his website. It purported (http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x776401) to show a peaceful street in Baghdad. "Iraq (including Baghdad) is much more calm and stable than what many people believe it to be," Howard wrote. "But, each day the news media finds any violence occurring in the country and screams and shouts about it". Inevitable, then, that left-liberal blogs would point out that this picture actually shows a street in Turkey. The tight female clothing and non-Arabic signs did give it away.”

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x790319
thread title (3-29-06 GD): Kaloogian: "It’s one itty-bitty picture"
From msnbc site (Newsweek): “Kaloogian is no stranger to controversy. He was one of the architects of the successful recall drive against former California governor Gray Davis. But he seemed annoyed at the sudden onslaught of attention. ‘Journalists weren’t interested in our trip for nine months afterwards, and now they’re trying to find one picayunish mistake,’ he complained to NEWSWEEK. ‘It’s one itty-bitty picture. The Associated Press gave us a Mark Twain Award for a broadcast we did from Iraq, and nothing was written about that at all.’ (Kaloogian is not named on the Web site of the Associated Press Television and Radio Association of California-Nevada as a Mark Twain Award winner, although several radio talk-show hosts who accompanied Kaloogian on the Iraq trip are named. ‘We invited these talk-show hosts to go with us, it was our trip, but they were on it,’ Kaloogian told NEWSWEEK.)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x785904
thread title (3-29-06 GD): DKos: Kaloogian Fake Baghdad Photo ID'ed
”This photo was taken by a photographer named Faruk, a member of the wowturkey.com community, and posted there.” So Kaloogian didn’t even use an ORIGINAL photo from Istambul!!!
Full SCREEN SHOT of Kaloogian’s campaign page with the bogus photo and its caption in Reply #8.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2542205
thread title (3-29-06 GD-P): Francine Busby is now at 45% - Survey USA
SurveyUSA current standings – Kaloogian in second place among GOPs with 12%, Busby with 45% (only Dem).

Remember this Bush ad? They'll photoshop if they have to.

Blame it on someone else! I'll bet it was Bill Clinton's %^&%$#$@#$, all along, that did it ALL...AGAIN!

thanks to George W. Bush. Here a typical Iraqi family celebrates a child's birthday in typical rowdy Iraqi fashion.

It begs the question, how much more peace and prosperity can the Iraqi people take? Or us, for that matter.

an up date,http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/3/30/14344/6926 guess Ka-loogi still hasn't wised up.

:evilgrin: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Kaloogian#Baghdad_photo_incident

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaloogian

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x797943
thread title (3-30-06 GD): KALOOGIAN PHOTO THREAD LIST and the perfect Tom Tomorrow CARTOON:

cross-posted in the Research Forum:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=358x3488
thread title (3-30-06 Research Forum): KALOOGIAN PHOTO THREAD LIST and the perfect Tom Tomorrow CARTOON