In the same week that Fox’s Sean Hannity apologized for suggesting President Obama had scrubbed his Twitter timeline of Hillary Clinton mentions and might be headed to jail as a result and Fox’s Bret Baier apologized for suggesting Clinton was about to be indicted, Hannity misinterpreted a WikiLeak email to suggest that Clinton campaign manager John Podesta practices black magic.
As the Huffington Post explained, Hannity and a bunch of his like-minded Trumpster friends, misunderstood an invitation from Podesta's art-collector brother, Tony Podesta, to a “Spirit Cooking” dinner at "Marina's." The original email, which Tony forwarded to his brother, read:
Dear Tony,
I am so looking forward to the Spirit Cooking dinner at my place. Do you think you will be able to let me know if your brother is joining?
All my love, Marina
"Marina" is renowned performance artist Marina Abramović. She once created a series of etchings called “Spirit Cooking.” In fairness, descriptions of her art are a bit out there. But in this case, she was planning a dinner to reward donors to her Kickstarter campaign for a new art institute. As it turned out, John Podesta did not attend the dinner.
But Drudge decided, apparently without bothering to investigate, that the invitation was proof that Podesta “practices occult magic.” Mediaite caught the ridiculous tweeting that ensued:
Hannity and Fox News contributor Laura Ingraham joined in the smear.
Ingraham's LifeZette wrote that Abramović's art has "always contained the stain of the occult." And, not missing a chance to make electoral hay, without regard to the facts, also said:
The revelation of Podesta's participation in ritual occult magic raises serious questions about his morals. It could also explain the Clinton campaign's barely disguised antipathy toward the Catholic Church.
Then there was Hannity:
Are more Fox apologies in the works?
By the way, as Huffington Post noted:
But even Abramović’s most gruesome performance is nowhere near as terrifying as the real-life horror show that has been the Republican presidential candidate’s hate-fueled campaign. We’re hoping #SpiritCooking becomes the new #NastyWomen.
(H/T reader Eric J.)
Crossposted at News Hounds.
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