I remember after the Saddleback forum that Randi pointed out that part of McCain's story was lifted from Alexander Solzhenitzen. I have this diary from Kos but it is not a hard reference. If McCain did adopt this story it would make a good talking point.

So does anyone have a reference. I could not find on the Randi Archives or looking up Solzhenitzen. I dont have the Gulag book.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/8/17/12.../161/239/569299

Randi erred in that it was not in the Gulag nor in anything written by AS. In fact, AS told the story to Billy Graham in the 1970s and he used it in a Christmas special and attributed it to him. It was later adopted by Charles Colson of watergate fame in a book he wrote and has been quoted by others Republicans before McCain suddenly "membered" that it happened to him.

It is even written in a common book of Christian sermons.

So its not a rare story but rather well known in the right wing, and McCain adopted it as his story because it was so moving.

But it was not in the Gulag nor in any other written piece by AS.

But it was not in the Gulag nor in any other written piece by AS.
[/quote]

Thanks that gives me a place to look it up.

It was a "Whoops" in regards to properly indentifying the source of the Gulag Archipelago story.

My fav is when Mister Cenk Uygar (of The Young Turks program) poinently lifted his finger during his show and said "to quote Alexandar Solzenicyn" and then he went into the cross in the dirt story. This was early on when the furor first broke in the blogosphere.

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_...ns-cross-i.html

So McCain plagiarized the cross story - it's not like honesty counts for anything with these guys.

the Andrew Sullivan block is perfect. I mentioned this to my local dems last night and no one heard this story. Spreading it around.