Rumor Déjà Vu

rumor –noun 1. a story or statement in general circulation without confirmation or certainty as to facts: a rumor of war. 2. gossip; hearsay: Don't listen to rumor. 3. Archaic. a continuous, confused noise; clamor; din. –verb (used with object) 4. to circulate, report, or assert by a rumor: It is rumored that the king is dead. January 4, 2007: The Comedy Central Insider/InDecider, after first bragging about having posted the rumor that Rumsfeld would get canned the day before it actually happened, then claims to have a source "exactly as reliable as that one was at the time" to float this rumor with this disclaimer: We place this rumor here, on the Comedy Central blog, where it least belongs, and cross our fingers until next month, when we can either do the I Told You So Dance or, well, nobody will remember we ever said anything. Whatever the implications for our great country, it's win-win for us! January 6, 2007: Michael Crowley at TNR spreads the same rumor. David Kurtz at TPM passes it along, links to Crowley. January 8, 2007: The Comedy Central Insider/InDecider brags about scooping TNR on posting the irresponsible rumor. January 9, 2007: Martin Sieff for UPI floats a variation of the rumor, giving the wholesale speculation a gloss of "responsible" journalistic authority. January 25, 2007: The Comedy Central Insider/InDecider claims to have a second source for the rumor. Nicole Belle at Crooks and Liars passes along the rumor, links to CC Insider/InDecider. October 18, 2005: Paul Bedard for US News and World Report wrote: Sparked by today's Washington Post story that suggests Vice President Cheney's office is involved in the Plame-CIA spy link investigation, government officials and advisers passed around rumors that the vice president might step aside and that President Bush would elevate Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.