Politics

In rush to attack, Ben Smith blows it on Limbaugh’s Bain disclosure [VIDEO]

Jeff Poor Media Reporter
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Ben Smith, formerly a reporter at Politico where he was known for being first with his scoops, may have blown one.

Smith pointed out Wednesday that Rush Limbaugh’s defense of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney a day earlier omitted an acknowledgement that the corporate takeover firm Bain Capital owns the company that syndicates his show.

Romney co-founded Bain Capital and led the firm during the ’80s and ’90s.

“Talk radio king Rush Limbaugh has emerged as a key defender of Mitt Romney’s tenure at Bain Capital, where — his Republican and Democratic critics charge — layoffs at companies Bain owned should be blamed on Romney,” Smith wrote. “But Limbaugh hasn’t mentioned his own tie to the venture capital firm: Bain owns Clear Channel Communications, whose subsidiary inked a $400 million, eight-year syndication deal with Limbaugh in 2008.”

Smith apparently missed the second hour of Limbaugh’s Tuesday program, during which Limbaugh disclosed his ties to Bain before defending Romney against the attacks coming from former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

“I guess it’s time for some full disclosure here,” Limbaugh said Tuesday. “Bain Capital is one of — how do I phrase this? My former syndication partner was Clear Channel Communications. Clear Channel Communications was taken over, bought out by Bain Capital and another private equity firm.”

Smith later updated his story to reflect his goof, but odds are Limbaugh won’t let him off the hook on Thursday.

Watch (beginning at time index 6:20):

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