Even Matt Drudge thinks it's a slow news week

The news aggregator tries to make some of his own, accusing President Obama of using the "evil eye"

Published June 30, 2009 2:31PM (EDT)

There are very few weeks of the year that are as slow, news-wise, as this one. Congress is in recess, everyone has Friday off for July 4 and some people will undoubtedly be taking off before then, and it's finally starting to get hot enough that no one feels like arguing anymore. That doesn't mean some unexpected news won't break, of course, just that it's the kind of week where, normally, nothing big happens.

But nature abhors a vacuum, and so does Matt Drudge, the brains behind the Drudge Report. So on Tuesday, he was trying to manufacture a story of his own: President Obama, Drudge said, is giving other world leaders the "evil eye."

"As the summer begins, White House watchers have spotted a new look by President Obama: The Evil Eye!" Drudge writes. "Staffers have joked about the menacing glance, which comes when the president meets with world leaders who are not aligned with his progressive view."

The lack of identification or attribution on "staffers" is a fairly blatant way of saying the story lacks sources and substance. Are they even White House staffers? Drudge doesn't say.

But since he has a reputation to uphold, he did tack his usual "Developing..." on at the end of the story.


By Alex Koppelman

Alex Koppelman is a staff writer for Salon.

MORE FROM Alex Koppelman


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