Obama media enabled Prius horror ride hoax because they wanted it to be true

• 
  
• The hoaxster's claims have been found to be false and physically impossible. The media never checked his claims out, avoided use of words like "alleged." Then there's the hoaxster's bankruptcy...They
  wanted the story to be true and were determined not to investigate it.
  

Forbes.com: "So why did he (Sikes the Prius driver) do it? Sleuth work at the Web sites Jalopnik.com and Gawker.com reveals that Sikes and his wife Patty in 2008 filed for bankruptcy and are over $700,000 in debt.

• Among their creditors is Toyota Financial Services

• for a lease on a 2008 Toyota Prius, with value at time of bankruptcy of $20,494.

The Jalopnik Web site shows a copy of Toyota's secured claims form, though when Jalopnik questioned Sikes by e-mail

• he denied being behind on his Prius payments.

Sikes also has a history of filing insurance claims for allegedly stolen items that are slowly coming to light.

• In 2001 he filed a police report with the Merced County Sheriff's Department for $58,000 in stolen property, including jewelry, a prosumer mini-DV camera and gear, and $24,000 in cash, according to Fox40 in Sacramento.
  

His bankruptcy documents show a 2008 payment of $7,400 for an allegedly stolen saxophone and clothes.

• For what it's worth, Sikes owned and operated a Web site called AdultSwingLife.com. More salacious material on this man will continue to pour in.

But the press conference alone makes it clear Sikes' story didn't wash.

• Journalism schools are supposed to teach that skepticism is paramount.
  

"If your mother says it, check it out," goes the old adage. Yet comments on Web sites across the country reveal that practically everyone thought the Prius incident was a hoax--though they couldn't prove it

• --except for the media.

They have been as determined to not investigate Sikes' claims

• as Sikes was to not stop his car.
  

It's a Toyota media feeding frenzy and the media aren't about to let little things like incredible stories and

• readily-refutable claims get in the way."

"Michael Fumento is director of the nonprofit Independent Journalism Project where he specialized in science issues"

• "Toyota Hybrid Horror Hoax," 3/12/10 Forbes.com

via Mark Levin Show