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-{{italic title}}
-{{Infobox website
-| name =
-| logo = [[File:Drudge-Report-Logo.png|250px|The Drudge Report]]
-| logo_size =          <!-- default 250px -->
-| logo_caption =       <!-- or: | logocaption =  -->
-| logo_alt =
-| screenshot = File:Drudge homepage 2017.PNG
-| screenshot_size =    <!-- default 300px -->
-| caption =
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-| collapsible =        <!-- set as "on", "y", etc, otherwise omit/leave blank -->
-| collapsetext =       <!-- collapsible area's heading (default "Screenshot"); omit/leave blank if collapsible not set -->
-| url =                {{URL|drudgereport.com}}
-| slogan =
-| commercial =         <!-- "Yes", "No" or leave blank -->
-| type = [[News]]
-| registration = No
-| language = [[English language|English]]
-| num_users =
-| content_license =    <!-- or: | content_licence = -->
-| owner =              [[Matt Drudge]]
-| author =             Matt Drudge
-| editor =             Matt Drudge, [[Charles Hurt]]<ref name=huffpo512/>
-| launch_date =        {{Start date and age|1995}}<br>[[Hollywood, California|Hollywood]], [[California]], United States<ref name=EoAJ/>
-| revenue =
-| alexa =              {{Increase}} 719 ({{as of|2017|07|23|alt=July 23, 2017}})<ref name="alexa">{{cite web|url= http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/drudgereport.com |title= Drudgereport.com Site Info | publisher= [[Alexa Internet]] |accessdate= April 9, 2017 }}</ref><!--Updated monthly by OKBot.-->
-| current_status   = Active
-| background =         <!-- for collapsetext heading; default grey (gainsboro) -->
-| programming_language =
-| website_type     = [[News aggregator|News aggregation]], [[blog]]ging
-| advertising      = Yes
-}}
-The '''''Drudge Report''''' is a [[Conservatism in the United States|politically conservative]]<ref name="guardian.co.uk">{{cite news | last=MacAskill | first=Ewen | title=Conservative media release old video of Obama in so-called 'explosive' exclusive | publisher=''[[The Guardian]]'' | date=October 3, 2012 | url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/oct/03/obama-video-pastor-hurricane-katrina | accessdate=June 27, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last=Deruy | first=Emily | title=Why This 'Obama Phone' Ad Is Misleading | date=October 18, 2012 | url=http://abcnews.go.com/ABC_Univision/Politics/myth-obama-phone/story?id=17507339 | publisher=''[[ABC News]]'' | accessdate=July 4, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/07/us/nation-challenged-media-network-coverage-target-fire-conservatives.html|title=A Nation Challenged: The Media; Network Coverage a Target Of Fire From Conservatives|publisher=''[[The New York Times|New York Times]]''|accessdate=2009-04-21 | first1=Jim | last1=Rutenberg | first2=Bill | last2=Carter | date=2001-11-07}}</ref> [[United States|American]] [[News aggregator|news aggregation]] [[website]]. Run by [[Matt Drudge]] with the help of [[Charles Hurt]],<ref name=huffpo512>{{cite news | last=Calderone | first=Michael | date=2011-05-12 | url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/12/charles-hurt-drudge-report-washington-times_n_861231.html | title=Matt Drudge Hires Washington Times Columnist Charles Hurt | publisher=''[[The Washington Post]]'' | accessdate=2011-05-13}}</ref> the site consists mainly of [[hyperlinks|links]] to news stories from other outlets about politics, entertainment, and current events; it also has links to many columnists.  Occasionally, Drudge authors new stories himself, based on tips.
-The ''Drudge Report'' originated in 1995 as a weekly subscriber-based email dispatch.<ref name=EoAJ>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Wo8IY5oMpX4C|pages=146–7|title=Encyclopedia of American Journalism|chapter=Drudge Report|author=Jason M Shepard|isbn=978-0-415-96950-5|year=2008}}</ref> It was the first news source to break the [[Lewinsky scandal|Monica Lewinsky scandal]] to the public, after ''[[Newsweek]]'' decided to hold its story.<ref name="scoop">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/special_report/1998/clinton_scandal/50031.stm|title=Scandalous scoop breaks online|accessdate=2007-06-23|publisher=''[[BBC News]]''|date=1998-01-25}}</ref>
-==Origins==
-The ''Drudge Report'' started in 1995 as a [[gossip]] column focusing on [[Hollywood]] and [[Washington, D.C.]]<ref name="Blumenthatl">{{Cite web|url=http://epic.org/free_speech/blumenthal_v_drudge.html|title=Blumenthal vs Drudge|accessdate=2006-12-18}}</ref> Matt Drudge began the email-based newsletter  from an apartment in [[Hollywood, California]] using his connections with industry and media insiders to break stories, sometimes before they hit the mainstream media. In its early days Drudge maintained the website from his home in [[Miami Beach, Florida]], with help from assistants in story selection and headline writing. His first assistant was [[Andrew Breitbart]].<ref name=sappell>{{cite news | last=Sappell| first=Joel |title= Hot links served up daily |publisher = ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' | date=2007-08-04 |url=http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-drudge4aug04,0,4136919,full.story?coll=la-home-center |accessdate = 2007-08-04 }}</ref> Breitbart, who described himself as "Matt Drudge's bitch",<ref name="biyatch">{{Cite web|url=http://www.reason.com/news/show/122048.html|title=Lists: What's Your Source for That? Where Andrew Breitbart gets his information.|accessdate=2008-10-01|publisher=ReasonOnline.com}}</ref> worked the afternoon shift at the ''Drudge Report'',<ref name="afternoon">{{Cite web|url=http://gawker.com/5044885/andrew-breitbart-drudges-human-face |title=Andrew Breitbart: Drudge's Human Face |accessdate=2008-09-10 |publisher=Gawker.com |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080909165225/http://gawker.com:80/5044885/andrew-breitbart-drudges-human-face |archivedate=2008-09-09 |df= }}</ref> at the same time as running his own website ''breitbart.com'' and another website ''BigHollywood.com'', providing a [[conservative]] perspective for people in the Los Angeles entertainment industry.<ref name="breit-infidel">{{Cite web|url=http://www.observer.com/2008/arts-culture/hollywood-infidel?page=0%2C1|title=Hollywood Infidel|accessdate=2008-10-01|publisher=Observer.com}}</ref> [[John Ziegler (talk show host)|John Ziegler]] has said that Drudge blocked Breitbart from posting content critical of [[Barack Obama]] during the 2008 campaign for the US Presidency.<ref>Ziegler, John (March 7, 2012). [http://www.intellectualconservative.com/2012/03/07/matt-drudge-intentionally-ignored-negative-stories-to-help-elect-barack-obama/ Matt Drudge Intentionally Ignored Negative Stories to Help Elect Barack Obama]. ''News release''. Retrieved March 9, 2012.</ref>
-In 2010, Drudge added to the ''Drudge Report'' staff former columnist for ''[[The Washington Times]]'', Joseph Curl.<ref name=CSGD>{{cite news|url=http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowldc/curls-secret-gig-with-drudge_b24384|title=Curl's Secret Gig with Drudge|publisher=www.mediabistro.com/fishbowldc|accessdate=2011-04-26 | first1=Matt | last1=Dornic | date=2010-11-02}}</ref> In 2011, he added to the staff Charles Hurt, most recently the Washington bureau chief of the ''[[New York Post]]'' and a columnist for ''The Washington Times''.<ref name=huffpo512/> Curl, who served as morning shift editor, left the site in 2014 and, with Drudge's blessing, in January 2015 launched his own aggregator ''Right Read'', for ''The Washington Times''.<ref>Calderone, Michael (January 5, 2015). [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/05/joseph-curl-drudge-report-right-read_n_6418204.html Former Drudge Report Editor Launches Politics-Focused Site 'Right Read']. ''The Huffington Post''. Retrieved January 6, 2015.</ref>
-Drudge, who began his website in 1997 as a supplement to his [[United States dollar|$]]10 per year e-mail newsletter,<ref name="porkies">{{cite web |url=http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/comment/Profile-Matt-Drudge--Webmaster.3834340.jp |title=Profile: Matt Drudge&nbsp;– Webmaster of pork pies&nbsp;– Scotland on Sunday |publisher=scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com|accessdate=2009-03-13}}</ref> received national attention in 1996 when he broke the news that [[Jack Kemp]] would be Republican [[Bob Dole]]'s running mate in the [[U.S. presidential election, 1996|1996 US presidential election]]. In 1998, Drudge made national waves when he broke the news that ''[[Newsweek]]'' magazine had information on an inappropriate relationship between "a White House intern" and President [[Bill Clinton]]—the [[Monica Lewinsky scandal]]—but was withholding publication.<ref name="drudgemonica">{{cite web| last = Drudge| first = Matt| title = Newsweek Kills Story On White House Intern| publisher = The Drudge Report |date=1998-01-17 |url=http://www.drudgereport.com/ml.htm| accessdate = 2006-10-05 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20060901114541/http://www.drudgereport.com/ml.htm |archivedate = 2006-09-01}}</ref><ref name="newsweekheld">{{cite news |last=Johnson |first =Glen |title=Newsweek got, held scoop on Clinton story |publisher =AP/Denver Rocky Mountain News |date=1998-01-23 |url =http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-5261149.html| accessdate = 2007-04-05 }}</ref><ref name="brillscontent">{{Cite news |last=McClintick |first=David |title=Town Crier for the New Age |publisher=Brill's Content |accessdate=2010-07-23 |date=November 1998 |url=http://www.brillscontent.com/features/cryer_1198.html |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20000819015036/http://www.brillscontent.com/features/cryer_1198.html |archivedate = 2000-08-19}}</ref> After Drudge's report came out, ''Newsweek'' published the story.<ref name="newsweekstory">{{cite news |last=Fineman |first=Howard |author2=Karen Breslau |title=Sex, Lies and the President |publisher=Newsweek |date=1998-02-02 |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=NWEC&p_theme=nwec&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EC05F711C09BB0F&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |accessdate=2007-04-05}}</ref>
-==Content==
-The ''Drudge Report'' site consists mainly of selected<ref name="lawyer">{{cite book | title=The lawyer's guide to fact finding on the Internet| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FOyDyI-yHm4C&pg=PA203| last=Carole A.| first=Levitt|author2=Mark E. Rosch| year=2006| pages=198| publisher=American Bar Association|quote=Along with the links comes Drudge's own (conservative) opinions on the news stories he chooses to highlight. | isbn=1-59031-671-1}}</ref> [[hyperlink]]s to news websites all over the world, each link carrying a headline written by Drudge or his editors. The linked stories are generally hosted on the external websites of mainstream media outlets. It occasionally includes stories written by Drudge himself, usually two or three paragraphs in length. They generally concern a story about to be published in a major magazine or newspaper.  Drudge occasionally publishes [[Nielsen ratings|Nielsen]], [[Arbitron]], and [[Nielsen BookScan|BookScan]] ratings, or early election [[exit poll]]s which are otherwise not made available to the public.
-The site carries advertisements which generate the site's revenue. The ''Drudge Report'''s advertising is sold by Intermarkets, the [[Vienna, Virginia]]-based advertising firm.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tnr.com/politics/story.html?id=33037aaf-848f-4b79-8a75-34d6c793457e&p=2 |title=Underground Man |publisher=www.tnr.com |accessdate=2009-04-22 |last=Sherman |first=Gabriel}}</ref>
-In April 2009, the [[Associated Press]] announced that it would be examining the [[fair use]] doctrine, used by sites like [[Google]] and the ''Drudge Report'' to justify the use of AP content without payment.<ref name="payfornews">{{cite web|url=http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/ap_google_drudge/2009/04/07/200653.html |title=AP Worried About Google, Drudge |publisher=www.newsmax.com |accessdate=2009-04-08 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090410061201/http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/ap_google_drudge/2009/04/07/200653.html |archivedate=April 10, 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ap7-2009apr07,0,2878784.story |title=Associated Press accuses online news outlets of 'misappropriation' | publisher=''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' |accessdate=2009-04-08 |first=David |last=Sarno |date=2009-04-07}}</ref>
-On May 4, 2009, the [[US Attorney General]]'s office issued a warning to employees in [[Massachusetts]] not to visit the ''Drudge Report'' and other sites because of malicious code contained in some of the advertising on the website.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0509/22574.html |title=U.S. Attorney's office tells employees not to log on to Drudge Report |publisher=www.politico.com |accessdate=2009-05-16}}</ref> In March 2010, antivirus company [[Avast Software|Avast!]] warned that advertising at the ''Drudge Report'', ''[[The New York Times]]'', [[Yahoo]], [[Google]], [[MySpace]] and other sites carried malware that could infect computers. "The most compromised ad delivery platforms were Yield Manager and Fimserve, but a number of smaller ad systems, including Myspace, were also found to be delivering malware on a lesser scale", said Avast Virus Labs.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-27080_3-20000898-245.html |title=Malware delivered by Yahoo, Fox, Google ads |publisher=news.cnet.com |accessdate=2010-04-15}}</ref>
-==Design==
-The site's design has seen few changes since its debut in 1997. Drudge has experimented with temporary design tweaks, including using colored text for holidays instead of the standard black) throughout the site's existence.{{cn|date=August 2017}} It remains entirely written in unscripted [[HTML]], with a mostly monochromatic color scheme of black boldface monospaced font text on a plain white background. The ''Drudge Report'' has been described by Cheryl Woodard, co-founder of ''PC'', ''[[Macworld]]'', ''[[PC World (magazine)|PC World]]'' and ''Publish'' magazines, as "a big, haphazard mishmash of links and photos"<ref name='guide'>{{cite book | last = Woodard | first = Cheryl | authorlink = |author2=Lucia Hwang | title = Every nonprofit's guide to publishing |publisher=Nolo |year=2007 | location = | pages = 185 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=npBsx7qBBr4C&pg=PA185 |isbn=1-4133-0658-6}}</ref> and by [[Dan Rahmel]] as "popular despite a plain appearance".<ref name="popular5">{{cite book | title=Beginning Joomla!: From Novice to Professional| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fLV0bCdBIVMC&pg=PA217| last=Rahmel| first=Dan| year=2007| pages=217| publisher=Apress| isbn=1-59059-848-2}}</ref> The ''Drudge Report'' website is simple and, according to Paul Armstrong of ''webwithoutwords.com'', [[retro]] in feel.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://webwithoutwords.com/blog/drudge_report/ |title=The Drudge Report |publisher=webwithoutwords.com |accessdate=2009-04-13 |quote= Drudge Report succeeds in having that web "retro" feel of something stuck in the early 90s}}</ref> [[Jason Fried]] of [[Basecamp (company)|37signals]] called it "one of the best designed sites on the web".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.37signals.com/svn/posts/1407-why-the-drudge-report-is-one-of-the-best-designed-sites-on-the-web |title=Why the Drudge Report is one of the best designed sites on the web |publisher=www.37signals.com |accessdate=2009-04-13}}</ref> It consists of a banner headline and a number of other selected headlines in three columns in [[Monospaced font|monospaced]] [[font]]. Most link to an outside source, usually the online edition of a newspaper, which hosts the story. When no such source is available, either because the story is "developing",<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A51302-2004Jul15.html |title=A Touching Moment (washingtonpost.com) |publisher=www.washingtonpost.com |accessdate=2009-04-13 |quote=The next day, Matt Drudge followed suit with his own 'developing' Kerry-Edwards 'story' titled, 'Can't keep hands off each other.' |date=2004-07-15}}</ref> with little known details at the time, or is an exclusive scoop, a special page is created on the ''Drudge Report'' servers, which contains text and sometimes images.
-Stories on the site are ascribed different levels of importance, which Matt Drudge rates at his editorial discretion. The ''Report'' almost always holds one major story above the logo, usually just one sentence hyperlinked to the most important story of the day. Other stories surrounding the main headline can be found in the upper left-hand side of the page and link to more specific articles dealing with aspects of the headline story. The standard story, either the headline or links below the logo, is written in black.  The stories Drudge considers most important are in red, all under a single major headline in large bold type. For especially important breaking stories, especially if they are still emerging, Drudge places art of a flashing red light on the screen.<ref>{{cite news | last=Malone | first=Michael S. | date=March 1, 2007 | title=Silicon Insider: Surfing Upstream | publisher=''[[ABC News]]'' | access-date=July 4, 2016 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304065821/http://abcnews.go.com/Business/IndustryInfo/story?id=2915370 | archivedate=March 4, 2016 | dead-url=usurped | url=http://abcnews.go.com/Business/IndustryInfo/story?id=2915370 | quote=On a given day, the Drudge Report may contain thirty or forty sentence-long headlines, the most important ones in red, all under a single major headline in large bold type. On the really big breaking stories, especially the ones still emerging, Drudge will even post a flashing siren on the screen.}}</ref>
-Although the site initially featured very few images, it is now usually illustrated with five or six photographs. Generally the images, like the linked headlines, are [[Hotlinking|hotlinked]] from the servers of other news agencies.{{cn|date=August 2017}} The photos were changed from color to [[grayscale|black and white]] in August 2017.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.axios.com/inside-drudges-new-look-2471319917.html|title=Inside Drudge's new look|first=Mike|last=Allen|work=Axios|date=August 10, 2017|accessdate=August 10, 2017}}</ref>
-==Political leanings==
-Matt Drudge has said that he is a [[Conservatism in the United States|conservative]], but "more of a [[populism|populist]]".<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=wAmrSGSMrdIC&pg=PA72&lpg=PA72 The Architect: Karl Rove and the Dream of Absolute Power] Random House Digital 2007, page 72</ref><ref name="miaminewtimes">{{cite web| last = Sokol| first = Brett| title = The Drudge Retort| publisher = Miami New Times| date = 2001-06-28| url = http://www.miaminewtimes.com/Issues/2001-06-28/news/feature.html| accessdate = 2006-11-01 |quote=Matt Drudge: "I am a conservative"}}</ref> Some regard the ''Drudge Report'' as conservative in tone,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20081012/SUB/310129950 |title=Liberal media's voice grows stronger |publisher=Crainsnewyork.com |accessdate=2009-03-19 |quote=On the Web, The Huffington Post has become a leading news and opinion site just three years after launching. Modeled after conservative news aggregator The Drudge Report"}}</ref><ref name="FT-cons">{{Cite web|url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/1a46682a-9c73-11dd-a42e-000077b07658.html|title=Will a funny thing happen on the way to Washington?|accessdate=2008-10-29|publisher=The Financial Times|work=Edward Luce|quote=...the conservative Drudge Report...}}</ref><ref name="w-times-cons">{{Cite web|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/oct/27/mccain-labels-obama-redistributor/|title=McCain labels Obama 'the redistributor'|accessdate=2008-10-29|publisher=The Washington Times|work=Stephen Dinan|quote=..the conservative Drudge Report...}}</ref><ref name="edandpub">{{Cite web|url=http://www.editorandpublisher.com|title=MoveOn.org Targets AP's Fournier for Alleged Pro-McCain Bias|accessdate=2008-09-10|publisher=Editor and Publisher (pay site)|quote=...the Drudge Report ....and numerous other conservative sites}}</ref><ref name="mediap">{{Cite web|url=http://www.mediapost.com/publications/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticleHomePage&art_aid=84800|title=Drudge Retort Considers Lawsuit Against AP|accessdate=2008-12-09|publisher=MediaPost NY|quote=...the conservative Drudge Report}}</ref><ref name="cjon">{{Cite web|url=http://cjonline.com/stories/111508/loc_356232379.shtml|title=A weekly look at what's getting the most looks online|accessdate=2008-12-09|publisher=The Topeka Capital-Journal|quote=...the Drudge Report, a popular conservative Web site.}}</ref><ref name="rawcon">{{Cite web|url=http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Bill_Clinton_tells_Rush_Limbaugh_Youre_0517.html |title=Bill Clinton tells Rush Limbaugh: 'You're tan, fit, look good' |accessdate=2008-12-09 |publisher=Rawstory.com |quote=Limbaugh spoke about how the conservative Drudge Report first reported... |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081203175154/http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Bill_Clinton_tells_Rush_Limbaugh_Youre_0517.html |archivedate=December 3, 2008 }}</ref> and it has been referred to in the media as "a conservative news aggregator".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://washingtonexaminer.com/is-there-room-for-another-drudge-report/article/2559741|title=Is there room for another Drudge Report?|accessdate=2015-04-23|publisher=Washington Examiner|quote=is there a need for another conservative news aggregator? Drudge has dominated the field since the late 1990s.}}</ref> In 2008, Richard Siklos, an editor of ''[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]]'' magazine, called the ''Drudge Report'' a "conservative bullhorn".<ref name="siklos">{{cite news |url=http://money.cnn.com/2008/06/06/technology/drudge_report.fortune/index.htm?section=money_news_newsmakers|title=The Web 2.0-defying logic of Drudge|accessdate=2008-06-28|publisher=CNN|author=Richard Siklos | date=2008-06-06}}</ref> Peter Wallsten, writing in the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'', labelled Drudge a "well-known conservative warrior";<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-house-stimulus-assess29-2009jan29,0,5515444.story|title=New political era? Same as the old one | publisher=''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' | accessdate=2009-02-07|last=Wallsten|first=Peter |quote=...well-known conservative warriors such as Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Matt Drudge... | date=2009-01-29}}</ref> Saul Hansell, writing in the ''[[New York Times]]'', referred to him as a "conservative muckraker";<ref name="muck">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/16/business/media/16ap.html?ref=technology |title=The Associated Press to Set Guidelines for Using Its Articles in Blogs |publisher=''[[The New York Times|New York Times]]'' |accessdate=2009-02-21 | first=Saul | last=Hansell | date=2008-06-16 }}</ref> and [[Glenn Greenwald]], writing in the ''[[New York Magazine]]'', called him a "right-wing [[hack writer|hack]]".<ref name="nymagx">{{Cite web|url=http://nymag.com/news/media/36617/|title=Watching Matt Drudge |accessdate=2007-08-31 |publisher=New York Magazine |year=2007 |author=Philip Weiss}}</ref> Greenwald also wrote that the ''Drudge Report''—inter alia—is part of the "Bush/Cheney right-wing noise machine".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2007/10/25/military/print.html |title=The growing link between the U.S. military and right-wing media and blogs |publisher=www.salon.com |accessdate=2009-04-14 }}</ref>
-Jesse Swick of ''[[The New Republic]]'' notes that the ''Drudge Report'' frequently links to stories that [[climate change denial|cast doubt]] upon global warming. "[Drudge] loves a press release from Senator [[James Inhofe|Inhofe]] almost as much as he loves taking pot shots at [[Al Gore]] ... It’s like flashing tasty images of popcorn and sodas between frames at movie theaters, only much less subtle."<ref>{{cite news | title = It’s Always Snowing on the Drudge Report | date = 2009-12-09 | url = http://www.tnr.com/blog/the-plank/drudges-meteorology-fetish | publisher=''[[The New Republic]]'' | accessdate = 2011-04-24}}</ref> [[Ben Shapiro]] wrote, "The American left can't restrict Internet usage or ban talk radio, so it de-legitimizes these news sources. Ripping alternative news sources as illegitimate is the left's only remaining option -- it cannot compete with the right wing in the new media ... They call Matt Drudge a muckraker and a [[yellow journalism|yellow journalist]]."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://townhall.com/columnists/BenShapiro/2002/10/16/left_behind_the_democratization_of_the_media |title=Ben Shapiro : Left behind: the democratization of the media&nbsp;— Townhall.com |publisher=townhall.com |accessdate=2009-04-14}}</ref>
-A study in 2005 placed the ''Drudge Report'' "slightly left of center".<ref name=ucla-groseclose/> "One thing people should keep in mind is that our data for the Drudge Report was based almost entirely on the articles that the Drudge Report lists on other Web sites", said [[Timothy Groseclose]], the head of the study. "Very little was based on the stories that Matt Drudge himself wrote. The fact that the Drudge Report appears left of center is merely a reflection of the overall bias of the media."<ref name=ucla-groseclose>{{cite web |url=http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/Media-Bias-Is-Real-Finds-UCLA-6664.aspx |title=Media Bias Is Real, Finds UCLA Political Scientist&nbsp;— UCLA Newsroom |publisher=newsroom.ucla.edu |accessdate=2010-02-28|quote=...Fox News' "Special Report With Brit Hume" and the Drudge Report — were in a statistical dead heat in the race for the most centrist news outlet. Of the print media, USA Today was the most centrist.}}</ref> Professor [[Mark Liberman]] critiqued the statistical model used in this study on the basis that model assumed conservative politicians do not care about the ideological position of think tanks they cite, while liberal politicians do.<ref name="Language Log">{{cite web| last = Liberman| first = Mark| title = Multiplying ideologies considered harmful| publisher = Language Log|date=2005-12-23| url = http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/002724.html| accessdate = 2006-11-06}}</ref><ref name="Language Log.">{{cite web| last = Liberman| first = Mark| title = Linguistics, politics, mathematics| publisher = Language Log|date=2005-12-22| url = http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/002723.html| accessdate = 2006-11-06}}</ref> The study was also criticized by media watchdog Spinwatch for its methodology and its authors' ties to conservative think tanks.<ref>{{cite web
-|url=http://www.spinwatch.org.uk/latest-news-mainmenu-10/157-us-politics/2468-flawed-ucla-led-study-on-medias-liberal-bias |archiveurl=
-https://web.archive.org/web/20101101195631/http://www.spinwatch.org.uk/latest-news-mainmenu-10/157-us-politics/2468-flawed-ucla-led-study-on-medias-liberal-bias |archivedate= 2010-11-01 |title=Flawed UCLA-led study on medias liberal bias |publisher=www.spinwatch.org.uk |accessdate=2009-03-07}}</ref>
-In 2015 and 2016, Drudge repeatedly featured pro-Trump headlines during the [[Republican Party presidential primaries, 2016|Republican Party presidential primaries]], leading [[Salon (website)|Salon.com]] and [[Politico]] to describe Drudge as "all in" for Trump.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.salon.com/2015/12/25/matt_drudge_might_elect_donald_trump_the_gop_front_runners_secret_weapon_is_the_conservative_media_icon/|title=Matt Drudge might elect Donald Trump: The GOP front-runner’s secret weapon is the conservative media icon|first=Jimmy|last=LaSalvia|date=|publisher=}}</ref><ref name="politico.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.politico.com/story/2016/04/drudge-report-donald-trump-221857|title=Drudge goes all in for Trump|author=|date=|publisher=}}</ref>
-==Influence==
-According to Quantcast, the site has more than three million page visits per day.<ref name="quantcast">{{cite web|url= http://www.quantcast.com/drudgereport.com |title= Drudgereport.com Site Info | publisher= [[Quantcast]] |accessdate= 2012-01-30 }}</ref> According to [[Mark Halperin]], "Drudge's coverage affects the media's political coverage", effectively steering the media's political coverage towards what Halperin calls "the most salacious aspects of American politics".<ref name="abctone"/> In ''The Way To Win'', a book written by Halperin and [[John F. Harris|John Harris]], Drudge is called "the [[Walter Cronkite]] of his era".<ref name="abctone"/><ref name="waytowin">{{cite book | last = Halpernin | first = Mark |author2=John F. Harris | title = The Way To Win | publisher = Random House|date=October 2006 | isbn = 1-4000-6447-3 }}</ref> [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] strategist [[Chris Lehane]] says "phones start ringing" whenever Drudge breaks a story, and [[Mark McKinnon]], a former media advisor to [[George W. Bush]], said that he checked the site 30–40 times per day.<ref name="abctone">{{cite news| title = Drudge Report Sets Tone for National Political Coverage| publisher=''[[ABC News]]'' | date = 2006-10-01 | url = http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=2514276&page=1| accessdate = 2006-10-01}}</ref>
-Wallsten analyzed the data derived from a detailed content analysis of print, broadcast and blog discussions during the last five weeks of the 2008 campaign. Rather than the broad impact posited by professional political observers, Wallsten found that, even on issues where the site should be expected to have its largest impact, the stories highlighted on the Drudge Report exert a fairly inconsistent influence over what traditional media outlets chose to cover. Specifically, the time series analysis presented by Wallsten shows evidence of a “Drudge effect” on print and broadcast coverage for only five of the 10 political scandals that received the most attention on the Drudge Report between September 30 and November 3, 2008.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://sites.utexas.edu/straussinstitute/2012/09/11/the-drudge-report-has-a-limited-effect-on-what-stories-the-media-cover/ | location=Texas | first=Kevin | last=Wallsten | title=Drudge’s world? The Drudge Report’s influence on media coverage. | date=2011}}</ref>
-Matt Drudge has been criticized by other media news personalities: [[Bill O'Reilly (commentator)|Bill O'Reilly]] twice called Drudge a "threat to democracy" in response to Drudge disclosing his book sales figures,<ref name="drudgeoreilly">{{cite web| last = Drudge| first = Matt| title = Host Unhinged After Sales Figures Revealed; Calls Drudge 'Threat To Democracy'| publisher = Drudge Report| date = 2003-12-18 | url = http://www.drudgereportarchives.com/data/2003/12/18/20031218_150408_mattbc1.htm | accessdate = 2007-03-26}}</ref> and [[Keith Olbermann]] referred to Drudge as "an idiot with a modem".<ref name="wapopundit">{{cite news| last = Kurtz| first = Howard| title = MSNBC Pundit Rises With Clinton Crises| pages = E1| publisher = ''[[The Washington Post]]''| date = 1998-09-15 | url = http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/stories/olbermann091598.htm| accessdate = 2006-10-01}}</ref>
-Drudge, along with his website, was labelled one of the "Top 10 anti-Barack Obama conservatives" by the US editor of [[The Daily Telegraph]] in February 2009.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/tobyharnden/8740337/Top_10_antiBarack_Obama_conservatives/
-|title=Top 10 anti-Barack Obama conservatives |first=Toby |last=Harnden |publisher=blogs.telegraph.co.uk |accessdate=2009-03-03
-|quote=Drudge's deft selection of links helps build a conservative case against Obama every day. | location=London | date=2009-02-27}}</ref>
-In addition to its media influence, the ''Drudge Report'' has influenced design elements on other sites, some with opposing viewpoints <ref name="Drudgeretort">{{Cite web|url=http://www.drudge.com/|title=Drudge Retort|accessdate=2009-01-24|year=2009}}</ref> and some which use the same format for listing news.  A left-leaning<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/16/business/media/16ap.html?ref=technology| title=The Associated Press to Set Guidelines for Using Its Articles in Blogs| publisher=''[[The New York Times|New York Times]]''| accessdate=2009-03-21| quote=The Drudge Retort was initially started as a left-leaning parody of the much larger Drudge Report, run by the conservative muckraker Matt Drudge. | first=Saul | last=Hansell | date=2008-06-16}}</ref> parody site called [[Drudge Retort]] was founded in 1998 as "a send-up of Mr. Drudge's breathless style".<ref name="nyt-retort">{{cite news|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A05E3DE113EF93BA35752C0A96F958260|title= Pen With Meaning |accessdate=2008-10-01|publisher=''[[The New York Times|New York Times]]'' | first=James | last=Barron | date=1999-01-08}}</ref><ref name="retort-author">{{cite news|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/20/AR2008062002567_pf.html|title=Drudge Retort's Retort To AP: Personal Issue Resolved But 'Larger Conflict' Remains|accessdate=2008-10-01|publisher=''[[The Washington Post]]'' | first=Staci D. | last=Kramer}}</ref><ref name="richtel">{{cite news|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C05E6DA133CF934A1575BC0A96E958260&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss|title=NEWS WATCH; From the Drudge Report To the Drudge Retort|accessdate=2008-10-01|publisher=''[[The New York Times|New York Times]]''| first=Matt | last=Richtel | date=1998-08-27}}</ref>
-According to online analytics data for April 2010 from the Newspaper Marketing Agency, the Drudge Report is the number one site referrer for all online UK commercial newspaper websites.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/pda/2010/jun/28/interactive-newspaper-uk-traffic-source | accessdate=June 27, 2016 | publisher=''[[The Guardian]]'' | first=Robert | last=Andrews | title=PaidContent: where UK newspapers get their traffic | date=2010-06-28}}</ref>
-==Notable stories==
-===Monica Lewinsky scandal===
-The ''Drudge Report'' attained prominence when it was the first to report what came to be known as the [[Lewinsky scandal]]. It published the story on 17 January 1998, alleging that ''[[Newsweek]]'' had turned down the story.<ref>[http://www.drudgereportarchives.com/data/2002/01/17/20020117_175502_ml.htm "Newsweek Kills Story on White House Intern"], ''Drudge Report'', January 17, 1998</ref>
-===Swift Boat Veterans for Truth===
-During the 2004 US presidential campaign, the [[Swift Boat Veterans for Truth]] group made claims about [[John Kerry]]'s war record, which were mentioned by Drudge and investigated by major newspapers and TV networks.<ref name="abctone"/>  The book ''Unfit for Command: Swiftboat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry'' became a best-seller in part due to its promotion in the ''Drudge Report''.
-===Obama photo===
-Drudge<ref>{{cite web |url=http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2008/02/200852514445714214.html |title=Obama plays down photo row |publisher=english.aljazeera.net |accessdate=2009-03-03}}</ref> published a photo of [[Barack Obama]] in [[Somali people|Somali]] tribal dress on February 25, 2008,<ref>[http://www.drudgereportarchives.com/data/2008/02/25/20080225_115348_flashoa.htm "Clinton Staffers Circulate 'Dressed' Obama"], ''Drudge Report'', February 27, 2008</ref> and reported that the photo had been sent to him by a Clinton campaign staffer.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1579833/Barack-Obama-tribal-photo-sent-to-Drudge-Report-by-Hillary-Clinton-staff.html |title=Barack Obama tribal photo 'sent to Drudge Report by Hillary Clinton staff' |first=Alex |last=Spillius |date=2008-02-25 |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |publisher= |accessdate=2012-05-07 |location=London}}</ref>  The publication of the photograph resulted in a brief war of words between the Clinton and Obama campaign organizations.
-===Prince Harry in Afghanistan===
-On February 28. 2008, Drudge published an article noting that [[Prince Harry]] was serving with his regiment in [[Afghanistan]]. Prince Harry was ten weeks into a front-line deployment in Afghanistan that was subject to a voluntary news blackout by the UK press.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors/2008/02/news_blackout.html |title=News black-out |accessdate=2008-03-02 |date=2008-02-29 |publisher=''[[BBC News]]''}}</ref> The blackout was designed to protect Prince Harry and the men serving with him from being specifically targeted by the [[Taliban]]. An [[Australia]]n weekly women’s magazine ''[[New Idea]]'' had broken the story in January,<ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23296278-5016558,00.html | title = New Idea defends claims it endangered Prince Harry | accessdate = 2008-02-29 | date = 2008-02-29 | publisher = [[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|''The Daily Telegraph'' (Australia)]]}}</ref> but it was not followed up at the time. The ''New Idea'' editors claimed ignorance of any news blackout.<ref name="New Idea pleads">{{Cite web | url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/29/2176274.htm | title=New Idea pleads ignorance on Harry embargo | accessdate=2008-03-01 | publisher=ABC Australia News}}</ref> Then a German newspaper ''[[Berliner Kurier]]'' published a short piece on 28 February, also before Drudge.<ref name="nonexlusive">{{Cite web|url=http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=29&ContentID=60689 |title=Frontline Harry a well-kept secret |accessdate=2008-02-29 |publisher=The West Australian |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080304211611/http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=29 |archivedate=March 4, 2008}}</ref>
-Drudge subsequently claimed the report as an exclusive. [[Chief of the General Staff (United Kingdom)|Chief of the General Staff]] [[Richard Dannatt, Baron Dannatt|Sir Richard Dannatt]], professional head of the British Army, said: "I am very disappointed that foreign websites have decided to run this story without consulting us".<ref name="Dannatt">{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7269787.stm | title=Harry leak disappoints army chief | accessdate=2008-02-29 | publisher=''[[BBC News]]'' | date=2008-02-28}}</ref> The Prince's tour of duty was prematurely ended, since his unit might have been targeted by large-scale [[suicide attacks]] intended to kill the Prince.<ref>
-{{cite news | author1-last=Norton-Taylor | author1-first=Richard | author2-last=Gillan | author2-first=Audrey | url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2008/feb/29/military.monarchy | title=Army prepares to evacuate Harry after news blackout fails | publisher=''[[The Guardian]]'' | date=February 29, 2008 | accessdate=June 17, 2016}}</ref>
-===US Senate problems===
-On March 9, 2010, The [[Sergeant at Arms of the United States Senate|Senate Sergeant-at-Arms]] claimed that the site was "responsible for the many viruses popping up throughout the Senate...Please avoid using [this] site until the Senate resolves this issue...The Senate has been swamped the last couples {{sic}} days with this issue." The ''Drudge Report'' countered stating that "it served more than 29 million pages Monday without an e-mail complaint about 'pop ups,' or the site serving 'viruses'."<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/03/09/senate-warns-staffers-stay-clear-drudge-report/| title=Senate Staffers Warned to Stay Clear of Drudge Report| accessdate=March 9, 2010 | publisher=Fox News| date=2008-02-28}}</ref>
-==Controversial stories, errors and questions about sourcing==
-===Exclusives===
-Research by the media magazine [[Brill's Content]] in 1998 cast doubt on the accuracy of the majority of the "exclusives" claimed by the ''Drudge Report''. Of the 51 stories claimed as exclusives from January to September 1998, the magazine found that 31 (61%) were actually exclusive stories. Of those, 32% were untrue, 36% were true and the remaining 32% were of debatable accuracy.<ref name="brillscontent" />
-===Sidney Blumenthal lawsuit===
-In 1997, the ''Drudge Report'' reported that incoming White House assistant [[Sidney Blumenthal]] beat his wife and was covering it up. Drudge retracted the story the next day and apologized, saying that he was given bad information, but Blumenthal filed a $30 million libel lawsuit against Drudge. After four years Blumenthal dropped his lawsuit, saying that the suit had cost him tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees.
-He agreed to pay $2,500 to Drudge's Los Angeles attorney for travel costs, claiming that Drudge was "backed by unlimited funds from political supporters who use a tax-exempt foundation".<ref>{{cite news |title = Big Media Silent |publisher = Front Page Magazine |year = 2001 | url=http://archive.frontpagemag.com/readArticle.aspx?ARTID=21467}}</ref><ref name="waposettlement">{{cite news | last =Kurtz| first =Howard| title =Clinton Aide Settles Libel Suit Against Matt Drudge – at a Cost| page =C01| publisher =''[[The Washington Post]]''| date =2001-05-02| url =http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A30046-2001May1| accessdate = 2007-04-11 }}</ref><ref name="drudgequote">{{cite web| last = Drudge| first = Matt| title = May Day: Lawsuit Against Drudge Dropped; Blumenthal Pays Cash To Get Out!| publisher = Drudge Report| date = 2001-05-01| url = http://drudgereport.com/$2500.htm | accessdate = 2006-12-15 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20010506000105/http://drudgereport.com/$2500.htm |archivedate = 2001-05-06}}</ref><ref name="wimpy">{{Cite web|url=http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/9420.html|title=Online Matt Drudge Libel Suit Comes to 'Wimpy Conclusion'|accessdate=2007-07-30|publisher=Newsfactor.com|year=2001|author=Tim McDonald}}</ref> The Individual Rights Foundation, led by [[conservative]] activist [[David Horowitz]], paid Drudge's legal fees in the Blumenthal lawsuit.  A federal judge noted in the judgment that Drudge "is not a reporter, a journalist, or a newsgatherer. He is, as he admits himself, simply a purveyor of gossip."<ref name="gossip">{{Cite web|url=http://www.techlawjournal.com/courts/drudge/80423opin.htm|title=Blumenthal vs Drudge|accessdate=2006-12-18|publisher=Tech Law Journal|year=1998}}</ref>
-===Alleged John Kerry intern scandal===
-During the [[United States presidential election, 2004|2004 Presidential campaign]], Drudge ran a story quoting General [[Wesley Clark]], in which Clark claimed that the [[John Kerry]] campaign would implode over an intern affair. Drudge reported that other news outlets were investigating the alleged affair, but removed it from the site shortly afterwards when the other news outlets dropped their investigations.<ref name="alexandrapolier">{{cite web |last=Polier |first=Alexandra |title=John Kerry intern scandal&nbsp;– Alexandra Polier's account |publisher=New York Magazine |date=2004-06-07 |url=http://nymag.com/nymetro/news/politics/national/features/9221/index5.html |accessdate = 2004-06-07}}</ref>
-===Alleged Bill Clinton illegitimate child===
-In 1999, the ''Drudge Report'' announced that it had viewed a videotape which was the basis of a ''[[Star Magazine]]'' and ''[[Hard Copy]]'' story.  Under the headline, ''Woman Names Bill Clinton Father Of Son In Shocking Video Confession'', Drudge reported a videotaped "confession" by a former prostitute who claimed that her son was fathered by [[Bill Clinton]]. The ''Report'' stated, "To accuse the most powerful man in the world of being the father of her son is either the hoax of a lifetime, or a personal turmoil that needs resolution. Only two people may know that answer tonight."<ref>[http://www.drudgereportarchives.com/dsp/specialReports_pc_carden_detail.htm?reportID=%7BB5E2DC5F-DCB0-4A4A-AD05-95EF060CBA36%7D Special Reports Personal Collection.] Drudge Report Archives. Retrieved on 2007-04-02</ref> The claim turned out to be a hoax.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/10/16/matt-drudge-may-have-lost-his-grip-on-reality/|title=Danney Williams is not Bill Clinton’s son, no matter what Matt Drudge tells you|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=October 16, 2016|first=Callum|last=Borchers}}</ref>
-===Alleged heckling of Republican Senators by CNN reporter===
-On April 1, 2007, Drudge cited an unnamed "official" source saying that [[CNN]] reporter [[Michael Ware]] had "heckled" Republican Senators McCain and Graham during a live press conference.<ref name="drudgeheckle">{{cite news |first=Matt |last=Drudge |date=April 2, 2007 |url=http://www.drudgereportarchives.com/data/2007/04/01/20070401_175303_flash.htm | title=McCain heckled by CNN reporter |publisher= Drudge Report | accessdate =2007-04-02 }}</ref> Drudge reported that:
-{{quote|An official at the press conference called Ware's conduct "outrageous," saying, "here you have two United States Senators in Baghdad giving first-hand reports while Ware is laughing and mocking their comments. I've never witnessed such disrespect. This guy is an activist not a reporter."|Matthew Drudge|''Drudge Report''}}
-A video hosted by [[Rawstory]] shows that Ware did not make a sound or ask any question during the press conference.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Roston |first1=Michael |last2=Edwards |first2=David |title=CNN reporter slams Drudge's charge that he 'heckled' McCain; Exclusive video confirms his claim |url=http://rawstory.com/news/2007/CNN_reporter_slams_Drudges_charge_that_0402.html |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070406173653/http://rawstory.com/news/2007/CNN_reporter_slams_Drudges_charge_that_0402.html |archivedate=2007-04-06 |publisher=[[Rawstory]] |date=April 2, 2007 |accessdate=August 13, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Memmott |first=Mark |date=April 2, 2007 |title=CNN's Ware fires back at Drudge report about 'heckling' |url=http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2007/04/cnns_ware_fires.html |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081007181114/http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2007/04/cnns_ware_fires.html |archivedate=October 7, 2008 |department=On Deadline (blog) |work=[[USA Today]] |access-date=August 13, 2017}}</ref>
-===''[[The Oprah Winfrey Show|Oprah]]'' and Sarah Palin===
-On September 5, 2008, the ''Drudge Report'' reported that ''[[The Oprah Winfrey Show|Oprah]]'' staffers were "sharply divided on the merits of booking Sarah Palin". Drudge said that he obtained the information from an anonymous source. Winfrey responded in a written statement to news outlets saying, "The item in today’s Drudge Report is categorically untrue. There has been absolutely no discussion about having Sarah Palin on my show. At the beginning of this presidential campaign when I decided that I was going to take my first public stance in support of a candidate, I made the decision not to use my show as a platform for any of the candidates." Oprah Winfrey's public statement came after she had already endorsed Barack Obama for president on ''[[Larry King Live]]'' in 2007.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,417523,00.html |title=Oprah Denies Report She's Balking at Having Palin on Show |publisher=www.foxnews.com |accessdate=2009-02-20 | date=2008-09-05}}</ref> Drudge was accused by some commentators of planting a false story for political ends.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/sep/07/uselections2008.sarahpalin1?gusrc=rss&feed=global |title=US election: Storm as Oprah says no to Palin interview |publisher=''[[The Guardian]]'' |last=Harris |first=Paul |quote=Some experts believe the issue, initially reported on Drudge ... was a media ploy to drag Winfrey's backing of Obama into the election and show a media bias against the Republicans | accessdate=June 27, 2016 |date=2008-09-07}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/05/03/oprah-endorses-obama-2/?scp=1&sq=oprah%20obama%20endorsement&st=cse | date=May 3, 2007 | title=Oprah Endorses Obama | first=Jeff | last=Zeleny | publisher=''[[The New York Times|New York Times]]'' | accessdate=June 27, 2016}}</ref>
-===Ashley Todd attack hoax===
-On October 23, 2008, Drudge published an unconfirmed exclusive story regarding [[Ashley Todd]], the 20-year-old employee<ref name="storm" /><ref name="todd employee">{{Cite web|url=http://www.buzzflash.com/articles/analysis/506|title=Ashley Todd, PA Racist Hoax "Victim," Was Paid Organizer for College Republican National Committee, Not a Volunteer|accessdate=2008-10-29|publisher=BuzzFlash.com|author=Meg White}}</ref> of the [[College Republicans|College Republican National Committee (CRNC)]] and [[John McCain]] volunteer who had allegedly been attacked by a black male for having a McCain sticker on her car in [[Pittsburgh]]. Drudge reported the story without a link but as "developing", titling the headline "Shock: McCain Volunteer Attacked and Mutilated in Pittsburgh – "B" carved into 20 yr old Woman's Face".<ref name="HuffPo">{{Cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeffrey-feldman/drudge-puts-dangerous-spi_b_137342.html|title=Drudge Puts Dangerous Spin on Mugging, Implies Violence Targeting McCain Volunteers|accessdate=2008-10-23 | work=Huffington Post|first=Jeffrey|last=Feldman|date=2008-10-23}}</ref> The story set off a "storm of media attention",<ref name="storm">{{cite news |url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08299/922849-53.stm/ |title=McCain volunteer admits to hoax |publisher=www.post-gazette.com |accessdate=2009-03-03 |quote=One photo appeared on The Drudge Report on Thursday, setting off a storm of media attention. | first=Michael A. | last=Fuoco | date=2008-10-25}}</ref> being quickly picked up by many conservative bloggers and right-wing talk radio show hosts, all citing the ''Drudge Report'' as their source. It was also reported in newspapers and TV both in the US and around the world.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27405321/ |title=Countdown with Keith Olbermann |date=October 24, 2008|publisher=www.msnbc.msn.com |accessdate=2009-03-03}}</ref> The story was confirmed to be a hoax perpetrated by Todd and, according to [[Talking Points Memo]], spread to reporters by McCain's Pennsylvania Communications Director.<ref name="Ashley Todd Hoax">{{Cite web|url=http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9411R800&show_article=1|title=McCain volunteer made up robbery story|accessdate=2008-10-24}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/10/mccain_aide_gave_reporters_inc.php |title=McCain Campaign Pushed Now-Discredited Attack Story |publisher=TPM |date=2008-10-24}}</ref>
-Drudge then printed a retraction of the story, including links to the news stories detailing that the attack had been a hoax, and that Ashley Todd had performed a similar "attack" on herself while volunteering in a local [[Ron Paul]] [[grassroots]] group. She was later asked to leave the group because of the hoax.
-===Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign===
-On August 8, 2016, Drudge Report used a photo of Democratic nominee [[Hillary Clinton]] on their website.  The photo depicted two men helping Clinton go up the stairs during her campaign in [[South Carolina]] on February 27, 2016. Afterwards, several [[Twitter]] accounts in support of Republican nominee [[Donald Trump]] used the photo on the site, especially with the hashtag #HillaryHealth, which was used prior to the incident.<ref name="History">{{cite news|last1=2016|first1=US Election|title=Hillary health myth: From Twitter theories to a Trump speech - BBC News|url=http://www.bbc.com/news/election-us-2016-37090082|accessdate=August 22, 2016|date=August 19, 2016}}</ref> The use of the photo was criticized by several commentators for taking a relatively old photograph out of context as well as misleading their readers.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Stelter|first1=Brian|title=Drudge Report misleads readers with Hillary Clinton photo|url=http://money.cnn.com/2016/08/08/media/drudge-report-hillary-clinton-fall/|accessdate=August 8, 2016|work=CNNMoney|date=August 8, 2016}}</ref><ref name="Hillary Health">{{cite news|last1=Weigel|first1=David|title=Armed with junk science and old photos, critics question #HillarysHealth|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/08/08/armed-with-junk-science-and-old-photos-critics-question-hillaryshealth/|accessdate=August 8, 2016|work=Washington Post|date=August 8, 2016}}</ref>
-On October 3, 2016, Drudge Report published an unfounded claim that [[Bill Clinton]] had an illegitimate child named Danney Williams, an allegation that Drudge Report itself had reported as debunked in 1999 based on a ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine article.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2016/10/3/13147842/bill-clinton-son-danney-williams|title=Drudge Report is spreading a conspiracy about Bill Clinton it debunked in 1999|publisher=[[Vox (website)|Vox]]|date=October 3, 2016|first=Tara|last=Golshan}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.snopes.com/bill-clinton-illegitimate-son/|title=Paternity Jest|publisher=[[Snopes.com]]|date=October 3, 2016|first=David|last=Emery}}</ref>
-On December 30, 2016, Drudge Report accused the [[United States federal government]] of attempting to shut down its website with a [[denial-of-service attack]].<ref name="btusgovattacksdrudge">{{cite news|last1=Silva|first1=Cristina|title=US Government Attacks Drudge Report? Conservative Website Down Because Of Distributed Denial Of Service Attack, Matt Drudge Tweets|url=http://www.ibtimes.com/us-government-attacks-drudge-report-conservative-website-down-because-distributed-2467391|accessdate=December 30, 2016|work=International Business Times|date=December 29, 2016}}</ref><ref name="sacbeesuggests">{{cite news|last1=Hadley|first1=Greg|title=Matt Drudge suggests US government behind cyberattack on ‘Drudge Report’|url=http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/article123692789.html|accessdate=December 30, 2016|work=The Sacramento Bee|date=December 29, 2016}}</ref> Beginning roughly one week earlier, DDoS attacks had repeatedly taken the site offline for extended periods. Cybersecurity analysts speculated that the attack was on the scale of the [[2016 Dyn cyberattack]] and suggested that only a small number of groups would have the ability to take down a highly-trafficked site for extended lengths of time.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Darcy|first1=Oliver|title=Someone is trying to take down the Drudge Report, and it's a mystery who's behind it|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/hackers-ddos-drudge-report-2017-1?op=1|work=Business Insider|date=January 8, 2017}}</ref>
-==References==
-{{reflist|30em}}
-==External links==
-{{Sister project links}}
-* {{Official website}}
-<!-- November 5, 2016 test
-* {{webarchive
-|url=    http://www.drudgereportarchive.com
-|title=  Drudge Report Archive
-|date=   December 1998
-|url2=   https://web.archive.org/web/20011101001543/http://drudgereport.com/
-|title2= Internet Archive (less comprehensive)
-|date2=  December 10, 1997
-|url3=   http://www.drudgereportarchives.com/
-|title3= Drudge Report Archives
-|date3=  November 1, 2001
-}}
--->
-* Archives:
-** {{cite web |url= http://www.drudgereportarchive.com
-|title= Drudge Report Archive
-|date= December 1998}}
-** {{cite web |url= http://drudgereport.com |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20011101001543/http://drudgereport.com/
-|archivedate=November 1, 2001
-|deadurl=yes
-|title= Internet Archive (less comprehensive)
-|date= December 10, 1997}}
-** {{cite web |url= http://www.drudgereportarchives.com/
-|title= Drudge Report Archives
-|date= November 2001}}
-* [http://drudgetools.com/ Drudge Tools]
-[[Category:American news websites]]
-[[Category:Lewinsky scandal]]
-[[Category:News aggregators]]
-[[Category:Conservatism in the United States]]
-[[Category:American conservative websites]]
-[[Category:Alternative media]]
-[[Category:American political websites]]
-[[Category:Political organizations in the United States]]
-[[Category:American political blogs]]
-[[Category:Internet properties established in 1996]]
-[[Category:1996 establishments in Florida]]

Revision as of 08:21, 23 August 2017