Drudge is blasting the New Republic, claiming to have documents that prove its Army private-turned-"Baghdad Diarist," Scott Thomas Beauchamp, fabricated many of the tales of misconduct the magazine published, including stories about soldiers mocking a disfigured woman and targeting dogs with their armored vehicles. Drudge claims to have transcripts of telephone conversations between Beauchamp and TNR editor Franklin Foer in which Beauchamp declines to stand by his stories. He also claims to be in possession of an Army report which claims, perhaps not surprisingly, that Beauchamp was a fabulist who "desired to use his experiences to enhance his writing and provide legitimacy to his work possibly becoming the next Hemingway." A person answering phones at the New Republic said magazine representatives did not wish to comment. [Drudge]
UPDATE: The Drudge post has vanished from the Drudge front page without explanation. (It's, for now, still visible via our link, above.)