| MATT DRUDGE // DRUDGE REPORT 2000� 
 
  
 
 
 
 XXXXX DRUDGE REPORT XXXXX THU JUL 11, 2002 23:32:38 ET XXXXX
 
 'USA TODAY' WEBSITE HACKED; PRANKSTERS MOCK BUSH, CHRISTIANITY
 
 The USA TODAY newspaper's website was broken into late Thursday evening by hackers who put up a series of stories blasting George Bush, Sercretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Christianity.
 
 Regular readers of the site could easily be misled because the hackers used the USA TODAY's basic design template, but multiple misspellings and bad grammar give away the prank.
 
 One headline entitled 'Bush proposes another new Cabinet post' linked to an article purportedly filed by the ASSOCIATED PRESS:
 
Washington D.C. (AP) - Today, George W. Bush has proposed yet another
                    cabinet level position. The Cabinet Minister for Propoganda and Popular
                    Englightenment, will be setup to complement the recent addition of the
                    department of Homeland Defense. It is reported that, if approved, Bush
                    would appoint Dr. Joseph Goebbels to the post.
                    
 In recent weeks Tom Ridge has complained that his department has lacked
                    the proper authority to keep terrorists from infiltrating the american mind.
                    95% of Americans, in a Gallop poll, agree that we have to do all we can to
                    rid the country of terrorists, showing the public still strongly supports
                    president Bush in his campaign against terrorism.
 
 If the move is succesful, people close to the Whitehouse think there could
                    be a turf war between Goebbels and White House Press Secretary Ari
                    Fleischer. Since September 11th, Fleischer has come to enjoy controling
                    public opinion and has expressed dissatisfaction with the idea of a Popular
                    Englightement Minister. There was a constant flow of customers buying
                    everything.
 
 Headlines 'Opps says the
                                                                                                                    Pope;
                                                                                                                    Christianity a
                                                                                                                    Sham!' and 
                                                                                                                    'Donald Rumsfeld:
                                                                                                                    An American
                                                                                                                    Beauty?' also linked to mock articles. The Rumsfeld article alleged that the Secretary of Defense is gay.
 
 At of 11 pm EDT USA TODAY could no longer be accessed by the public.
 
 Developing...
 
 -----------------------------------------------------------
 Filed by Matt Drudge
 Reports are moved when circumstances warrant
 http://www.drudgereportArchives.com  for updates
 (c)DRUDGE REPORT 2001
 Not for reproduction without permission of the author
 
 |  |