Mark Fabiani broken record Mark Fabiani broken record Mark Fabiani broken record

[jmax22]

I have been following the Lance case pretty closely because I enjoy train wrecks and this Mark Fabiani character is lame. I hope they're aren't paying him for his "expertise". Since he became involved, he's been interviewed a half dozen times or so, and always says exactly the same thing, along the lines of this being a waste of taxpayer dollars. Shut up already, dude. Those statements aren't going to make Novitsky and crew all of the sudden say "Yeah, you're right. Let's bag the investigation, it's too expensive."

If that is Team Armstrong's only defense, it's pretty damn weak. PR 101 dictates that you redirect attention to something else when you know you don't have a snowball's chance in hell in order to affect public opinion. His tactic is beyond desparate, it's laughable.

 

[Benotti69]

Fabiani was hired because of who he knows not what he knows.

 

[Berzin]

Who Fabiani knows isn't going to help Lance-not in this case.

Novitzky ain't havin' it.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

Who Fabiani knows isn't going to help Lance-not in this case.

Novitzky ain't havin' it.

Novitzky might become my all time hero.
Great signature btw

 

[DirtyWorks]

Two Things

Fabiani is no idiot.

1. Repeat the lie until it becomes accepted as true. This is a common strategy for altering public opinion. As long as the media will repeat the lie, it's good! Most press repeat ridiculous claims as long as they come from a person seen as 'legitimate.' It happens all of the time. Americans invaded Iraq using lies supercharged with revenge.

2. Fabiani's job is to plant the idea that Armstrong's investigation is a political liability. Congress funds law enforcement and therefore exercise extraordinary power to influence the effectiveness of the investigative team. Basically, the conditions are discussed as Congress-critter says, "What about that Armstrong investigation?? Seems expensive." And that is all it takes for the project to be stripped of the budget needed to work the investigation.

Don't disregard his B.S. Somewhere up the chain at the FDA, they are getting Congressional heat for doing the investigation. As much as Novitsky(sp??) is doing the right thing, people waaaaay up the chain at the FDA are providing political cover for his team. Which is as it should be. If only the SEC were so independent.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

I think part of the problem is that they are mostly in the dark. They know they are headed for a big battle, but they don't know just how large the army is they are fighting, which direction they are coming from, or just what kind of weapons they have.

If he makes a lot of claims, and something turns up as hard evidence, he looks like he isn't paying attention, or a hypocrite, and loses credibility.

 

[D-Queued]

Fabiani is no idiot.

...

2. Fabiani's job is to plant the idea that Armstrong's investigation is a political liability. Congress funds law enforcement and therefore exercise extraordinary power to influence the effectiveness of the investigative team. Basically, the conditions are discussed as Congress-critter says, "What about that Armstrong investigation?? Seems expensive." And that is all it takes for the project to be stripped of the budget needed to work the investigation.

...

If Fabiani is taking that strategy - for which the evidence is strong - then he is dumber than the FFF strategy.

Floyd already tried the 'write to Congress' thing. Arguably that was the only call to action on the FFF site.

Sure, Floyd succeeded in getting pictures with Congressmen. But, did it work?

No! Even politicians aren't that stupid.

And, with the Floyd experience fresh in the all-too-short political memories, good luck. Politicians don't like being taken for fools (with a few notoriously foolish exceptions), as it hurts come re-election time.

Dave.

 

[Race Radio]

$30,000 a month.

The Fabricator is playing to the base. They realize they have already lost the real cycling fans so they decided to pander to the groupies.

 

[El Pistolero]

Stupid title. I thought some nobody just broke the world hour record.

 

[oldschoolnik]

Fabiani is no idiot.

1. Repeat the lie until it becomes accepted as true. This is a common strategy for altering public opinion. As long as the media will repeat the lie, it's good! Most press repeat ridiculous claims as long as they come from a person seen as 'legitimate.' It happens all of the time. Americans invaded Iraq using lies supercharged with revenge.

2. Fabiani's job is to plant the idea that Armstrong's investigation is a political liability. Congress funds law enforcement and therefore exercise extraordinary power to influence the effectiveness of the investigative team. Basically, the conditions are discussed as Congress-critter says, "What about that Armstrong investigation?? Seems expensive." And that is all it takes for the project to be stripped of the budget needed to work the investigation.

Don't disregard his B.S. Somewhere up the chain at the FDA, they are getting Congressional heat for doing the investigation. As much as Novitsky(sp??) is doing the right thing, people waaaaay up the chain at the FDA are providing political cover for his team. Which is as it should be. If only the SEC were so independent.

+1 agree with this 100%. He is staying right on point every time he speaks about the case. Every Public Strategies employee who is paid to add comments to articles in newspapers and magazines also stays on the same 2 points _"witch hunt" and "taxpayer money". This strategy is not about "winning the case" for Lance it's about playing to his base of supporters so they can feel good about continuing to support him.

BAsed on what I have been reading over the last 2-3 days it looks like a tearful apology on Oprah might be Lance's only option despite all the years of denials because when this story break EVERYONE will know he doped,lied etc.. (he won't do time like some think).

 

[Ferminal]

$30,000 a month.

The Fabricator is playing to the base. They realize they have already lost the real cycling fans so they decided to pander to the groupies.

"$30,000 a month? Where did our priorities go?"

Just think of what that could buy for cancer awareness and "curing the cancer system".

 

[washedup]

"$30,000 a month? Where did our priorities go?"

Just think of what that could buy for cancer awareness and "curing the cancer system".

A valid investment in the fight against cancer.

 

[tempo e tempi]

If Fabiani is taking that strategy - for which the evidence is strong - then he is dumber than the FFF strategy.

Floyd already tried the 'write to Congress' thing. Arguably that was the only call to action on the FFF site.

Sure, Floyd succeeded in getting pictures with Congressmen. But, did it work?

No! Even politicians aren't that stupid.

And, with the Floyd experience fresh in the all-too-short political memories, good luck. Politicians don't like being taken for fools (with a few notoriously foolish exceptions), as it hurts come re-election time.

Dave.

Don't misunderestimate the political clout of the Texan political delegation in Washington. Dumber than a doorknob about global warming or natural selection, but politically savvy and in touch with their oil-loving electorate. LA is a Texan folk hero and - don't forget - biking buddies with Dubya.

 

[D-Queued]

Don't misunderestimate the political clout of the Texan political delegation in Washington. Dumber than a doorknob about global warming or natural selection, but politically savvy and in touch with their oil-loving electorate. LA is a Texan folk hero and - don't forget - biking buddies with Dubya.

So were Jeff Skilling and Kenneth (GW Bush: "Kenny Boy") Lay, with political contributions on par with Lance's 'donations' to the UCI.

Dave.

 

[tempo e tempi]

So were Jeff Skilling and Kenneth (GW Bush: "Kenny Boy") Lay, with political contributions on par with Lance's 'donations' to the UCI.

Dave.

I don't think Jeffrey and 'Kenny Boy' had any defenders amongst the populace, though.

May justice prevail!

 

[Benotti69]

Don't misunderestimate the political clout of the Texan political delegation in Washington. Dumber than a doorknob about global warming or natural selection, but politically savvy and in touch with their oil-loving electorate. LA is a Texan folk hero and - don't forget - biking buddies with Dubya.

a great quote on here, "half of Austin, Texas cant stand the guy the other half have not met him yet"

I bet LA is hoping this drags out and that the republicans win the next presidential election and he gets some pull with that.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Thing is, PR is designed for the masses, not those who follow cycling.
How many outside this environment know that there wasn't a test for EPO in 1999 and will take:

“All of Lance’s samples were clean when they were first provided and tested, and no amount of tax-money-wasting European meetings can change that fundamental fact.”

on face value?

Seems to me, Armstrong is paying $30,000 a month to protect his image, rather than for an actual defence.

Presumably, the quote above leaves the door open for Fabiani to introduce the Nazi frogmen theory as his next killer counter-punch.

 

[auscyclefan94]

I jjust think they should make a movie out of the downfall of lance armstrong and novitsky's investigations. It would belong in the comedy section of the dvd section just like the dvd's of his tdf wins would be in the Science Fiction section.

Getting back on topic, fabiani can do all he likes but there is no way armstrong can get out of this one.

I am finding quite amusing how it is all falling apart for LA and his gang. How long will the process take?

 

[AussieGoddess]

Thing is, PR is designed for the masses, not those who follow cycling.
How many outside this environment know that there wasn't a test for EPO in 1999 and will take:

“All of Lance’s samples were clean when they were first provided and tested, and no amount of tax-money-wasting European meetings can change that fundamental fact.”

on face value?

Seems to me, Armstrong is paying $30,000 a month to protect his image, rather than for an actual defence.

Presumably, the quote above leaves the door open for Fabiani to introduce the Nazi frogmen theory as his next killer counter-punch.

+1 totally agree

 

[c&cfan]

well he is a cheater and deserves to go down. however, i wouldnt be surprised if he, somehow, is able to get away.

he is very smart, with smart and important persons by his side, and even if you hit him with some drugs stuff, you know that the fanatics and people outside the sport wont mind.

"yeah..he cheated, so?he still is a hard man and a example in some aspects. he deserves the 7 victories since all of them (oponents) were doping and were found guilty."

and no one cant say that that kind of statement is a lie..

to hit lance, you have to hit him with something much bigger, like doping dealers, important people that were bought, etc. and still, he will deserve those victories to some extent, he will still be considerad an hard man with an amazing will to survive and to win.
it will be a shame.. those years..those atacks.. were something amazing to watch.

i just want that he doesnt suffer from the same stuff vandenbrouck and pantani did.

 

[thehog]

Armstrong always had the leverage of public support. Drug allegations could easily be swatted away by labelling the accusers as drunk, bitter, haters or just French. This time around Lance is not sure what he's fighting. The more "I never doped" comments he came out with just made him looked stupid. It also was digging him into hole when the truth finally comes out. No wonder he's shut up shop and let Fabani do the talking. But it's not working. Interesting to note they've dropped the Floyd is a loser comments and now concentrating on the money wasting investigations angle.*

 

[mwbyrd]

Armstrong always had the leverage of public support. Drug allegations could easily be swatted away by labelling the accusers as drunk, bitter, haters or just French. This time around Lance is not sure what he's fighting. The more "I never doped" comments he came out with just made him looked stupid. It also was digging him into hole when the truth finally comes out. No wonder he's shut up shop and let Fabani do the talking. But it's not working. Interesting to note they've dropped the Floyd is a loser comments and now concentrating on the money wasting investigations angle.*

Hog,

I still think this goes back to what we were discussing yesterday. This is bigger than 'just' armstrong doping. This is about busting the drug ring.

Armstrong would have been better to just keep saying 'No one has contacted me, I haven't been asked to testify, I haven't received any notifications that I'm implicated in anything and I'm not sure what's going on'. Then he could have quietly spilled the beans and we wouldn't have been any wiser.

Plus, we KNOW/ASSUME that Armstrong wasn't the only one doping so why just take him down. Doesn't make sense from a big picture perspective.

 

[thehog]

I agree with you. It's Fabani and Armstrong that are making it about them. Yes they're that self indulgent. They want it to be the basic "never tested positive" story.

Question is: Has Lance told Fabani what really happened? That he doped and all the rest. I'm sure he had to.

Hog,

I still think this goes back to what we were discussing yesterday. This is bigger than 'just' armstrong doping. This is about busting the drug ring.

Armstrong would have been better to just keep saying 'No one has contacted me, I haven't been asked to testify, I haven't received any notifications that I'm implicated in anything and I'm not sure what's going on'. Then he could have quietly spilled the beans and we wouldn't have been any wiser.

Plus, we KNOW/ASSUME that Armstrong wasn't the only one doping so why just take him down. Doesn't make sense from a big picture perspective.

 

[Berzin]

I ran into an magazine in Barnes and Noble that had Armstrong on the cover.

The focus was on his foundation, and it went on and on about how this investigation threatens to affect one of the most innovative charitable foundations out there.

I'm scratching my head going, "WTF is so innovative about his charity?"

Armstrong also spoke about the investigation and seemed about as defiant as I've ever heard him.

To him, this is all about fighting his opponents and people who've doubted him, people who dare have the audacity to think he's a cheater.

He also said something along the lines of looking forward to this battle to clear his name and defeat his doubters once and for all.

It's all about fighting with him, and working harder than anyone else to prove he's innocent.

I'll try and see if I can get the name of the magazine by this afternoon. And I'm going to re-read it just to make sure I got the details correct.

The store manager made me purchase the copy I was reading, but it was because I had vomited all over it from the nausea the article gave me.

Needless to say I didn't finish reading it.

 

[Race Radio]

I'm scratching my head going, "WTF is so innovative about his charity?"

What other charity has a jet powered by hope and awareness?