Changing the Facts to fit the Fiction

Palin Backers Look to "Fix" Revere History
Supporters try to rewrite WikiPedia page to follow alternate history.

By Ben Johnson | Posted Monday, Jun. 6, 2011, at 11:31 AM EDT
 

Over the weekend, Sarah Palin stuck to her questionable interpretation of Paul Revere's "Midnight Ride," and her supporters quickly took to WikiPedia to support her alternate version of history.

Slate's David Weigel has the details (via Little Green Footballs): "Palin's taking heat for saying Revere 'warned the British'? No problem: Just add the line in italics."
 

The Wiki page in question:

Revere did not shout the phrase later attributed to him ("The British are coming!"), largely because the mission depended on secrecy and the countryside was filled with British army patrols; also, most colonial residents at the time considered themselves British as they were all legally British subjects.
 
 
Original Post Sunday at 12:48 p.m.:
 

Sarah Palin is sticking to her guns when it comes to the history of Paul Revere.

 

Last week the the former Alaska governor and GOP vice-presidential nominee drowned out Mitt Romney's announcement of a presidential run with coverage of her creative take on Paul Revere's midnight ride. She told a crowd in Boston that the revolutionary "warned the British that they weren't going to be taking away our arms, uh, by ringin' those bells."
 

Palin's gaffe — delivered during her One Nation bus tour winding its way through the Northeast — went viral almost immediately (you can watch a version of it below). But Politico reports that, when given the chance on Fox News Sunday to correct the record, Palin stuck with a story stating Revere's ride was partly about warning the British they weren't going to take the weapons of Americans.
 

"I didn't mess up about Paul Revere," she told host Chris Wallace. "Part of Paul Revere's ride … was to warn the British who were already there, that you're not going to succeed, you're not going to take American arms … he did warn the British."

 

The historical account of Paul Revere's famous midnight ride goes somewhat differently—the courier traveled under the cover of darkness and took precaution to avoid detection while on a mission to warn revolutionaries that the British planned to march to Lexington and arrest John Hancock and Samuel Adams.
 

Palin has yet to announce a presidential run, despite heavy speculation that her national bus tour is a run-up to a campaign. She told Wallace: "What am I publicizing on this tour? I'm publicizing Americana and our foundation, and how important it is that we learn about our past and our challenges and victories throughout American history, so that we can proceed forward."