Item: The infamous fake bikini shot first appeared during the early days of the Republican convention. But it was widely debunked within 24 hours, with bloggers and others quickly exposing the fraud by finding the original shot, reportedly taken in 2004 in Athens, Ga., by an amateur photographer of his then-girlfriend/Fox News. More here.

DFO: Above, Fox News criticizes CNN for not doing more to debunk the photoshop myth than Gov. Sarah Palin had posed in a bikini, clutching an AK-47. Mebbe that's what led to the CNN piece last night in which TUBOB was featured prominently. exposing rumors about candidates. Frankly I was so focused on seeing the TUBOB piece that I can't recall if CNN discussed the bikini photoshop. Help, someone.

Question: Has Palin been helped or hurt by the widespread circulation of this photo?

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