Archpundit has been doing yeoman's work highlighting the utter inanity spewing out of the conservative blog Illinois Review this week -- from their suggestion that Barack Obama's visit to his ailing grandmother was "cold and calculating," to their argument that Rep. Michelle Bachmann's (R-MN) implosion is all part of a conspiracy by pro-choicers to bring her down.  So today, we'll take up a bit of the slack.

Less than an hour ago, "IR editor" Fran Eaton tossed up a post headlined "Let Them Eat ... Lobster?"  It featured no text -- just a flyer produced by the anti-Obama PumaPAC that purports to show an itemized receipt from the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City.  The receipt lists nearly $450 worth of food, including caviar, lobsters, and champagne, and is signed by Michelle Obama.  Apparently, PumaPAC produced it after the New York Post reported that Michelle had ordered the meal on October 15 while her husband attended a meeting at the hotel. 

There's just one problem: the Post retracted the claim ... four days ago, noting that Michelle was "not even staying at the Waldorf."  Indeed, many of the conservative bloggers who initially jumped all over the story have either acknowledged the retraction or taken down their original posts out of shame.  But the smear still passes muster at the Illinois Review.

In case they realize their mistake and take the post down, we're providing a screengrab below for posterity. (Click for larger version.)

UPDATE: Eaton has added a line to the top of the post, which reads: "This is TIC, folks . . . (Tongue in Cheek). Of course we checked Snopes . . ."

Reprinting a forged receipt intended to substantiate a blatant lie equals ... tongue in cheek?

UPDATE II: And now, less than six hours after it went up, the post has disappeared.  Had a feeling that might happen.