-
Little Facts Don't Really Matter
- Sep 11, 2008 at 2:41 PM
- By
- Comments (40) Total Views (1097) Everyone can see this journal post.
As Campaign Heats Up, Untruths Can Become Facts Before They're Undone
From the moment Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin declared that she had opposed the infamous "Bridge to Nowhere," critics, the news media and nonpartisan fact checkers have called it a fabrication or, at best, a half-truth. But yesterday in Lebanon, Ohio, and again in Lancaster, Pa., she crossed that bridge again.
"I told Congress: 'Thanks but no thanks for that Bridge to Nowhere up in Alaska,' " Palin told the crowds at the "McCain Street USA" rallies. "If we wanted a bridge, we'll build it ourselves."
Palin's position on the bridge that would have linked Ketchikan to Gravina Island is one example of a candidate staying on message even when that message has been publicly discredited. Palin has continued to say she opposed a project she once campaigned for -- then killed later, only after support for it had collapsed in Congress.
As the presidential campaign moves into a final, heated stretch, untrue accusations and rumors have started to swirl at a pace so quick that they become regarded as fact before they can be disproved. A number of fabrications about Palin's policies and personal life, for instance, have circulated on the Internet since she joined the Republican ticket.
Palin and John McCain, the GOP presidential nominee, have been more aggressive in recent days in repeating what their opponents say are outright lies. Almost every day, for instance, McCain says rival Barack Obama would raise everyone's taxes, even though the Democrat's tax plan exempts families that earn less than $250,000.
Fed up, the Obama campaign broke a taboo on Monday and used the "L-word" of politics to say that the McCain campaign was lying about the Bridge to Nowhere.
Nevertheless, with McCain's standing in the polls surging, aides say he is not about to back down from statements he believes are fundamentally true, such as the anecdote about the bridge.
McCain spokesman Brian Rogers noted an Obama advertisement released yesterday that says, with no citation, that McCain's economic plan would take money away from public schools. "Absolutely, it's a lie," Rogers said.
Quoting the National Education Association, Obama aides said McCain's plan to freeze discretionary spending would cut funding for local education agencies, Head Start, teacher quality grants and special education.
John Feehery, a Republican strategist, said the campaign is entering a stage in which skirmishes over the facts are less important than the dominant themes that are forming voters' opinions of the candidates.
"The more the New York Times and The Washington Post go after Sarah Palin, the better off she is, because there's a bigger truth out there and the bigger truths are she's new, she's popular in Alaska and she is an insurgent," Feehery said. "As long as those are out there, these little facts don't really matter."
For now, there appears to be little political reason to back down. A Washington Post-ABC News poll taken Sept. 5 to Sept. 7 found that 51 percent of voters think Obama would raise their taxes, even though his plan would actually cut taxes for the overwhelming majority of Americans. Obama has proposed eliminating income taxes on seniors making less than $50,000 a year, but 41 percent of those seniors say their income taxes would go up in an Obama administration.
McCain's pitch as a reformer -- especially as an opponent of pork-barrel spending -- does not seem to have been damaged by media reports of his running mate's pursuit of earmarks, first for her home town of Wasilla and then for Alaska. Obama's once-sizable 32-point advantage on which candidate would do more to change government is down to 12 points...
(Link to full article here)
By Jonathan Weisman; Washington Post Staff Writer; September 10, 2008;
Staff writer Michael D. Shear, traveling with the McCain campaign, contributed to this report.
This is what we (the American people) are battling... campaigns that believe that as long as a candidate is "new" and "popular", the facts don't matter.
DO YOUR HOMEWORK, LADIES!!!!!!!!!
That is all.
Comments:
I recommend factcheck.org if you're ever unsure of the truth also.
Thank you! It's so frustrating to me. Why don't people do the research on these candidates? Too many Americans just listen to the news and what their friends say. I prefer to know what I'm talking about before I open my mouth. Maybe I'm just more intelligent than some people :)
I recommend factcheck.org if you're ever unsure of the truth also.
Getting facts is just too doggone hard for some people. Thanks for the post!
Thanks for alerting us to sourcewatch.com I hadn't heard of them before (I don't think lol)
great post....thanks!
Voted popular! Excellent post!
I DID NOT know that McCain is wanting to cut funding to HeadStart and teachers. My daughter went to Headstart and that was one of the best things I ever did for her. One more reason......
Oh - and a question. WHY can I not find a post on here ANYWHERE that states where in the heck McCain and Palin stand on the issues? Why is every single post on her driven by emotions?
OH - because McCain is a shrewd fellow that, unfortunately, was right on target when he picked the "hockey mom, all american girl, has a bunch of kids" candidate. He KNEW he could play off women's emotions and grab their votes. UNFORTUNATELY, he was right.
At this point I only feel sorry for those of us who actually take the time to try to inform ourselves about the realissues of this election. We will be the one's who will truly suffer all the others will be content in their economic downward spiral because they did not think for themselves and they voted based on personalities. Silly us who base our political decisions on actual issues that we all face, bad economy, the war, failed policies, poor education system our allies(the few we have left) the global market. Apparently these are not issues, no, we need to vote for someone who kids played a sport we enjoy, or a former military hero( that alone says President), or someone who can further divide our country. Yeah that's right America lets pick the guy who makes us feel like he 's one of us,( the guy who ranked bottom of his class and thinks intelligence is a sign of elitism) Yes. let be selfish and vote for the candidate that put a hockey mom on his squad because he knows you will fall for that. Who care's about national issues, only worry about you.
Let's pick the guy who makes us look dumb by lying repeatedly and playing on our fears. That would be so different from our current leader.
ignorance/selfishness'08"
Already a member? Click here to log in
Voted popular. Thanks! :)
- nobakecheezcake
Message Friend Invite