Lots of people approach electioneering claims with real concern and try hard to dig out the truth. But that said, maany voters are busy people with jobs and families and do not have the time to check out every claim; fewer people follow print or even broadcast media closely enough to catch the rather low-level of fact-checking that takes place in these venues. Others believe whatever reinforces their prejudices. A few lack the critical skills to perform the requisite analysis.

It is difficlt at this time not to coclude that part of the aim of the McCain campaign’s many lies, is to take advantage of the harried and confused among the voters. Couple this with an effort to cast the media as unfair and biased, and you have a recipe that may allow McCain to successfully plant the false narrative that he and Palin are “mavericks,” out for change, and deflect examination of their respective records.

We have seen the same type of tactics used by the right to create confusion in regard to climate science. Of course, the most notable success with outright lies was the false WMD narrative that was used to get us into the Iraq war–there are probably a few stubborn folks who still believe there are undiscovered WMD in Iraq.

What disturbs me even more, though is the compulsion of the media, in the name of balance, to equate the mild exaggeration of some of Obama’s ads (and they are all arguably factual in the strictest sense) with the unprecedentedly overt lies from the McCain campaign, lies so outright that they are now being called such on mainstream women’s afternoon TV programs like the View.

There is lots of nitpicking, and failure to present facts applicable to all candidates. As for nitpicking, “media” is plural Steve.

IreneK, When GWB was Governor of Texas, Both Clinton’s and their top administrators were saying that Saddam had weapons of mass destruction and nobody in the media said otherwise. I too, was led to believe that Iraq had WMD’s long before Bush was elected President. People say “Bush Lied” If he did, the Clinton’s and their top staff “lied” also. That is undeniable. Has the media explained that? No they have not. Why.

Now in the present campaign, when they refer to the “Bridge to Nowhere” Palin was the Governor of Alaska. She did not ask for that earmark. She did not vote for it in congress. However, both Senator Obama and Senator Biden did!!! That is not pointed out by the media. Look it up in their voting records. Didn’t they know what they were voting for? If they didn’t they were negligent. Did the media point that out. No. Why?

The public may be be able to detect lies better than the media. Or maybe the Media lies snd twists the truth so much that people no longer believe them?

We have a “veracity crisis”

Now: To the PD: In answer to your question, “Are voters disregarding press accounts of holes in the candidates claims?” I certainly hope so, because the media, you included, twist the truth or don’t report anything that could harm your candidate in any election at the local level, state level, or federal level. You have become an advocate to advance your agenda being to get get Obama elected President. That is obvious. It is not even a hidden agenda.

Did you explain the evils of making sub-prime loans. If you did, your readers didn’t believe you. Look at the mess Missouri is in with foreclosures.

Have you ever had practical articles on how to use a credit card to your advantage. Not in the 12 years since I have been in Southern Illinois, that I have seen. You have archives, that are easy for you to access. If you did, please post the date and how I can access it.

Daily, on TV there are hundreds of commercials by companies who want anyone who has a $5, 7, and $10,000. credit card debt. They will
renegotiate a new payment system that will “save” the idiotic borrower money. Do you make enough money off those vultures in column inch sales to justify your lack of integrity?

Your comments are solicited, as are anyones.

Character does matter! McCain is as much a HYPOCRITE as his new found Evangelical Christian friends their great JEZEBEL, Sara Palin!

Correction:

Character does matter! McCain is as much a HYPOCRITE as his new found Evangelical Christian friends [AND]their great JEZEBEL, Sara Palin!

johnh,

You ARE NOT MAKING SENSE (RE: IRAQ) one (Clinton) has abosolutely nothing to do with the other or their time periods!

You are sounding ike a irractional fruitcake!

People do care about facts. When will the post dispatch publish that the safety director of Alaska, Walter Monegan,
was fired because of a budget issue, and not because he took no action on the state trooper. e-mails between the two prove it. Monegan admitted IT, This morning.

The trooper involved was Sarah’s brother in law. Police investigations show that he tasered his own 10 year old stepson. Beat his wife, was suspended from duty for driving around while drinking beer, and being accused of threatening to kill his father in law.

D. Watker, MD, Pediactics, what do you think about that? And why do you object to white girls getting pregnant at 17 and have no objection to Black girls getting pregnant at 14. You do know that more Black girs get pregnant out of wedlock at a higher percengs than any other race, don’t you?

The old adage says, “Knowlege is power” why do you object to that?

The biggest problem is that the Media (and I include TV, Cable, Radio talk, etc in that list) is so attuned to sound bites and spinning that they are unable to actually INVESTIGATE truth.

And, the average person doesn’t take the time it takes to actually read a long, detailed account of anything.

What’s easier? Listening with one ear to your chosen news source, or sitting down to read a 10,000 word article that actually explains something? Truth: I don’t watch TV. I don’t listen to talk radio. Why? Because the “news analysis” shows are really shout-outs. No one listens, no one pays attention, no one actually takes the time to respect the viewpoint of their opponent. The vast majority of voters have already decided who they will vote for, and, to be honest, no one knows a whole lot about what the two major candidates actually want to accomplish.

johnh: Re: WMDs & Clinton et al. Clinton has stated that he thought it likely that Saddam had WMD as did many other heads of state. They were willing to contain the threat and press for inspections, however, before they invaded a sovreign country.

In contra-distinction, the Bush administration pushed information that we now know they knew to be false–such as the whole yellowcake fraud and the content of Powell’s UN presentation. They did so in order to persuade the public and the congress to support a war that many insiders now tell us was actually initiated to meet very different goals.

Bridge to nowhere: It is well-documented that Palin continued to request earmarks funds for this project until congress killed it. She has demonstrably continued to press for massive earmark projects as late as her most recent budget!

Illinois (Obama’s state) this year got about $30.67 per person in earmarks; Alaska, under Governor Palin got $506.00 per person in earmarks THIS YEAR! These figures have been widely reported and verified with references to publicly available sources.

Monegan: Monegan definitely has not admitted that he was fired for any other reason than Palin’s vendetta. Don’t you wonder why she refuses to cooperate and why the McCain/Palin campaign is trying so hard to quash this investigation if she has nothing to hide? And don’t you wonder why her story about why she fired Monegan keeps changing? (Take a look at this summary of the recent reporting: http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/09/troopergate_palins_shifting_st.php)

Look up the exact words. The Clintons did not say that Iraq may have WMD’s that they HAD them. Look it up for yourself.

IreneK, at no time did Sarah REFUSE to Testify. I call you on that one: When? What is your source.

Now, it is a matter of police record that her brother in law tasered his 10 year old stepson. He was suspended for driving a state police car while drinking beer, and waving the beer can at people while driving along.

Further he beat his wife, also documented by the police.

Is he the type of a police sergeant you would want in your state? If,so Why?

Look at the timeline of the author that provided the URL for. He didn’t even mention the the e-mail that I referred to. In that e-mail he suggested other department heads cooperate with Palin in her effort to cut the budget. They did, and she cut out the waste.

The current “investigation” is ridiculous. It is comprised of legislators who have an ax to grind with her. She cleaned house…both democrats and
republicans. She stepped on some sore toes while doing it.

Their complaints, if they have any should go before the Ethics Commission. Just like her attorney said.