How Important Is The Truth In Politics?
How important is the truth? The mainstream media is finally acknowledging that much of what Sarah Palin has been saying on the campaign trail, is simply, untrue. But, Sarah Palin continues to repeat these debunked statements. Will this minimize the credibility of the McCain/Palin ticket, or win them the White House? Let me know what you think in comments.
Obama Ad Targets McCain’s “Vile,” “Truth be Damned” Distortions…
From Thomas Edsall for The Huffington Post…
The normally cautious and even-handed Associated Press on Thursday declared, “Even in a political culture accustomed to truth-stretching, McCain’s skirting of facts has stood out this week.” The controversies have surrounded McCain television commercials and stump speeches asserting that Barack Obama “supports” comprehensive sex education in kindergarten, that Obama called Sarah Palin a “pig in lipstick,” and that Palin stood firmly against the “bridge to nowhere” — despite videotape evidence that the Alaskan governor provided support for the earmark before she opposed it.
So far, based on polling over the past two weeks, McCain’s roll of the dice has paid off. Not only has McCain made substantial gains, pulling modestly ahead in most national polls, but his assaults on Obama appear to have damaged the Democratic Party as well, raising Republican hopes of minimizing House and Senate losses.
From AmericaBlog…
A fascinating admission from the McCain campaign, that they chose to leave the high road, to chuck overboard John McCain’s “maverick” status, because the McCain campaign thought that they could get more media coverage by being sleazy, dishonorable liars. Hell of a thing for a campaign to admit, especially a campaign centered around the honor of a former POW. Apparently when the going gets tough, the first thing John McCain sacrifices is his honor. A disturbing pattern is emerging of McCain chucking the high road, abandoning his morals and ethics, when instant gratification comes knocking. It’s not the definition of hero. It’s the definition of reckless.
McCain’s Continuing Assault on The Truth…
In fact, it’s pretty difficult to discern anything truthful about the ad at all.
From Against A Brick Wall…
Again, it seems the McCain campaign is not only happy to lie to try to win the White House, they are unashamed of doing so. They are actively and openly telling Americans they will do whatever they have to do to win. If anything, these people have reached new lows in dirty campaigning, worse than anything even Bush did:
“We recognize it’s not going to be 2000 again,” McCain spokesman Brian Rogers said, alluding to the media’s swooning coverage of McCain’s ill-fated crusade against then-Gov. George W. Bush and the GOP establishment. “But he lost then. We’re running a campaign to win. And we’re not too concerned about what the media filter tries to say about it.”
In other words, they tried to run on substance and convince people that John McCain would be the better president. Americans didn’t buy this when they told the truth, so now they are just going to lie to win the White House.
Campaigns usually like to tip-toe around the “L word” – no, not that, FITS. Usually, you stick to saying your opponent is being “misleading,” that he’s “distorting” this or “exaggerating” that, or that circumstances are being “misrepresented.”
You have to lob some real whoppers and have a blatant disregard for the truth to be labeled a liar in today’s hypersensitive media environment.
But that’s just what John McCain – a man many thought once harbored a bit of honor – is doing, and he’s finally being called on it.
The DNC has launched “Count the Lies” to chronicle John McCain’s lies and distortions on the campaign trail. The site and counter lists the articles from independent, non-partisan fact checkers who have debunked the false and misleading claims and smears that have dominated McCain’s campaign.
In the 50 days left until Election Day, the DNC will update the counter with each new fact check debunking a McCain campaign lie.
Also See:
Lose Your Home, Lose Your Vote.
McCain Campaign Manipulating The Media
What do you think? Will the lying and negative campaigning, divert enough attention from the real issues, to elect John McCain as our next president? Let me know what you think in comments.
Comment from Jackie Dixon
Time: September 16, 2008, 11:24 am
To be honest, I do not think that many Americans truly understand the extent of the lies and negative campaigning that is being pulled by the McCain/Palin camp. It’s always amazing as to how people can justify a lie. But behind every well-dressed lie there is the naked truth and hopefully in this case the truth will win out. Americans need to vote for a candidate that can get us out of this mess and never forget who got us in the mess, the Republicans not a Democratic Congress that just took office in 2007. By the time the Democrats took over the Republican Administration had already done non-reversable damage to our Economy and our International status. They cannot blame the Democrats. McCain will only make it worse. Sarah Palin will not fight for women rights and will most likely set us back decades. This is a woman that went to work 1 day after her baby was born when she was mayor, flew on a plane to make a speech knowing that she was too pregnant and was having a special needs child. What will this say for women who want to take time off with their child after birth? Will she get in office and state that women should be able to go back the work like she did? I know that she keeps saying that she listens to other sides other than her own but I find that people like for others to be just like them and are usually not as tolerable of people who are different. What are your thoughts? Does this sound like a woman who would have helped for for FMLA, Maternity leave, Paternity leave and descrimation against pregnant women? I don’t think so. Wake up American women. Don’t let her fool us. As a female in Corporate America, I have had too many female bosses who had not children or had neglected children and they really could not understand why I loved my kids more than I loved my job. Palin would wonder the same thing. Her job and her beliefs come before family. Probably why she is forcing Bristol to marry someone that doesn’t want to marry her. Sad!!!!!