Top Stories

The Michigan Messenger going forward

By Staff Report | 11.16.11

I am writing today to announce the closure of the Michigan Messenger. After four years of operation in Michigan, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news into a single site, The American Independent at Americanindependent.com. This is part of a shift in strategy, towards new forms [...]

Colorado-based abstinence program provided false and misleading information to Michigan students

HIV-AIDS-small
By Todd A. Heywood | 11.16.11

An abstinence-only presentation provided to numerous school districts in Calhoun and Eaton Counties in October of this year provided false and misleading information to students about HIV, experts allege.

Class action lawsuit filed against MERS over unpaid taxes

foreclosure
By Todd A. Heywood | 11.15.11

Two county registers of deeds filed a class action lawsuit Monday on behalf of Michigan’s 83 counties alleging that the Mortgage Electronic Registration Services owes millions of dollars in property title transfer taxes.

Schuette fights important mercury regulations

epa_logo
By Eartha Jane Melzer | 11.14.11

Despite evidence of the impact of mercury on children and public health, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette last month joined with 24 other state attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to scuttle new EPA regulations that would reduce mercury emissions from power plants.

AP details lies in Palin convention speech

By Todd Spencer | 09.04.08 | 7:06 pm

Within moments of the finish of the acceptance speech by Republican VP nominee Sarah Palin last night, the Associated Press published a point-by-point refutation of claims made by Palin and others at the GOP convention.

The Republicans have “stretched the truth” by overstating Palin’s experience, misrepresenting her attitude toward earmarks and mischaracterizing Barack Obama’s tax proposals, just for starters.

It seems that the stories Republicans tell American voters about the Democrats and about themselves are not based in fact, but predicated more on their need to sustain old and create new myths in order to win election.

It would be hoped that the carefully scripted lines in Palin’s convention speech (written by President Bush’s speechwriter) would rise above mudslinging attack ads to at least approximate the truth.

But then that might mean losing some votes. Better to lie and win, knowing that the media will be more enamored with how the speech came across than its factuality, or lack thereof.

Kudos to the Associated Press. Shame on the GOP. Shame. Doesn’t America deserve the truth in debate?

Comments

  • Jim Work

    Well,.. what are they?

  • http://www.chetlyzarko.com Chetly Zarko

    First of all, the “AP” did not write this. An AP stringer or employee did. And it is clearly in partial op-ed format (that is, some of the “refutations” are counter-opinions, and nothing wrong with that per se but to characterize it as pure fact is incorrect), as opposed to a pure factual detailing.

    Second, you “stretch the truth” by headlining this “AP details lies…”. The AP headlined it as “stretched the truth”, and lies implies purely factual untruths. The best that this writer did was point out Huckabee's misstatement that she received more votes as Mayor than Biden as presidential primary candidate. The rest of his “refutations” all rely on counter-opinion. The he could do to say the claim that O'Bama wants to raise taxes was to point to “studies” by think-tanks (with known left-leaning bias) that suggest the OUTCOME of O'Bama's tax-hike plan would be to increase the “after tax income” of an indeterminate segment of Americans they call the “middle class”. With those parameters, I could make the statistics say anything and create a tax hike plan that I could argue benefit some (clearly over others, and without much detail).

    But to say McCain was not being truthful when he labels O'Bama's plan tax hikes is itself a “stretch”. They clearly are – at least for some. And the details on the rest are sketchy, at best.

    Hardly what you or the AP claim it to be.

  • P. Moody

    What debate? Obama has had several invitations to debate McCain and has refused every opportunity to date… cluck, cluck.

    • Rayne1

      Believe that you've misinterpreted the offer McCain extended to Obama. McCain does better in townhall events than in debates or prepared speeches (as last night's speech proved); he challenged Obama to join him in townhall meetings.

      Typically the person who extends such challenges in a one-on-one race is usually the person with the worst odds of the two. The person leading in such a race has no reason to issue a challenge, nor to accept any challenge. McCain will use Obama's response or lack thereof as political hay — and obviously it's worked with you — but the benefit of the challenge may not surmount any difference between the two that existed before the challenge was extended.

      • P. Moody

        I understand the point your trying to make Rayne, however I'm not so sure it holds water based on Obama's own words. I hear the man say that he looks forward to discussing the various issues with McCain every where he goes. Based on this, it just seems more than a bit contradictory to me to turn down these opportunities when ever invited. Hay or not, it makes him appear less than willing. What lead are you talking about? In a race which is virtually tied, I would think that he would want to stand by his own statements. I assume we would all like to see this happen as many time as possible before the election. Enough with the pep rallies and partisan talking points from both sides already. No more brie thanks, let's get to the meat.

        • Rayne1

          If we really want to hear where the candidates are on the issues, does it matter what forum they are in, or whether they are in the same forum at the same time?

          I personally don't think so. I also think that it's not in McCain's best interest to appear with Obama, since McCain will look older by contrast and that's of no benefit to him. His campaign may have pushed for the townhalls not just because they're better for McCain, but because they know that Obama won't bother with them, which offers them political leverage they didn't have.

          As for leads in the polls: I encourage you to look at both RealClearPolitics.com and at FiveThirtyEight.com for polling data, keeping in mind that there is little reliable methodology right now to account for the cell phone only voter who is not polled but tends to vote for progressive rather than conservative candidates.

          • P. Moody

            I Absolutely think it matters. It becomes much easier to hold people to account when you are able to talk with and question them directly about the specifics of any subject. You don't believe every sales pitch you hear do ya?! I don't know about you but I'd much rather see them challenge each others ideas face to face, as apposed to being subjected to the endless droning of 30sec. back and fourths written for them by the campain's hired advertising guns. -Long on Spin and short on context.

            I agree with you about the town halls. Obama is much better talking to people than with them. It's always much easier with a script and no one else's interjection . God forbid a real person ask him something he might be unprepared for. You know like in real life. I think Obama's handlers know this all too well. Otherwise, why wouldn't he bother with them. National coverage is a given. Thus the reason for his lack of participation. We've seen what happens when he doesn't have control of the conversation (had to love that Hillary debate with George S.). He doesn't shine half as brightly when you take him out of his package.

            As for putting folks side by side, I don't think he did himself any favors in the eyes of the eyes of women and young people in his party base by putting himself side by side with old Joe. Talk about Mutt and Jeff, he undercut half of his own anti-establishment campaign platform by going with the old guard . Granted, it was certainly the smart thing to for all of our sakes, but I can't be the only one that looks at the two of them and thinks the ticket should be reversed.

            Thanks for the links, I'll take a look. I'm sure they will be going back and fourth right to the end. – Fun stuff!

  • abbey

    I Love you too, and that is why I want you to know the FACTS.

    • P. Moody

      Absolutely, and that's why I think it's about time we hear them-

  • abbey

    I Love you too, and that is why I want you to know the FACTS.

  • P. Moody

    Absolutely, and that's why I think it's about time we hear them-

  • abbey

    I Love you too, and that is why I want you to know the FACTS.

  • P. Moody

    Absolutely, and that's why I think it's about time we hear them-

Categories & Tags: | | | | |