As Campaign Heats Up, Untruths Can Become Facts Before They're Undone

Do I need to preface this by saying it’s unfortunate?

As Campaign Heats Up, Untruths Can Become Facts Before They’re Undone. By Jonathan Weisman. Washington Post Staff Writer.

This year is hardly unique, but I do think it is getting worse because lies can be generated and disseminated so quickly.

17 thoughts on “As Campaign Heats Up, Untruths Can Become Facts Before They're Undone

  1. the McCain-McSame Campaign thinks Palin does not have to talk to the working people of America.
    Go to the New West website and read this headline:
    McCain Manager- “Palin Will Answer Questions when Media shows: “”Respect and Deference””
    Then read the comments. What an eye opener to the deceptive McCain-Palin campaign for Presidenet-VP

  2. McCain–Palin ran an add today in Ohio that claimed, and I quote: “Sarah Palin…stopped the bridge to nowhere.” This is not only revisionist history, it is an outright lie. Somebody in the media needs to start holding them accountable.

  3. The McCain-Palin-McBush policies are an economic disaster for the working people of America. If you vote for McCain-Palin you will sink even farther into the ripoff McCain-Bush economic policies of the last 8 years.
    People, McCain-Bush are desperate to keep the economic ripoff of working people of America intact. The McCain-Bush presidential campaign is sponsored by corporate ripoff America. Wall Street corporate America is desperate to keep their economic ripoff of the working American people intact. The price of everything is an outrageous ripoff. The cost of housing, food, transportation, health care, health insurance, gasoline … is a direct reflection of the McCain-Bush economic policies of the last 8 years.

  4. Food, etc. is not a “rip off.” Grocery stores only earn about 1% profit on their merchandise. I know, my son works for a major chain. Prices are high because the cost of fuel drives everything up.

    Foreclosures do not have much to do with gas prices. They are because of sleazy and uncontrolled lending practices over the past 10-15 years. Lenders get commission from giving loans so they don’t care if they are truly qualified.

    It’s better to look at each situation instead of making generalizations, but your point of their economic policies are well taken!

    I can’t understand why McCain is running on tax relief. His party has gotten us into the worst deficit in U.S. History. Yep, that’s right – the worst.

    Palin sounds like a Valley Girl from Alaska — she might just as well say “We have enough oil forever in Alaska! No need to develop renewable resources!”

    No one could convince me she is committed to alternative energy! I don’t think she is smart enough to realize we need it.

    Wasilla’s average education level for its residents (where she was mayor) is 10th grade, by the way.

  5. JB– you’re absolutely right. She was for it before she was against it (or until she knew there was big opposition to it). She is a hypocrit.

    I find it interesting how McCain won’t let her talk on her own. I guess he knows she would end up sounding very bad.

    I have to say though that the Republican speech writers this year seem to be better than Dems.

    Hopefully, the American people will see thru this lie and vote Democrat this year.

  6. yes barb let belittle the alaskan people, last time I checked it was the teachers responiblity to educate children, not the mayors. As to the cost of fuel, well what do you expect when demand exceeds supply, which I might add the do nothing congress has done nothing to help. And yes lets raise taxes on the rich and big evil corparations, after all they have plenty of money. Never mind that corparations will just pass those taxes on to us consumers, or just move overseas where taxes and labor are cheaper. Which will cause more unemployment and more trade imbalance. I have no problem paying taxes, just means that I’m makeing money, but I don’t like seeing it wasted.

  7. “As to the cost of fuel, well what do you expect when demand exceeds supply, which I might add the do nothing congress has done nothing to help.”

    Actually, this is not at all true! Congress (now that it is controlled by Democrats) FINALLY pushed through higher CAFE standards. Higher fuel economy=less demand.

  8. I think that a portion of the population doesn’t think you have done anything regarding the energy problem unless you make some kind of mess — pit mines, drilling rigs, mounds of debris.

    Recall how Obama was ridiculed for saying inflation of tires to the standard would save as much gasoline as accellerated drilling would provide? That would not make a mess. It is nearly costless. Raising CAFE standards doesn’t cost a lot because there is a lot of low hanging fruit.

    Now my main point.

    When people are in trouble they often engage in rituals for reassurance. There are many kinds of rituals, but I believe participating vicariously in making a mess, is a ritual — that’s what’s always been done. That makes it psychologically satisfying to see, even if it is unnecessary.

    Wide-scale retreat to ritual instead of rational thought, however, indicates a society in decline.

  9. “I have no problem paying taxes, just means that I’m makeing money, but I don’t like seeing it wasted.”

    Outsider, what do you mean by wasted? Are you referring to the fact that some of that tax money goes to support families in the form of welfare, healthcare and unemployment benefits? How can anyone consider that wasted? I would much rather see my tax dollars go to put food in someones mouth than see it given to corporations who will only use it to further destroy our earth. We subsidize industries, why not people?

  10. Outsider, you bring up a good point.

    Palin took big oil to task and basically pulled a wind fall profits tax out of them. Instead of using that money for Alaska infrastructure, she cut a check of over $1,000 to every Alaska resident. Call it a reverse bribe. But then the oil companies, as you point out, just raised their rates which increased the price of butter and eggs to be delivered to Alaska which meant that bonus check from the Gov just got eaten up with increased living expenses.

    But more fundamentally, Palin is FOR a windfall profit tax if she can plow it back into Alaska but she is AGAINST a windfall profit tax if the proceeds end up paying for fuel oil to low income housing in New York. Is that being a hypocrite or just being plain greedy? You tell me.

  11. Well, didn’t she want to succeed Alaska from the other 49 states anyway?

    Seriously, she sees things from an Alaskan viewpoint only. She doesn’t seem capable of seeing the bigger picture of things.

    The U.S. is a very big country with divergent viewpoints. Can she handle that?

    I’m not much of a fan of Biden, but, I think he can definitely handle the job better than this pitbull with lipstick or pig with lipstick — whatever you want to call it. 🙂

  12. Alaska is so remote from the mainstream of America, Palin is almost from another country.

    Alaska is place most Americans only dream of visiting. It is not like someone from Minnesota visiting Florida.

  13. Yes, good point. I would love to visit Alaska someday, when they have someone there who protects the wildlife — all of it – not just the “prey” animals.

  14. john weis re: “Palin took big oil to task”: Ha ha ha ha ha ha—I wish people would quit spreading these outright lies. That is a spin. Palin was on an oversight commission for the state of Alaska. When she was chosen for that seat the oil companies were happy—she worked for them and her husband works for them. Look at what she really did instead of spreading untruths. If you still believe she did something worthwhile to stem their power then I apologize to you, but look at it….

  15. jimbob, i was actually trying to be a bit facetious. she only took on big oil to shake them down for some cash. otherwise SOP.

    But the NY Times had an interesting article on the history of her pipeline plan: a plan that likely won’t culminate in anything other than a loss of $$ for the state of Alaska. She tried to cut out the big oil/gas producers at the site from participating in the pipeline: how smart is that? So now they are thinking of building their own and cutting Palin and that crew out of the process. Quite the mess.

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