This is getting annoying. It seems Obama's go-to defense is rapidly becoming "they lied", when in fact, "they" aren't lying.
This trend has been going on since at least when, as I've mentioned previously on this blog, National Right to Life pointed out that Obama's been misrepresenting his position on the Infants Born Alive bill to which Obama retorted "[NRTL has] not been telling the truth - and I hate to say that people are lying, but here's a situation where folks are lying."
The problem is that National Right to Life was accurate in saying Obama was misrepresenting his position. They weren't lying, they were telling the truth. Even FactCheck.org agrees that "documents from the NRLC support the group’s claims."
The latest installment is Obama calling McCain a liar over McCain's "Kindergarden Sex Ed" ad.
The problem once again is that the facts are on McCain's side.
McCain's ad claims Obama voted for / promoted a bill that included comprehensive sex education for Kindergartners. Obama can object if he wants but the the bill's text speaks for itself: "Each class or course in comprehensive sex education in any of grades K through 12 shall include instruction on the prevention of sexually transmitted infections, including the prevention, transmission and spread of HIV."
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/off_base_on_sex_ed.html
I believe this may be the first time I stand in stark disagreement with the analysis of FactCheck.org.
The ad's claim is "Legislation to teach 'comprehensive sex education' to kindergarteners."
In fact, the bill does call for quote - "comprehensive sex education" - for - quote - "grades K through 12."
I have no idea how FactCheck.org arrives at the conclusion "the claim is simply false."
I'm sympathetic to the idea that perhaps Obama doesn't hold the position that sex ed should be taught to young kids, but that just draws his judgement into question, because the bill clearly calls for exactly that.
I will also say, it's a stupid ad. It's negative. It doesn't actually lay out differences on policy between the two candidates. It's not helpful, and it's the kind of ad I actively dislike.
But to call McCain a liar, when the claim of the ad is, in fact, accurate is at least as bad as this ad. Especially given Obama's growing history of wrongly calling people liars.
That is indeed an exact quote from the bill, but the bill also included language that the material taught would be age appropriate.
For Kindergartners, the assumption is that this would simply be information on how to tell if someone is touching them inappropriately, and what to do if so.
Granted, it is fairly subjective what age appropriate means. However, the bill also includes the provision that any course materials would be subject to review by parents prior to instruction. This would give them a chance to object if the material is in fact deemed age inappropriate.
FactCheck isn't to be trusted. This isn't the only time they've flubbed facts. They're also now doing it with the NRA ads against Obama, in which FactCheck claims the ads distort Obama's positions on gun control. The NRA points out what many of us have known about FactCheck for quite some time:
FactCheck/Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Foundation/Obama/terrorist William Ayers
FactCheck is funded by the same organization who funded the education reform group co-founded by Obama and Ayers.
The Annenberg Foundation has also donated money to the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence.
http://www.nraila.org/News/Read/NewsReleases.aspx?ID=11574
Post a Comment