MSNBC analyst Watkins falsely claimed Clark attacked McCain's patriotism
When Democratic strategist Chris Kofinis said on MSNBC that "to go out there and wax poetically about 'how dare someone question the patriotism of John McCain,' no Democrat has been doing that," political analyst Joe Watkins interrupted, saying, "Wesley Clark did, though," repeating the assertion in a later MSNBC segment. In fact, Clark praised McCain as a "hero to me and to hundreds of thousands of millions of others in the Armed Forces as a prisoner of war." Read More
Media outlets -- but not Fox News -- weigh in on doctored photos
MSNBC and Editor & Publisher have noted that Fox & Friends featured photos of New York Times reporter Jacques Steinberg and editor Steven Reddicliffe that appeared to have been digitally altered. But Fox News has yet to address the controversy. Read More
CNN's Roberts asserted that McCain is a "maverick" and "independent" from Bush, ignoring McCain's votes and statements
CNN's John Roberts asserted that Sen. John McCain "is a very different person, at least his record in terms of being a maverick and independent, than George Bush." But Roberts did not mention that, according to Congressional Quarterly, McCain was the Bush administration's most reliable supporter in the Senate in 2007, or that McCain said in 2005 that "on the transcendent issues, the most important issues of our day, I've been totally in agreement and support of President Bush." Read More
GMA's Roberts did not challenge McCain's denial that he has said he lacks expertise on the economy
ABC's Robin Roberts said to Sen. John McCain, "You have admitted that you're not exactly an expert when it comes to the economy and many have said that they," at which point, McCain said repeatedly, "I have not." Roberts did not challenge McCain's denial, even though McCain has made repeated remarks acknowledging his weakness on economic issues. Read More
Limbaugh: Democrats will not say "We honor your service" to troops returning from Iraq
Rush Limbaugh asserted that troops returning from Iraq "will not receive anything from the Democrat [sic] Party along the likes of 'Job well done. We're proud of you.' And this is highly distressing. Not only will Democrats not say, nor leftists, say to any returning troops from Iraq, 'Good job. Job well done. We honor your service.' No, they did just the opposite. They sought to secure defeat of the U.S. military in Iraq." In fact, many Senate Democrats recently honored the service of U.S. troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Read More
In WSJ op-ed, Rove misled about Obama ad
In a Wall Street Journal op-ed, Karl Rove stated that an ad for Barack Obama "says he was raised with 'values straight from the Kansas heartland,' though he grew up in Hawaii." But Obama does not suggest in the ad that he was raised in Kansas; rather, he explicitly notes his mother and grandparents "grew up" there. Rove also asserted that Obama claims in the ad "to have passed three bills, but fails to mention that two were in the Illinois state Senate." However, Obama does not suggest that the bills referenced in the ad were passed by the U.S. Senate, and the ad displays the years in which the bills were passed. Read More
On This Week, Huffington confronted Hewitt about Ohio State-USC football game comment
On This Week, Hugh Hewitt claimed that a comment he made during the June 25 edition of his show -- that the September 13 Ohio State-USC football game will "probably [be] the last football game we'll ever get to see before the United States gets blown up by the Islamists under Obama" -- was distorted by Arianna Huffington. Read More
Echoing right-wing smears, ABC's The Note falsely suggested a link between Obama and Colombian rebels
ABCNews.com's The Note, after linking to reports on Sen. John McCain's recent trip to Colombia, stated: "(And the RNC may want you to remember that it was Obama's name -- not McCain's -- that popped up on a seized FARC laptop.)" ABC offered no explanation for its reference to a report that Obama's name "popped up" in a computer seized from "FARC," the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. Several right-wing groups and media outlets have used a letter from a FARC spokesman that reportedly mentioned Obama to falsely allege "contacts" and other connections between FARC and Obama. Read More
CNN's Roberts did not challenge McCain adviser's claim that McCain understands the economy by noting numerous dubious economic statements
On CNN's The Situation Room, Carly Fiorina asserted that Sen. John McCain is "extremely well qualified" on the economy and that he "understands how the economy works." John Roberts did not challenge Fiorina's assertion, and he concluded the interview without noting numerous statements by McCain on the economy that were false or disputed by economists -- including McCain's own economic adviser -- or that McCain has repeatedly acknowledged weakness on economic issues. Read More
In Politico, TNR's Kirchick falsely claimed Clark's comments were part of a "pattern of attacks" on McCain as "psychologically unfit for presidential office"
In a Politico op-ed, The New Republic's James Kirchick cited Wesley Clark's comments about Sen. John McCain on CBS' Face the Nation as part of a "pattern of attacks meant to insinuate that McCain's Vietnam experience not only shouldn't count as meaningful 'experience,' but rendered him psychologically unfit for presidential office." In fact, Clark did not "attack[]" McCain's Vietnam experience or suggest that it "rendered him psychologically unfit for presidential office." Kirchick also asserted that "one would be foolish not to at least consider the possibility they [the "attacks"] were coordinated by the Obama campaign." But Clark has been saying for months that McCain's military service alone does not make him qualified to be president, including while he was speaking on behalf of Sen. Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign. Read More
Novak falsely asserted Clark attacked McCain's "credentials as a war hero" as part of "conscious effort" by Obama campaign
On The Radio Factor, Robert Novak falsely asserted that Wesley Clark joined a group of "Obama surrogates who have been questioning and attacking [Sen.] John McCain's credentials as a war hero" and suggested that Clark's comments were part of "a really conscious effort to downgrade [McCain] as a war hero." In fact, Clark praised McCain as a "hero" for "his service as a prisoner of war," while, as CJR's Zachary Roth wrote, "question[ing] the relevance of McCain's combat experience as a qualification to be president of the United States" -- an argument Clark has been making for months. Read More
Media quote GOP claim that Obama reversed Iraq policy, without noting Obama's prior statements
In covering Sen. Barack Obama's comments, "When I go to Iraq and have a chance to talk to some of the commanders on the ground, I'm sure I'll have more information and will continue to refine my policies," the media have reported Republican claims that Obama reversed himself. In fact, Obama has said for months that he would set Iraq war policy in consultation with military commanders. Read More
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