Sunday, September 28, 2008

Media Matters Daily Summary 09-28-08

Doocy misrepresented FactCheck.org's verdict on McCain's claim about Obama's record on taxes
On Fox News' Fox & Friends Saturday, Steve Doocy stated that FactCheck.org said it was "true" that Sen. Barack Obama voted for a "bill that ... would increase taxes on people earning as little as $42,000 a year." Doocy added: "[Sen.] John McCain said, 'That was true, you did.' " In fact, FactCheck.org stated that "McCain was correct -- with qualification," adding that the votes McCain has previously cited for the claim were on a measure that "actually would not have altered taxes without additional legislation. ... McCain is referring to the provision that would have allowed the 25 percent tax bracket to return to 28 percent. The tax plan Obama now proposes, however, would not raise the rate on that tax bracket." Read More

Reuters, AP, LA Times reported McCain ad attacking Obama over troop funding vote, but ignored McCain's own record
In articles reporting that a McCain campaign ad criticizes Sen. Barack Obama for voting against legislation to fund the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, Reuters, the Associated Press, and the Los Angeles Times did not mention, as Obama pointed out during the first presidential debate, that Sen. John McCain has also voted against troop funding legislation. Read More

NY Times uncritically reported McCain ad and "talking point" that Obama "said [during debate] he agreed with his rival's positions"
The New York Times uncritically reported in an article that the McCain campaign "released an Internet video citing several instances in which Mr. Obama had said he agreed with his rival's positions, a talking point that began to emerge even as the debate was going on here Friday night." However, the Times did not note that, in each instance, Sen. Barack Obama was actually criticizing Sen. John McCain after first noting a point of agreement. Read More

Wash. Post reported as fact that McCain "suspend[ed] most campaign activities," uncritically reported McCain adviser's claim that Obama "will raise taxes"
The Washington Post reported as fact that Sen. John McCain "suspend[ed] most campaign activities last week" without noting evidence to the contrary, including reports in the Post that McCain's campaigning continued "despite" his "pledge." Further, the Post uncritically reported Steve Schmidt's assertion that Sen. Barack Obama "will raise taxes." In fact, Obama has proposed cutting taxes for low- and middle-income families. Read More

Ignoring contrary evidence, Schieffer asserted McCain "suspended his campaign" because of Wall Street crisis
On CBS' Face the Nation, Bob Schieffer asserted that Sen. John McCain "suspended his campaign" to deal with the Wall Street crisis, ignoring evidence that after McCain announced he was going to suspend his campaign, his ads continued to run; his advisers repeatedly attacked Sen. Barack Obama on cable news networks; and he gave interviews with the three broadcast networks the following day. Read More

Hannity promoted text-message poll calling McCain debate winner, but viewers were allowed to vote just minutes into debate
Following the first presidential debate, Sean Hannity promoted the results of a Fox News text-message poll that found that Sen. John McCain won the debate, but did not mention that viewers were allowed to begin voting for "who [they] thought won" just 10 minutes into the debate. Read More

Brokaw allowed McCain adviser to falsely claim McCain "called for the firing of Don Rumsfeld"
On NBC's Meet the Press, Tom Brokaw did not challenge Steve Schmidt's false claim that Sen. John McCain "called for the firing of Don Rumsfeld." In fact, the McCain campaign itself reportedly admitted that McCain did not call for Rumsfeld to be fired, or for his resignation. Read More

Despite evidence to the contrary, Blitzer continues to assert McCain "suspend[ed]" campaign
Days after CNN's Jeffrey Toobin asserted that the media are "being kind of gullible in falling for" Sen. John McCain's announcement that he was going to suspend his campaign, and noting that McCain "didn't suspend his campaign," Wolf Blitzer asserted as fact, not for the first time, that McCain "temporarily suspend[ed] his campaign."
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