Posted on 09/21/2008 2:47:16 PM PDT by markomalley
Steve Hayes, writing in the new Weekly Standard, complains of a media double standard on how the assertions and ads by each candidate are being fact-checked.
Whether it's guilt or the truth-stretching of some of Obama's new assertions (the Limbaugh immigration ad, his Social Security rhetoric), I think this sentiment is shifting.
But Hayes's shaming is still worth reading, and his take on McCain's Franklin Raines spot especially valuable.
Then there are the absurd lengths to which some reporters are willing to go to protect Obama and attack McCain. Last week, the McCain campaign released an ad accusing Obama of being too close to Fannie Mae executives. In particular, it claims Obama took advice on housing and finance issues from former Fannie Mae chairman Franklin Raines. The Obama campaign protested, saying that Raines was not an adviser and had not given Obama counsel in any capacity. The McCain campaign defended the claim by citing an article that ran in the Washington Post on July 16, 2008. That article noted that Raines had "taken calls from Barack Obama's presidential campaign seeking his advice on mortgage and housing policy matters."
Last Friday, the Washington Post "factchecked" the McCain ad and concluded that the campaign had been "clearly exaggerating wildly" in order to link Obama to Raines and that the "latest McCain attack is particularly dubious."
Factchecker Michael Dobbs wrote that McCain's evidence that Raines had advised Obama was "pretty flimsy" — not a description that probably endeared him to Anita Huslin, the reporter who wrote the story this summer. But Dobbs did talk to Huslin. Here is his account of their conversation:
Since this has now become a campaign issue, I asked Huslin to provide the exact circumstances of the quote. She explained that she was chatting with Raines during the photo shoot, and asked "if he was engaged at all with the Democrats' quest for the White House. He said that he had gotten a couple of calls from the Obama campaign. I asked him about what, and he said 'oh, general housing, economy issues.' ('Not mortgage/foreclosure meltdown or Fannie-specific,' I asked, and he said 'no.')"
By Raines's own account, he took a couple of calls from someone on the Obama campaign, and they had some general discussions about economic issues.
Got that? Huslin stands by her reporting — that Raines had given advice to the Obama campaign about mortgage and housing policy matters — and yet the McCain campaign is faulted by the Washington Post for relying on information that comes from the Washington Post.
You know it is bad when the Washington Post says not to believe articles they print in their paper. If it wasn’t so serious, I would keep right on laughing. That was the most ludicrous nonsense I have read in a long time.
These days, if the press is attacking a Republican candidate, it means that the Republican candidate is winning. McCain should stick to his guns and stay on offense. If he doesn’t, he will lose and the press will win. The press is the Democrats and the Democrats are the enemy. It’s that simple.
What’s with the comments on Politico? Every single one is from an Obamatron.
run a rogue's gallery of Raines
Johnson
Penny Pritzker
Obama's Subprime Mortgage advisor's.
It's Politico
They have fragile, thin identities.
Like their leader.
Don't knock it. Rejoice that you lived to see A TRULY HISTORIC EVENT IN THE WORLD OF JOURNALISM -- the Washington Post telling the truth for once in its pathetic existence. A RED LETTER DAY INDEED!!!!
Higher standard?
Two words: Reverend Wright.
Any Republican, or any white pol, would have been perp walked into the history bin.
Enough said.
Astroturfing.
The Washington Post
this year’s fake, but accurate
Its a Dem party website .The so called reporters are all former Wash Compost or Time retreads. These are the idiots that were making false claims about Bush staff resignations and Mike Allen is one of people that was involved in the Scouter Libby media scam.
Politico = Obama supporters including a lot of their articles. I keep asking where Politico came from as it started up and overnight had credibility. Who is really behind Politico?
ROFLOL!!! You are right it is a RED LETTER DAY when the Washington Compost tells the truth!
LOL!!! So true — WP: This year’s fake, but accurate! I love it!
You see this a lot. Most likely it means that the Bambi campaign sent out an "action wire" alerting people to the article and telling them to go comment.
http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2008/09/bush-called-for-reform-of-fannie-mae.html
Bush Called For Reform of Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac 17 Times in 2008 Alone... Dems Ignored Warnings
For many years the President and his Administration have not only warned of the systemic consequences of financial turmoil at a housing government-sponsored enterprise (GSE) but also put forward thoughtful plans to reduce the risk that either Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac would encounter such difficulties. President Bush publicly called for GSE reform 17 times in 2008 alone before Congress acted.
more...
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