Bill Kristol Gets Facts Wrong -- Again -- In NYT Column

In his New York Times column today, Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol tried to find reasons for conservatives to be optimistic about 2008 elections, despite the claims of some Republicans that "the Republican brand is in the trash can." To support his argument, Kristol pointed to Sen. Barack Obama's (D-IL) 41-point loss in the West Virginia primary:

On Tuesday night, while the G.O.P. Congressional candidate was losing in a Mississippi district George Bush carried in 2004 by 25 points, Barack Obama was being trounced in the West Virginia Democratic primary -- by 41 points. I can't find a single recent instance of a candidate who ultimately became his party's nominee losing a primary by this kind of margin.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[WorkingClass]

Kristol doesn't get the facts wrong. He's a liar.

[egal]

I suppose it would have been too easy (to bother doing) to even suspect that the large percentage might correspond precisely with the percentage of voters predicted to be so thoroughly racist and backwater that they wouldn't know anything about Obama even if they saw the truth because him being black negated any patriotism, intelligence, capability, or humanity that might be attributed to him.

[LeftLeaner]

With ALL the RESPECTED Journalists and Media community who would be thrilled (possibly) to write a column for the NYT, why Kristol?

He has no credibility.

[egal]

Because the NYT is determined to convince those who respect them that they have no credibility.

[LeftLeaner]

No matter what - that reflects upon the NYT.

Why they would choose that moron to begin with is inexplicable - but, then again the NYT ain't what it used to be.

I, personally, get my news elsewhere - HUFFPOST.

[MartyGee]

At the budget meeting the NYT must automatically set aside space for the corrections for every single column he writes.

[ajax2]

The NY Times does not hold that William Kristol be factually correct. They didn't hold Bill Safire or Thomas Friedman to those lofty standards.

[hmmmmmer]

Hasn't everyone learned that Kristol says what he wants when he wants and the truth really has nothing to play in his thoughts. He is a hack and the NYT's has become a rag by letting him spew his Republican and neocon agenda.

[javagirl322]

Surprise, surprise...

[skepticalindenver]

Bill Kristol isn't a tard. He just plays one in real life. He knows the trash he spews is wrong. It is simply a matter of numbers. There will be some people that get fooled with any lie, so just keep telling them is his philosophy.

[sophistwatch]

If you want to understand Bill Kristol you need to know who Curtis LeMay and Henry Kissinger are. Kristol believes you can say and do anything you want to the American people and the world as long as you don't get caught or lose the war your fighting. LeMay knew he would be prosecuted as a war criminal if the US lost WWII. Kissinger is widely regarded as a war criminal. There is plenty of information on both men and their deeds. Take the time to do some research.

Kissinger has been advising the Bush Admin for some time.

[whiskeytangofoxtrot451]

At least Kissinger and LeMay had the cajones to actually commit their deeds themselves rather than just cheerleading from the sidelines.

Kristol is one of the biggest cowards in the whole cowardly neocon bunch.

[sophistwatch]

Well done my good man!

[whiskeytangofoxtrot451]

Breaking News! Bill Kristol gets facts wrong!

In other news today:

Fire is hot

Water is wet

The Earth revolves around the Sun.

[Jinxykb]

How does this man have a job? Ever 3 weeks there is an article about him and his latest blunder.

[whiskeytangofoxtrot451]

I think it involves toe tapping in the men's room.

[eggman]

NYT: Now You're Trash

[LeftLeaner]

that should be their new acronym - you're right.

Besides, after Judy Miller, Jason Blair, and the like, it has lost MUCH of its credibility.

It has become tainted, no longer the grey lady.

[timeoutofmind]

a few notes on my news consumption habits -- which are ravenous:

abc news since the "Debate" - permanently gone to black

nytimes since Kristol - cancelled my subscription after two columns.

anyone else want to prove their pandering irrelevancy ?

[SEQUOIABISON]

Bill Kristol = Soft Spoken, Bigoted Warmonger.

[rjean]

ny slimes......liars all...
keith blabberman......partisan disgusting hack
chrissy i love hussein matthews.........total jerk...

there sequoiabrson....back at ya

[PAposter]

I get it "rjean" is a Limbaugh TROLL!

[arvada]

huh?

[KMan1]

okay so it's not just me that didn't get that.

[PAposter]

Guess Mr. Kristol also couldn't find these tidbits of information either:

Kansas 74 - 26 (Obama) by 48 pts.
Alaska 74 - 25 (Obama) by 49 pts.
Idaho 80 - 17 (Obama) by 63 pts.
Washington D.C. 75 - 24 (Obama) by 51pts.
Hawaii 76 - 24 (Obama) by 52 pts.

What a joke the Grand Old Party is.

[PAposter]

Keep in mind that early on he was beating other candidates by even larger margins, with the average "other candidate" getting 1%-2% of the vote.

[jubo]

West Virginia isn't exactly West Israel. It's Waste Virginia.

Pun aside, it is a beautiful land fallen victim to an apathetic leadership.

[k6007]

'Lift up thine eyes and say........Where in Hell did the Hills and Mountains Go?!!'

[oneeyedodin]

Bill Kristol is an ignorant leering sonofabitch.

[lefilmnoir]

Dear Mr. Sulzberger:

Do you think "columnists" such as Kristol Neocon may have something to do with the paper you inherited losing circulation, advertising revenue and any modicum of respect it may once have had?

Just wondering.

[jubo]

I hope their reasoning was purely cynical in that they were trying to keep Murdoch from hiring him and making the WSJ a neocon behemoth.

Still, Faustian deals are by nature jagged-edged.

(et vive le candidat noir)

[Raymondf]

West Virginia is 75% democrat maybe 80%, and McCain will carry West Virginia by at least 25% points in the general election.

[Boboday555]

McCain couldn't carry West Verginee if it had a handle!

[PAposter]

LOL!

[Raymondf]

Thats nothing unusal, Utah is about 70% mormon.

[ilcapo]

A rightwinger who lies like a rug?Why I ve never heard of such a thing!

[jubo]

David Brooks and William Kristol must suffer from dementia they are so delusional.

What a waste of journalistic space.

[pizzmoe]

Why is it news when he gets something wrong? Wouldn't it be bigger news if he actually got something right?

[ResidentChimp]

I think your right, Kristol screwed up big time. Of course Utah was very much like West Virginia. McCain had to run against a Mormmon in the Mormon State. Obama had to run in West Virginia aginst Hillary in a white middle working class state. fortunately for McCain he will get of all Mormons in the GE. Unfortunately for Obama, he will not get many working class voters aside from the corrupt union members.