The McCain-Palin Lies and the Neil Armstrong Principle

If John McCain and Sarah Palin were to say the moon was made of green cheese, we can be certain that Barack Obama and Joe Biden would pounce on it, and point out it's actually made of rock. And you just know the headline in the paper the next day would read: "CANDIDATES CLASH ON LUNAR LANDSCAPE."

Why doesn't somebody call Neil Armstrong? He's been there. Or go to the Smithsonian and open the glass case that contains a piece of the moon. The moon is a rock. That's a fact, Jack.

Facts are indeed stubborn things, but the McCain-Palin lies are more stubborn still.

In the face of demonstrable, provable, incontrovertible evidence to the contrary, McCain and Palin continue to assert that Gov. Palin opposed the infamous "Bridge to Nowhere." They do so in their speeches and ads, and their supporters say so on television until their pants are on fire. McCain and Palin also claim the Alaska governor opposes earmarks -- despite the fact that she's gotten her state so much pork she's at risk for trichinosis.

I was in the middle of a Neil Armstrong Moment when I was on CNN Tuesday morning. Rather than let McCain and Palin get away with their lie, anchor John Roberts played a videotape of Sarah Palin in a 2006 gubernatorial debate in which she endorsed the bridge from Ketchikan to Gravina Island saying, "I'm not going to stand in the way of progress that our congressional delegation and the position of strength that they have right now." Perhaps her supporters, noting Palin's support for banning books, teaching creationism and doubting global warming will argue that for her, calling the bridge "progress" was her way of saying she was against it.) But the Anchorage Daily News forecloses that option, reporting, "In September, 2006, Palin showed up in Ketchikan on her gubernatorial campaign and said the bridge was essential for the town's prosperity."

After the videotape ran, I said the media was at fault for letting Palin and McCain get away with "flat out lies." GOP strategist Alex Castellanos manfully tried to shine a cow patty, saying, "The amazing thing about Sarah Palin is when she became governor she actually stood up and said no."

Increasingly frustrated, I pointed out that just was not true, and the "debate" continued.

Most of political debate is subjective: who's more qualified, who's more compassionate, whose experience is more relevant, who has better ideas on health care or energy or global warming or the economy? There is no Objective Truth on those matters, and debate -- even when voices are sometimes raised -- can help voters decide who they agree with. On those matters of subjective judgment it's perfectly appropriate for the media to hold the coats of the candidates and let them fight it out.

But facts ought not be debatable. The media have an obligation to point out when a politician is lying about a matter of fact, but the right-wing attack machine has so cowed some of them you can almost hear them moo. Steve Schmidt, McCain's top dog, is a brilliant and audacious strategist. His candidate has had the most favorable press coverage of any politician of the last century -- fawning, adoring, sycophantic press coverage. And yet he is brutalizing the press, waterboarding them into pretending that whether Gov. Palin supported the "Bridge to Nowhere," or hired an Abramoff-connected lobbyist to secure massive earmarks are somehow debatable.

The real debate is over whether the media will be vigilant watchdogs, sounding the alarm when McCain and Palin lie, or fall back to the role they've played for most of McCain's career: lapdog.

Comments

[Lemmy]

Mrs. Palin used her veto pen to slash more local projects than any other governor in the state's history. She cut nearly 10% of Alaska's budget this year, saving state residents $268 million. This included vetoing a $30,000 van for Campfire USA and $200,000 for a tennis court irrigation system. She succinctly justified these cuts by saying they were "not a state responsibility."

Meanwhile in Washington, Mr. Obama voted for numerous wasteful earmarks last year, including: $12 million for bicycle paths, $450,000 for the International Peace Museum, $500,000 for a baseball stadium and $392,000 for a visitor's center in Louisiana.

[duchessdorleans]

Bicycle paths sound like a super idea to me. Less people driving cars = less dependence on oil! And that's a lot of bicycle paths. Also, where in Louisiana is this visotor's center? And how does one build a baseball stadium with $500,000 dollars?

Apart from that, what bills were these earmarks actually in, and who put them in there?

He might have been voting for a very good bill and had to compromise on letting the earmarks in. He doesn't have the power to line item veto them.

Also, it sounds to me like Palin was vetoing the spending of state revenue, not refusing federal tax money for her state. BIG DIFFERENCE.

[DeniseD]

Well stated! That is exactly the point I have been trying to get across. We need to know what the bulk of the bill was about. It could have been a perfectly good piece of legislation, like funding for women's shelters or food banks.

When people talk about a politican voting for an earmark, it can be very misleading.

[ElectronoftheOne]

At the heart of the matter is that anyone who would vote for a creationist for vice-president doesn't know the difference between truth and mythology. Belief trumps rationality. They're programmed to follow blindly, and when they hear the right buzzwords, the brain shuts down and they march in lock step. Objective proof is irrelevant.

And Neil Armstrong's moon rock would be nothing more than 6,000-year-old petrified green cheese.

[AProudRepublican]

The Bible is full of fulfilled prophecies... these prophecies were written long before they came true, and the Dead Sea Scrolls prove it. My faith isn't based upon mythology, and I do not blindly follow my faith. I'm a deep thinker, and so for me, I couldn't just believe what I was told - I had to look into it. Looking into my faith has only deepened it for me. The is so much happening right now that the Bible foretold. It's really very exciting. For anyone interesting, you can learn more about this here: http://www.lamblion.com/articles/articles_signs.php :)

[collima]

What about the republican party are you so proud of? War, deciet, no accountability, hypocracy, support the wealthy, ignore the needy, disregard truth, accept clear lies, politicans buying out pastors in exchange for teaching the republican "God's Party" philosphy....

Don't even menion the "Word of God" or your religon, if you can't even begin a argument with true facts.... When you start with lies as the basis of your principled positions, you don't get the respect you think your entitled too... Example: John McCain and Sarah Palin.... Liars and dishonorable unpatriotic politicans.... When they start speaking truth then maybe they'll be able to attract those who are truth loving patriotic Americans eager to change this country for the better, for their future...

There are more community organizers in the country than oil lobbyist, and we are speaking up!

[iloveiowa]

"My faith isn't based upon mythology"...the definition of faith involves belief--something not provable, as in a myth. so, yes, i'd say your "faith" is based on a myth unless you can prove the story your fauth is based on. to my knowledge such evidence is sorely lacking. if you want to believe in anything, including pink elephants, that's fine. but don't try to pass this off as anything testable. deep thinker, huh? excuse me while a chuckle.

[ElectronoftheOne]

The Bible is filled with stories written my men who lived in a small, flat world, around which the sun revolved. It's a good book that tells tales about people who actually lived, and it speaks in metaphors and transmits basic moral values down through the generations. The interpretation and misinterpretation of those metaphors is where many very moral and compassionate people differ. It is possible to know God and evolution at the same time.

As for prophecies, Earth is ever changing, producing awe-inspiring phenomena which are sometimes frightening to us Johnny-come-lately humans, and humankind has always had a warring streak, so metaphors about blood and fire and tempests and plagues can be applied to many situations. The situation in Israel and the Palestinian territories right now is a perfect example of self-fulfilling prophecy, what with Christians settling in the occupied territories, gleefully awaiting the Rapture, and in the process setting up the conditions for nightmarish hostilities which they believe are prophesied.

I guarantee you, God would not approve.

[leap2three]

“Lipstick on a pig!” Lipstick on a pig!” Lipstick on a pig!” There! I said it! Neener neener neener!

I am encouraged to see that the majority of us who cognate recognized how the McCain camp is seizing on everything they can to distract voters from the mess that the Republicans have created in Washington, in this country, and across the world.

I see no “change” in using the same old tired and dirty tactics to undermine Barack Obama. This is the same tack that the Republican party took to trick Americans into submitting to the debacle we’ve endured for the last eight years. We must snap out of our complacency!

The Republicans are irresponsibly and recklessly spinning the negativity like mad-dogs, lipstick and all, breeding hate and divisiveness, which is very un-Christian and extremely unproductive. It’s disgusting and entirely transparent. McCain used to be someone whom people respected back in the day…but he and his party have stooped to new lows just to “win” the White House.

Fooling voters with lies and rhetoric will not help the sunk economy, the housing crisis, multi-trillion dollar wars, and botched foreign relations, to name a few of our immense national and global problems.

McCain and Palin have turned this election and our governmental infrastructure into a circus.

Someone slam on the brakes already!

[Evoxx]

The Obama entitlements from cradle to grave plan will destory the economy.

Any American with a basic knowlege of economics who reads his plan will be slamming on the breaks of voting Obama.

[DeniseD]

He has talked about funding his proposals. One of the ways to do that is to stop spending trillions of dollars on the war in Iraq.

I have heard two Nobel laureates in economics praise his economic plan as the best. If you think you know better than these people do, please let us know what your qualifications are.

[DRaymond]

You don't matter, you are part of the 'reality-based community'. The Rovian campaign style isn't about facts or even about policy. It is about creating mythology. Transforming McCain's time as a prisoner into the epic struggle of the ages, transforming a small town mayor into a remake of a Frank Capra movie with a Norma Rae slant.

And you want to talk about 'facts'....snicker.

[Nightbender]

Paul, you and the other pundits ARE part of the problem. You argue too complicatedly. The audience does not need to know why a rock is a rock. This is what you guys fall into....trying to explain logic.
When one of the opposition, or the entire wind machine lies, JUST SAY SO!
When they say the moon is green cheese, you have to say quick, "THAT is a LIE! You are LYING!".
We do not need the apologia of , "Well, no, it is a rock. Here, let me show you. See, green cheese would be soft, and green. This is clearly hard and grey, BLAH,BLAH,BLAH...."

[Lemmy]

The earmark for the Bridge to Nowhere originally appeared in the now-infamous highway bill of 2005. That bill included $24 billion in pork-barrel earmarks and will end up costing taxpayers a reckless $286.5 billion over six years. It passed on a 91-4 vote in the U.S. Senate on July 29, 2005, with Sen. John McCain standing in opposition along with three other lonely voices for fiscal responsibility. Senators Barack Obama and Joe Biden both voted for the bill and its bridge of ill repute.

FACT.

[Jetling]

What were the rest of the earmarks?

What defines them as "pork-barrel"?

Was anything on this bill a worthwhile expense?

And why did Palin keep the money and use it to fund other projects?

You see, if it's one item out of 300, killing the bill restarts the process for all projects. This is the system and how that game is played.

Even if you decide to trust no one, then you should look at the economic plans for both and decide from there.

BTW 24 billion is about 10 weeks in Iraq. Which is more reckless?

[Obamainspiration]

Lemmy you are a liar, where did you get your lying facts from. McCain did not vote and Obama and Biden voted against it. Stop lying with the rest of the lost GOP party passing on lies trying to convince people the lies are truth.

Back the truth up with the facts. Here's the results of the vote

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/109/senate/1/votes/262/

[Lemmy]

You kids over here need to check your facts before you run your cake-holes and call people liars. I know it's in your nature to strike out at those who disagree so I forgive you..

You are referencing an amendment voted on October 20th 2005. The FACT that I stated refered to the original bill on July 29 2005. OBAMA AND BIDEN VOTED FOR THE BRIDGE TO NOWHERE ON JULY 29, 2005.

I'm glad you brought the amendment up though - The Senate got another chance to stop the bridge on October 20, 2005, when it voted on an amendment offered by Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn that would have redirected the funds from the bridge to New Orleans for Hurricane Katrina relief. Coburn’s amendment got only 15 votes. John McCain missed that vote, although Obama and Biden both buckled to Stevens and voted against the amendment.

OBAMA/BIDEN VOTED FOR BRIDGE TO NOWHERE THEN AGAINST THE AMENDMENT REDIRECTING THOSE FUNDS TO KATRINA VICTIMS

CHANGE WE CAN BELIVE IN!

[Lemmy]

You kids over here need to check your facts before you run your cake-holes and call people liars. I know it's in your nature to strike out at those who disagree so I forgive you..

You are referencing an amendment voted on October 20th 2005. The FACT that I stated referred to the original bill on July 29 2005. OBAMA AND BIDEN VOTED FOR THE BRIDGE TO NOWHERE ON JULY 29, 2005.

I'm glad you brought the amendment up though - The Senate got another chance to stop the bridge on October 20, 2005, when it voted on an amendment offered by Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn that would have redirected the funds from the bridge to New Orleans for Hurricane Katrina relief. Coburn"s amendment got only 15 votes. John McCain missed that vote, although Obama and Biden both buckled to Stevens and voted against the amendment.

OBAMA/BIDEN VOTED FOR BRIDGE TO NOWHERE THEN AGAINST THE AMENDMENT REDIRECTING THOSE FUNDS TO KATRINA VICTIMS

CHANGE WE CAN BELIVE IN!

[liz-from-atl]

that's great research you did, I'm impressed, really. . . but you are missing the point.
Sarah Palin is claiming to be against the bridge and earmarks. Barack Obama and Joe Biden never said that.

[VailBeach]

So, you're saying Biden and Obama are running as the pro-earmarks candidates?

So we've got one candidate who was for earmarks, then changed her mind, up against candidates who never changed their minds about earmarks, but want everyone to think of her as a hypocrite.

That'll sell.

This issue is a bad one for Dems. Move on, please.

[DeniseD]

Out here in CA we are in desperate need of highway repair. $24 billion in earmarks is definitely worth it. Besides, not all earmarks are bad. As far as I am concerned, we should have earmarked some money for that bridge in Minnesota before it collapsed.

[512jellybeans]

If one keeps telling the same lie over and over again, one can gradually get others to believe that it is the truth.

The LIAR also begins to believe in the veracity of the LIE until the real TRUTH is eventually replaced by the invented lie - in the minds of all.

[Charkbite]

The 512jellybeans above are correct. Like the Seinfeld episode where Jerry is going to take a polygraph test and George tells him "Just remember, it's not a lie if you believe it." The Clintons have practically made this an artform. I picture them in their old age thinking back fondly to 1993 when he became the first black president and she became the first woman vice-president.

Begala is aware of this too, and that typically the audience hearing the lie is almost always larger than the audience of someone who tries to correct it. Casually using the article to do exactly the same sort of thing he is supposedly complaining about just shows his hypocrisy. Makes me wonder if he does it in this article because he thinks nobody will notice, expects people to notice but knows anybody that calls him on it will be down in the noise, or it just comes so naturally to him that he's not even aware he's doing it.

[Perdix]

So what is his lie?

[BellaSofia]

I hate it, but the Truth is the American public not only tolerates being flat-out lied to, but seems content to eat more of the same ad nauseam. As long as the lies are pretty and distracting from the much-uglier realities, by and large the public will accept them and worse yet, refuse to hold anyone accountable! No longer is America a progressive beacon of achievement, we are now a large, bumbling, idiotic teenager of a public. This election may seem effective in making the voting public confused and stymied, but we must tap into our revolutionary beginnings and VOTE for the future of this country or else we might not have one... Our country is not steered by democracy and the needs of the majority, but has been hijacked by liars and traitors out for power and personal gain (many who won't live long enough to see us in ruins after decades of rotten policy and political B.S). It is beyond time to hold the crooks we so stupidly elect(ed) responsible for the lies they spread and the foolish policies they enact and force those in Washington to actually act in the people's best interest instead of their own. We have been hoodwinked and we aren't doing anything about it except complaining. Our politicians are no longer afraid of anything, much less being held responsible by their constituencies and voted out of office; it's high time that fear was made real to them once more.

[care4mypeeps]

Your point is very well taken but I beg to differ. We the people are not just sitting on our thumbs.
We blog our concerns and then follow it up with action.

Why do you think the Media seems to be growing a spine lately? It is because the bloggers are now becoming a force to be reckoned with.

We have to be more pro-active in our discoveries of what is wrong in Govenment and move in an effective way.

If we are always depressed about our obstacales then who will encourage us?

The way I see it, we have to be focused on the mission which is to bring honesty back into the
Demacratic process and hold the Media accountable for exposing and making transparent any attempts on the part of the Government to dissect our Constitution.

In order for us to come together as one we need to lose the defeatest attitudes and learn how to support each other in these tough times.

We need each other.

[Novelismo]

Aren't McCain and Palin just Tax and Bomb Conservatives? And hasn't that branch of both parties been in charge of America's government for most of the last 50 years?

[christabor]

Well if Bush beat the dems twice John McCain can't lose.

[polly4444]

You make a very good point. The Democrats must expose the tactics that are used by the Republicans to convince the Dumbed down American public that they should believe the lies and half truths that they spin out to them. The Democrats also need to challenge the media to report the truth and not just allow the Republicans to to do their usual spin and let it go at that. Even Bob Sheaver, who I used to respect, was way too timid in his interview of John McCain on Sunday. He didn't challenge him at all. This is exactly what happened with all the Sunday interviews with the entire Bush Administration. It made me so ashamed of the media and what they have become.

[brantl]

Bush cheated and didn't actually wih either election. McSame may be just as shifty, though.

[drevelyn]

Republicans Master Plan ~~ “DEMOCRATS NEED TO SERIOUSLY UNITE!” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I agree Indigenous with you! ~~ I just had to send this brilliant message you wrote out again. ~~~~ Something to think about, Thanks Indigenous. ~~~~~~

Nothing else makes since as to why McCain selected Sarah I feel your comment is on point. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There are many Brilliant, Knowledgeable, and Intelligent Republicans Men and Women that would had made a much better candidate for the vice presidency. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Blogger Indigenous: Wrote, "John McCain is not the issue. ~~~~

Don't fall for the hype, Sarah Palin is the one they are trying to get into the president's chair. She is no maverick, she can be controlled and will be controlled by the same management team that is controlling GWB!~~~~~~~~~~

She has the same profile as GWB, which is no experience. Sarah Palin is the puppet that they will control. ~~~~~~~

John McCain is the container that will deliver the package. After John McCain gets elected, his job will be done. He will be removed and Palin will assume the presidency. ~~~~~~~~

Sarah Palin must be attacked on all issues, She is trying to steal the presidency by stealth."~~~~~

Obama for President and Biden for Vice President!

[Citydog100]

Clearly, the amount of disinformation, conflation, false claims of accomplishment and lies cannot be rebutted point-by-point. In addition, the way in which the scripts are crafted and repeated over and over again begs the question as to which scientific technique is being used by the McCain campaign's smartest guys in the room to "install" their point-of-view into the American people. Look around, the Republican campaign is more than thought control. For example, Sarah Palin was choosen not just for her religioius credentials, but also to co-opt her from causing any problems for the oil interests in Washington, D.C. What a neat solution to take care of someone who talks back to the party, sniffs out corruption, and has at least considered an Alaska free from U.S. oil domination. Today, Sarah Palin called McCain a friend of Alaska. Look again Sarah, this friend is going to help plunder all of Alaska's natural resources. Sarah trusting the McCain faction regarding their plans for Alaska is proof that Sarah Palin is not ready for any kind of world leader or world crook negotiation. Sarah is being outfoxed. Sarah, please join your generation and make a real difference.

[winner2winner]

has obana ever talked back to the dnc or his majority co-senators in congress? he let them draft him into his now-untenable position where, after having pushed the Clintons off the stage, he discovers that he "has Palin and can't get up". He needs a hand from - who else - THE CLINTONS!!!
"Can you and Hillary come out to play with me, pl-e-a-s-e? OK, I'll pay off her debt, even though my juggernaut internet money-making machine has taken a very precipitous tumble".
"I know, Biden says out loud that Hillary woulda been a better pick for VP; I am truly so very sorry". Oh, I also voted FOR funding the bridge to nowhere. I shoulda voted FOR Katrina relief instead of AGAINST it. There goes some of the black vote. Bill, I need you!!!

[winner2winner]

has obana ever talked back to the dnc or his majority co-senators in congress? he let them draft him into his now-untenable position where, after having pushed the Clintons off the stage, he discovers that he "has Palin and can't get up". He needs a hand from - who else - THE CLINTONS!!!
"Can you and Hillary come out to play with me, pl-e-a-s-e? OK, I'll pay off her debt, even though my juggernaut internet money-making machine has taken a very precipitous tumble".
"I know, Biden says out loud that Hillary woulda been a better pick for VP; I am truly so very sorry". Oh, I also voted FOR funding the bridge to nowhere. I shoulda voted FOR Katrina relief instead of AGAINST it. There goes some of the black vote. Bill, I need you!!!

[deliriousgod]

all the Republican machine has to do is fill your ears with noise for 2 more months, sicken and disturb every young potential voter, convince them that it doesn't matter what you do, the Empire has a Death Star, a DEATH STAR! and even if you vote and waste your time caring you're just gonna get burned and have eight years of smugness and 'mandate from God' rubbed in your face so just be too cool to care because the flip side of Hope is certainty

[care4mypeeps]

It is people like you that cary the poison lemonaid to people who are thirsty but have not decerned that you are the bearer of the death of hopes and dreams so full of promise.

So I say to you (deliriousgod), you have been discovered. Take your poison lemonaid and discard it and join us, to make Unity of Country and Pride in our people a reality.

Not on my watch will you get away with this sly attempt to cause anxiety in a people who are just getting their footing.

ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!

[aquarharris688]

As my mother always said to me as I was growing up, "I hates a liar!' "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor." LIES,LIES, and more LIES, how can you trust McCin/Palin! No way, no how!

[truthinreporting]

Paul,
Thankyou for speaking out about this reprehensible tactic being taken by the r. party. I had completely given up on the media, but here is your voice, and Keith Olberman also. If there's any hope, any hope at all that the American people will stop being so outlandishly deceived, you have taken a brave step toward saving us.