factcheck.org: Inaccuracies in McCain's Acceptance Speech

[JaneQPublic]

http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/factchecking_mccain.html

FactChecking McCain: He made some flubs in accepting the nomination.

Summary
We checked the accuracy of McCain’s speech accepting the Republican nomination and noted the following:

McCain claimed that Obama’s health care plan would "force small businesses to cut jobs" and would put "a bureaucrat ... between you and your doctor." In fact, the plan exempts small businesses, and those who have insurance now could keep the coverage they have.

McCain attacked Obama for voting for "corporate welfare" for oil companies. In fact, the bill Obama voted for raised taxes on oil companies by $300 million over 11 years while providing $5.8 billion in subsidies for renewable energy, energy efficiency and alternative fuels.

McCain said oil imports send "$700 billion a year to countries that don't like us very much." But the U.S. is on track to import a total of only $536 billion worth of oil at current prices, and close to a third of that comes from Canada, Mexico and the United Kingdom.

He promised to increase use of "wind, tide solar" energy, though his actual energy plan contains no new money for renewable energy. He has said elsewhere that renewable sources won’t produce as much as people think.

He called for "reducing government spending and getting rid of failed programs," but as in the past failed to cite a single program that he would eliminate or reduce.

He said Obama would "close" markets to trade. In fact, Obama, though he once said he wanted to "renegotiate" the North American Free Trade Agreement, now says he simply wants to try to strengthen environmental and labor provisions in it.

Analysis
Sen. John McCain's acceptance speech to the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul on Sept. 4 was couched more in generalities than in specifics, offering fewer factual claims to check than we found in other speeches to the gathering. But we found some instances where the nominee strained the truth.

More details at the link:
http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/factchecking_mccain.html

[justiceischeap]

1. Why call them "inaccuracies" when they are actually lies? Just saying... (nt)

[JaneQPublic]

2. You know, you are correct.

The article at factcheck.org uses every other word BUT "lies": "flubs," "strained the truth," "mischaracterized," "the claim... runs counter to Obama's actual proposal," "we found exaggeratons, "made sweeping claims, and "McCain's words are blowing in the breeze."

...just about every phrasing possible except calling a lie a lie.

[BadgerKid]

3. "Lie" connotes intent and responsibility.

Two things (edit: some) Republics avoid having the appearance of.

[justiceischeap]

4. Exactly, all nice euphemisms for the word "LIE" (eom)

[smaug]

5. Yup - let's start insisting on the cut to the chase

Mark Twain, discussing when he was a 'penny a word' writer, put it best: "Don't use the word policeman, use the word cop" - shorter, more idiomatic, and to the point. Using euphemisms not only cover up the message, they tend towards confusing those who do not think in multisyllabic terms. Visceral, not intellectual, plays out in the political arena. That why we see all the headlines showing McCain and Obama more or less tied, but a detailed examination of the article following always shows a significant percentage *in the key battleground states* for Obama. But, most folks only really have time for headlines and short, visceral messages. This is simply a reflection of Americans being hyper busy, and most non-political junkies don't have the time or inclination to delve deeper into substantive issues. I've already asked people I've met today about the Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac takeover, and most of them had no clue what it meant.

Keep it short, and keep it to the point and brutally 'in your face.' Now is not the time to be nice, polite, etc. Slam it in -- McCain/Palin are more of tax cuts to the Paris Hiltons, and more expensive health insurance for you. A bank run (overseen, but remember, short and to the point) by McCain's son failed.

I could belabor the point endlessly, but we Democrats must begin using visceral language in our political rhetoric. If it isn't exactly accurate, then expand on it during explanation, calmly and while we have their attention focused on us, not on the soap opera that is the VP candidate on the GOP side.

[Gabi Hayes]

6. brooks jackson is a republican tool, occasionally getting it right, but very often

exposing his true allegiance:

http://mediamatters.org/items/200406250004

that's just one example

there are plenty more

beware of this organization

[JaneQPublic]

9. factcheck.org lately has been pounding McCain on regular basis

I do agree that a healthy dose of skepticism is in order with this group and just about any other media source (even DU!)

However, factcheck.org has been hammering McCain repeatedly on his lies about Obama's tax plan (i.e., saying Obama "will raise your taxes!" I have actually found factcheck.org quite a useful resource when debating folks who parrot the GOP talking points.

Here are just a few of their recent articles on McCain's statements about the Obama tax plan:

http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/more_tax_deceptions.html

http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/mccains_small-business_bunk.html

http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/the_32000_question.html

[goodgd_yall]

7. "Corporate welfare"

That was a joke, when McCain used that term. From the party that supported and promoted corporate welfare---I'm seeing so many liberal terms co-opted by his campaign.

[JPZenger]

8. Sen. Barbara Boxer's Reponse: I've seen McCain fight ....

"Last night at the Republican National Convention, John McCain used the word "fight" more than 40 times in his speech.

In the 16 years that we have served together in the Senate, I have seen John McCain fight.

I have seen him fight against raising the federal minimum wage 14 times.

I have seen him fight against making sure that women earn equal pay for equal work.

I have seen him fight against a women's right to choose so consistently that he received a zero percent vote rating from pro-choice organizations.

I have seen him fight against helping families gain access to birth control.

I have seen him fight against Social Security, even going so far as to call its current funding system "an absolute disgrace."

And I saw him fight against the new GI Bill of Rights until it became politically untenable for him to do so.

John McCain voted with President Bush 95 percent of the time in 2007 and 100 percent of the time in 2008 -- that's no maverick."