MSNBC Says McCain's Distored Ads/slash & burn campaign is backfiring

[EV_Ares]

If there’s a common theme today, it’s the press taking McCain’s campaign to task for running a series of ads distorting Obama’s record and positions.

AP's Babington writes, "Even in a political culture accustomed to truth-stretching, McCain's skirting of facts has stood out this week. It has infuriated and flustered Obama's campaign, and campaign pros are watching to see how much voters disregard news reports noting factual holes in the claims. McCain's persistence in pushing dubious claims is all the more notable because many political insiders consider him one of the greatest living victims of underhanded campaigning. Locked in a tight race with George W. Bush for the Republican presidential nomination in 2000, McCain was rocked in South Carolina by a whisper campaign claiming he had fathered an illegitimate black child and was mentally unstable."

The Los Angeles Times’ Rainey: "News organizations and these admirable truth-squadding outfits, including PolitiFact.com, do not collaborate. But in independent news reports and commentaries this week, they seemed to reach a consensus to say ‘enough’ to the McCain camp's efforts to demonize Barack Obama. I'm not saying that Obama hasn't told a few whoppers -- like suggesting McCain's proposed corporate tax breaks are tailored specifically for oil companies or that his opponent seriously believes anyone making under $5 million is middle-class. But it's McCain and his foot soldiers who have really fouled the election airwaves in recent days, provoking the first flickerings of a backlash from the media."

Paul Krugman also gets into the act. “But I can’t think of any precedent, at least in America, for the blizzard of lies since the Republican convention. The Bush campaign’s lies in 2000 were artful -- you needed some grasp of arithmetic to realize that you were being conned. This year, however, the McCain campaign keeps making assertions that anyone with an Internet connection can disprove in a minute, and repeating these assertions over and over again.”

rest of the article @ link: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/09/12/1382169.aspx

[gateley]

1. I hope it's backfiring with the voters -- not just the pundits who are 'grading'

the campaigns.

[DJ13]

5. I hope it's backfiring with the voters --

It will.

The only reason McCain has had a bump since the convention was because every ad they put out was being run 24/7 by the MSM.

If they stop airing McCain's ads and criticize the lies he's using, it will bring his poll #'s back down.

[rockymountaindem]

2. That doesn't matter

You can't un-ring the bell.

[ryanmuegge]

3. And the polls say otherwise. The American voters are saying something different.

Being on the offense works.

[Jennicut]

4. It won't last for long. The fact that the MSM is finally calling out their lies means something

The MSM is very influential on how the election is framed so this is very important and good to see.

[ryanmuegge]

6. Maybe it will change the conventional wisdom in the public if they harp on this long enough.

Let's hope.

The thing that's frustrating is that they spent two weeks talking about how great Palin is, and how her speech was a "homerun" and so forth, and now they are saying that the McCain campaign went too far. Well, which one is it?

[AldebTX]

7. Being in a RED state

My co-workers think the ads (even tho they admit they stretch the truth), make McCain look strong.

My argument is the only thing he has to do with the ads is saying "I approve of this ad". Look
how he acts when he is called out on them. He seems completely confused as to their content.

[rufus dog]

8. I think McCain did it too early

He fucked up big time. Take a look at the view today, the body language and disdain for McCain from three of the five ladies including Barbara Walters. The Gibson interview is also a clue. What was his biggest support group, the media, has flipped and so far it is the lightweights betting the shit out of McCain/Palin. Now the heavyweights with their heavyweight egos want their shot. If McCain/Palin duck then the heavyweights will get more pissed off. They are in a corner with no way out and have 50+ days left, too long! The electorate will be five to ten days behind, if the polls are not in our favor in two weeks, then it is panic time, but I think everyone needs to chill the fuck out.

By the way, Jonathon Alter was on with a panel on Charlie Rose last night. He brought up the 'deference' comment and used his hands to put the word in quotes. Basically saying who the fuck do they think they are to ask for 'deference.'