Chicago Tribune columnist fueled right-wing bloggers on false accusation against Obama

[NNN0LHI]

http://mediamatters.org/items/200705110009?f=h_top

Summary: Columnist Jim Mateja wrote that Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) "has more homework to do" and "should {hire} a fact-checker" because Obama stated that "Japanese cars {are} now getting an average of 45 miles to the gallon." In fact, a report from the Pew Center on Global Climate Change stated that the 2002 average fleet fuel economy value in Japan was 46.3 miles per gallon.

[Jackpine Radical]

1. I dropped Mateja a little email:

Good work, Jim. I'm glad to see that the Fourth Estate isn't shirking its responsibility to spread disinformation about Democratic candidates.
http://mediamatters.org/items/200705110009?f=h_top

"Columnist Jim Mateja wrote that Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) "has more homework to do" and "should a fact-checker" because Obama stated that "Japanese cars now getting an average of 45 miles to the gallon." In fact, a report from the Pew Center on Global Climate Change stated that the 2002 average fleet fuel economy value in Japan was 46.3 miles per gallon."

[papau]

2. Can one compare Pew Japanese"fleet" numbers to the US Calculation? - This one of the

many, many areas I have zero knowledge.

No matter what, Obama's point in well taken - and the Clinton/Gore $500 m program that went to build proto-type 70 mpg sedans in 2000 is never talked about today - and that was using off the shelf components on light cars 7 years ago.

Meanwhile on the technical side, Duers have posted that it is apple and oranges to compare the two countries - and only 35.3 (projected for 2010)if the Japanese fleet was calculated on US methods, since the Japanese cars that get that kind of gas mileage are for those cars with less than 2200 lbs with 3 CAFE classifications below that weight, and with Japan doing their CAFE standards based on weight classifications as opposed to the US method of total fleet mpg, how was the Pew number calculated? Indeed does anyone include Trucks, Buses, and SUV's in the calculation?

But the fact that media matters did not bring this (calculation procedure difference) up makes me wonder if it matters - and the known 70 mpg from the Clinton/Gore program's proto-type car - make me wonder if Obama is not the one that is correct - and indeed I believe he is.

But I would like it if someone could explain the Pew calculation method, and could calculate. based on US sales patterns, the US fleet average using Japanese cars.