Links of the Day [9.16.08]
Some links from around the web:
- The Sarah Palin baby name generator. My name: Rifle Panzer Palin
- An amazing site that tracks the daily press mentions for Obama and McCain. Make sure to click on each day for more detail. Infographics galore!
- One thing McCain has proved to me so far this election is he’s willing to do anything to win, including lie, distort and run an ugly campaign. The McCainpedia is tracking the lies – now at 54. It’s sad to see a once honorable man be driven to such low standards by the same people who destroyed him in the 2000 election.
- With all this negative campaigning coming out of the McCain camp, can’t help but agree with Jeffrey Zeldman’s modest proposal:
It is illegal to make false claims in a TV or radio commercial unless you are running for political office.
If you’re selling toothpaste, your claims must be vetted by legal and medical professionals. But not if you’re selling a candidate.
If you’re selling a candidate, not only can you lie about his record, but more to the point, you can lie about his opponent.
My biggest pet peeve so far this election season has been the media’s tactic of asking questions, listening to the answer and leaving it at that – regardless of what the answer is AND even if it is a boldface lie or distortion. I hate how most interviewers just move right on to the next question like they weren’t even listening.
And don’t even get me started on those news reports that cover McCain ads as if they are fact or show clips of him responding to criticism and cutting the clip right after he responds ‘no, that isn’t correct.’ Our local news showed a clip of McCain on The View when he was challenged on Palin’s record of earmarks (highest per capita in the nation, by the way) and they cut it right after he said something to the effect of ’she never asked for earmarks as governor’ and left it at that… no reporting of the facts or any criticism of his answer. It boggles my mind.
