Saturday, November 14, 2009

No Kidding

My good friend Brad Carlson notes the Associated Press has gone to great lengths to fact-check Sarah Palin's new book. Glad they care so much. Meanwhile, Brad asks a really pertinent question:

Say, now that you're done with that all-important, vital piece of "fact-checking", I suggest taking on a much more daunting (if not infinitely more relevant) task: How about reading the entire 1,900+ page health care bill which recently passed in the U.S. House?

Somebody ought to read it -- it's pretty clear that no one in Washington is. Oh, and be sure to read Brad's post in its entirety. He has a few more questions that someone really ought to answer.

Update: Mark Steyn notices that it took 11 AP writers to contribute to the Palin fact-checking article and Steyn provides suitable mockery of their efforts. Word on the street is that AP writer Rita Beamish did an especially kick-ass job on this assignment, but that Garance Burke pretty much sucked. We are still attempting to determine the precise role that H. Josef Hebert played, although it's reasonable to surmise that he sneered mightily as he read his portion of the advance copy.

15 comments:

my name is Amanda said...

How is it clear that no one in Washington has read it?

Mr. D said...

How is it clear that no one in Washington has read it?

Because every time someone asks a representative about a specific provision in the bill, the answer often seems to be surprise. Maybe you're right. It's possible that someone in the Washington DC metropolitan area has physically read the entire 1,900 page document in the week since it was passed. I'm sure that they teach Evelyn Wood in DC.

But let's stay focused on the main point here. What is more newsworthy: an enormous piece of legislation that will by design transform the way medicine is practiced in this country, or the memoir of a private citizen? As a citizen, I'd rather that the AP devote its resources to coverage of that than snarking on Sarah Palin's book. Wouldn't you?

my name is Amanda said...

Since she's thought to be a powerful member of the Republican party, a possible contender for the GOP ticket in 2012, I actually do think it's important that the things she states as fact, are fact-checked. (Not sure why uncovering facts means "snark.") Anyway, no debate from me about which is *more* important - although the bill has been discussed for a longer time, and her book is just now coming out.

Brad Carlson said...

although the bill has been discussed for a longer time...

And often when opponents of Govt. health care express objections/concerns regarding the HC bill, the vacuous bobblehead occupying the White House dismisses said objections as "silliness".

That's why I threw down a challenge to the AP. Show the objectors where they're wrong.

Gino said...

was there any AP fact checking of either of Obama's two memoirs?

he's been a potential powerful leader of a party for a whole lot longer than palin has.

Brad Carlson said...

Gino, on Obama's first book, some people considered a it "badge of honor" that our Prez use to do a little blow. However, those same people tried to used Pres. Bush's alcoholism against him in 2000.

Obama's second book was named after a sermon delivered by a certain pastor.

No one cared, I guess.

K-Rod said...

Has the AP done any fact checking on Obama's claim that there are 47 million Americans that can't get health care coverage?

my name is Amanda said...

" Show the objectors where they're wrong."

Are people expecting to find any evidence of the objectors being wrong on Fox News or any of the other conservative blogs or news outlets? They're all too partisan. I read stuff everyday that supports the need for UNIVERSAL healthcare, and my G-reader contains a smattering of sources across the board, politically. So I guess I am confused by the challenge.

It's a rather hilarious that the phrase "vacuous bobblehead" was applied to the president, a person who attended undergrad at two very distinguished colleges and who completed a law degree at the most prestigious law school in the country, in a comment thread that in part discusses SARAH PALIN. I mean, SERIOUSLY. You have to have half a brain to do that.

If you have less than half a brain, then pray you're a chick with big boobs and prominent cheekbones, and then it really doesn't matter what the hell you say, as long as you can remember the party one-liners. In other words, as far as considering who ought to be in the White House - she's an IDIOT. Nothing she says is coherent or logical. Seriously, you have got to be kidding me.

(And I'm not implying anyone here said Palin ought to run for president - in fact, the more I read about it, she'll stick with her current gig as "media grump" -while obviously getting paid a ton for it. Who needs public service - finishing your "governor job" - when you can make millions?!)

Her existence as a "political voice" in our country is offensive to me as a citizen, and especially as a woman. I have been meaning to blog about Why, for a while - maybe I'll try to do so in the next week.

Gino - I would be shocked if the GOP didn't comb over everything in both books during the lead-up to the election - think anyone would really pass up the chance to find some kind of falsehood or exaggeration, and then call him out on it? And the media isn't THAT liberal - if there was a story there, then we heard about it.

Mr. D said...

In other words, as far as considering who ought to be in the White House - she's an IDIOT. Nothing she says is coherent or logical. Seriously, you have got to be kidding me.

Not one single thing? Not even one?

It's a rather hilarious that the phrase "vacuous bobblehead" was applied to the president, a person who attended undergrad at two very distinguished colleges and who completed a law degree at the most prestigious law school in the country

Do you personally know anyone who graduated from Harvard Law? I do. It's not the most prestigious law school in the country. In fact, it's a very controversial law school because they have long used something called "Critical Legal Studies" as their approach to the law. It's a highly theoretical and Marxian (not Marxist, there's an important distinction) approach. And as a result, Yale, U. of Chicago, Michigan and other schools are generally better regarded. And the guy I know who went to Harvard Law regretted his decision because he felt that his friend who went to Michigan got a better education in what really matters.

And as a larger point, if you've ever met Ivy league types, you'd know that while some of them are undeniably brilliant people, that's not universally the case at all. I'm guessing you don't respect George W. Bush's intelligence that much, and he has degrees from Yale and Harvard.

An Ivy League degree certainly doesn't tell you much about operational intelligence, leadership ability of strategic thinking. One of the smartest guys I know got his degree from Oklahoma State. Another brilliant person I've worked with was a woman who started but never finished her degree from Drake University.

Mr. D said...

Her existence as a "political voice" in our country is offensive to me as a citizen, and especially as a woman. I have been meaning to blog about Why, for a while - maybe I'll try to do so in the next week.

I hope you do blog about it, Amanda. I'd be interested in reading that and I'd link your thoughts about it here.

K-Rod said...

We got the bubbleheaded bleach-blonde, comes on at 5
She can tell you about the plane crash with a gleam in her eye
It's interesting when people die, give us dirty laundry

We can do the innuendo, we can dance and sing
When it's said and done, we haven't told you a thing
We all know that crap is king, give us dirty laundry...


....

"Not one single thing? Not even one?"

Mr. D, I am not surprised, Amanda seldom if ever substantiates her accusations. Vacuous talking points indeed.

....

"offensive to me as a citizen, and especially as a woman."

I have a dream that people will be judged by the content of their character and not due to their gender.

"I hope you do blog about it, Amanda."

So do I, that is, IF there is substance and NOT just vacuous talking points.

....

I guess we can all conclude that Obama's claim that there are 47 million Americans that can't get health care coverage was a LIE.

If you can't admit that, then you are obviously filled with blind adoration for your Obamassiah.

K-Rod said...

"I read stuff everyday that supports the need for UNIVERSAL healthcare"

So they repeat the lie enough until you swallow it hook, line, and sinker.

....

"And the media isn't THAT liberal"

Nah, their just barely to the left of Pravda.

http://english.pravda.ru/opinion/columnists/107459-0/

"It must be said, that like the breaking of a great dam, the American decent into Marxism is happening with breath taking speed, against the back drop of a passive, hapless..."

my name is Amanda said...

K-Rod - You know the word "substantiate" - or rather, that it exists. Congrats!

Mr. D - I know some, but I am sure you know more Ivy Leagues types than I, maybe when I'm older I can count more in my acquaintance (not an age slam). No, going to Harvard Law doesn't make a person a good president. And I knew I was making a statement about the school that was a matter of opinion. (Sort of like your impressions of Notre Dame being the representative Catholic college for the nation.) The point was that it's ridiculous to talk about the president as vacuous in the same post that mentions Sarah Palin. And yes, many did not regard the intelligence of GW highly, but there's a difference between privileged rich kids being pushed through the Ivy League, with poor/middle class kids working their way in. You know that!

K-Rod said...

Amanda, you certainly know where to find your left-wing-liberal talking points.

How many AP writers fact-checked Obama's campaigning lies and rhetoric for ObamaNationCare?

Do you have the intestinal fortitude to honestly answer the tough questions about The Obamassiah or would you rather slam Palin?

K-Rod said...

"I read stuff everyday that supports the need for UNIVERSAL healthcare,..."

For example?