CJR: Why is the media letting Obama distort McCain’s “100 years in Iraq” comment?
posted at 7:15 pm on April 1, 2008 by Allahpundit
It’s clear … that McCain isn’t saying he’d support continuing the war for one hundred years, only that it might be necessary to keep troops there that long. That’s a very different thing. As he says, we’ve had troops in South Korea for over fifty years, but few people think that means we’re still fighting the Korean War.
Nevertheless, back in February, Obama said: “We are bogged down in a war that John McCain now suggests might go on for another hundred years.”…
Since then, some conservatives have drawn attention to the distortion, and Obama’s been a bit more careful with his language. Today, for instance, he said: “We can’t afford to stay in Iraq, like John McCain said, for another hundred years.” It’s technically true that McCain said that, but Obama’s clear goal in phrasing it that way was to imply, falsely, that McCain wants the war to continue for that long. In other words, he’s gone from lying about what McCain said to being deeply misleading about it. Progress, of a kind…
This matters. Obama has given every indication that his general election strategy on Iraq and foreign policy will be to portray McCain as dangerously bellicose. If he’s going to do so by distorting McCain’s words, the press should forcefully call him out on it each time.
“Don’t we already know all this, AP?” Yeah, but it’s the source that makes it interesting. The Columbia Journalism Review, a trade publication of the industry, calling the media out early on one of the Democrats’ killer memes? Good lord. I don’t want to trend-spot prematurely but it’s worth noting that the reporter who asked Obama about Iraq yesterday also corrected him on the substance of McCain’s comment when he feigned ignorance (an Obama specialty, as we now know from l’affaire Wright). If the guy’s already ratcheting down his rhetoric for fear of the grief it’s caused him — and the RNC is gleefully keeping tabs — maybe this meme’s not so killer after all. Especially when even MSNBC’s choking on it.
Exit question: Would any other Republican besides St. John get this treatment? I want to believe.
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OT – Lerner is back in the hot seat.
http://www.c-span.org/
Schadenfreude on May 22, 2013 at 4:03 PM
Good thing Christie doesn’t have to leap or …
/snark
VibrioCocci on May 22, 2013 at 4:06 PM
I hope that Christie trips, falls on his back, flailing his little arms and legs can’t turn over to get up and bakes to a huge ash heap in the sun. As for his dem challenger … I hope she’s under him when he falls.
ThePrimordialOrderedPair on May 22, 2013 at 4:06 PM
I hope Christie wins reelection as governor.
And stays in New Jersey.
MikeknaJ on May 22, 2013 at 4:07 PM
He’ll eat her alive. (oops–I mean, he’s sure to win handily..)
SailorMark on May 22, 2013 at 4:10 PM
Tough choice for New Jerseytonianites, elect the communist or elect the unknown Buono.
Bishop on May 22, 2013 at 4:10 PM
The bigger they are, the harder they fall…
Rational Thought on May 22, 2013 at 4:12 PM
Yes, and … well … I might add … uh, um …
Yeah, I got nothing- you about summed it up.
M240H on May 22, 2013 at 4:14 PM
Is she Injun?
Schadenfreude on May 22, 2013 at 4:14 PM
So, New jersey, ya got Bouno running as a Dem, got Christie running as a Dem-Lite…who ya gonna put out there as a Conservative?
coldwarrior on May 22, 2013 at 4:15 PM
I could care less if Christie loses as a matter of fact I hope he does. He is far more damaging to Conservatives as a Republican foil than as a one-term non-sitting governor.
Conan on May 22, 2013 at 4:15 PM
I remember once thinking Christie was on my side politically.
DanMan on May 22, 2013 at 4:17 PM
The only one who could have defeated Christie was Cory Booker, now Christie will have a cake walk.
tbrickert on May 22, 2013 at 4:20 PM
You might be able to name five people in Congress who are.
beatcanvas on May 22, 2013 at 4:21 PM
If only they could both lose.
Doomberg on May 22, 2013 at 4:21 PM
She needs to do something to offset the Governor’s
Truck Tire around his Gut….
..maybe a tattoo on her Azz cheek….
ToddPA on May 22, 2013 at 4:23 PM
Soaring property taxes? Christie’s being attacked from the right. By a Democrat. Guess I’m not really surprised.
Fenris on May 22, 2013 at 4:28 PM
She looks like she could be Nancy Pelosi’s sister –
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/02/04/eye-on-politics-why-does-barbara-buono-want-to-be-n-j-governor/
rickv404 on May 22, 2013 at 4:30 PM
It’s not for nothing that they call it ‘morbid’ obesity. Probably her best chance of winning and it’s literally not a bad chance.
Fenris on May 22, 2013 at 4:31 PM
Do you want to bet that she can out Democrat Christie !
savage24 on May 22, 2013 at 4:31 PM
If Buono looks like she has any chance, I’ll contribute to her campaign. The only “Reoublicans” I hate more than the Fat Man are Rubio, McCain, Miss Lucy and Flake.
bw222 on May 22, 2013 at 4:33 PM
She looks like a younger Nancy Pelosi.
BacaDog on May 22, 2013 at 4:35 PM
Was “cake walk” an intended pun?
bw222 on May 22, 2013 at 4:35 PM
A younger cross-eyed version of Pelosi…
PatriotRider on May 22, 2013 at 4:37 PM
I hope Issa has the Sgt. at Arms ready to lock Lerner up at the next hearing…
PatriotRider on May 22, 2013 at 4:39 PM
OT:
KMOV fires Larry Conners for facebook post.
He left the reservation and now he is getting burned.
tom daschle concerned on May 22, 2013 at 4:40 PM
Racist! Made me LMAO!
kirkill on May 22, 2013 at 4:41 PM
Good,let the dems spend their money on a race they can’t win…
right2bright on May 22, 2013 at 4:44 PM
On the surface, Buono looks like a much more appealing option than Christie – seriously, how can anyone bring themselves to vote for Christie again?
Pork-Chop on May 22, 2013 at 4:46 PM
Fat chance.
James on May 22, 2013 at 4:49 PM
Stapuff Marshmellow Man the gun grabbing scheistkoff.
Yea, OrderedPair that’s a great conclusion. (@ 4:06PM)
If he falls over he can’t be used by the Manure Spreading Media and shilled to the R’s as a viable canidate for POTUS in 2016.
Gawd help us if he becomes a distraction/diversion in the primaries.
Missilengr on May 22, 2013 at 4:55 PM
On the other hand, she does have the benefit of being a Democrat.
No small thing in New Jersey.
There Goes the Neighborhood on May 22, 2013 at 5:00 PM
Is she Injun?
Schadenfreude on May 22, 2013 at 4:14 PM
only if it helps her.
aceinstall on May 22, 2013 at 5:20 PM
The only one who could have defeated Christie was Cory Booker, now Christie will have a cake walk.
tbrickert on May 22, 2013 at 4:20 PM
Was “cake walk” an intended pun?
bw222 on May 22, 2013 at 4:35 PM
he doesnt look like he lets cake walk past
aceinstall on May 22, 2013 at 5:22 PM
100% yes.
talking_mouse on May 22, 2013 at 5:24 PM
Exit question: What would be the harm if she won?
faraway on May 22, 2013 at 5:24 PM
What difference, at this point, does it make anyway?
kirkill on May 22, 2013 at 5:27 PM
run a 3rd party, split the vote, can them both.
dmacleo on May 22, 2013 at 5:30 PM
Christie will eat her for lunch (both literally and figuratively). ;-)
tommy71 on May 22, 2013 at 5:59 PM
That race, current polls notwithstanding, will be decided by five points or less. And likely in favor of Bouno
SAMinVA on May 22, 2013 at 6:33 PM
She looks to much like Lois Lerner for low information voters to tell the difference.
meci on May 22, 2013 at 6:51 PM
I can’t believe I’m going to stick up for christie but he’s taken on the unions and for that he has my gratitude.
As for his stance on gun control, the muslim outreach situation, the higher property taxes (which is a total joke because the tax is proportional to the price of the house so that means prices of homes in NJ are high meaning people want to live there – supply/demand/bernanke pumping up miney supply and driving down interest rates for flippers to come and sell old homes for higher prices BLAME THE REALTORS not christie), his other soft marginal republican attributes which I wish someone would list but most importantly, he needs to be in there for the 2020 census to redistrict and make more red districts (if possible). Does Jersey have term limits? If so then he’s out before 202o anyways but if not, keep him in just for redistricting alone.
athenadelphi on May 22, 2013 at 7:05 PM
I’m not particularly interested in Chris Christie’s political fortunes at this point. He’ll get no support from me. Maybe Barry will throw him an endorsement.
Kensington on May 22, 2013 at 7:09 PM
Maybe I’ll give her a nice obama embrace in the form of a campaign contribution.
voiceofreason on May 22, 2013 at 7:55 PM
Is she claiming she’s pro-life? Give every child a chance at life (the same chance she got)?
Bet no one in Joisey notices the dichotomy.
Squiggy on May 22, 2013 at 8:08 PM
She’s probably more Conservative than the Fatboi.
HondaV65 on May 22, 2013 at 8:14 PM
I’m not particularly interested in Chris Christie. Maybe Barry BAMSTAHHHHHHH!!!!! YOU DA MANNNNNNNNNNN BAMMMMMMMY BABYYYY!!! LOVE YA BARRY OL BUDDY OL PALLLLLLL!!!!!! YAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kon on May 7:09 PM
cableguy615 on May 22, 2013 at 8:15 PM