Presidential campaign ad rhetoric stretches the truth

(CBS News) It's the campaign rhetoric at home that has a lot of American's shaking their heads. The advertising from both campaigns is overwhelmingly negative. And, very often, they're just plain wrong, based on half truths or lies.

"It's a scary time to be a woman," the narrator in a President Barack Obama ad explains.

The television spot from the Obama campaign implies that a Romney presidency would be bad for women.

"Romney supports overturning Roe versus Wade," the narrator continues.

It's true that Romney opposes abortion. He has said he was "consistent" as a governor on his pro-life stance. But, it's a claim that Romney wants to outlaw abortion even in the case of rape and incest that has earned the Obama campaign a blistering "pants on fire" rating by Politifact, an organization which tracks misleading political claims.

"Romney backed a bill that outlaws all abortion, even in the cases of rape and incest," the narrator in the ad clearly states.

In 2008, Romney did back a constitutional amendment that would ban all abortions, but some versions of that proposed legislation included exemptions for rape and incest. However, Romney has repeatedly said he believes in exceptions for "rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother."

It's far from the first presidential campaign ad to stretch the truth this cycle. Just last week, the Romney campaign took President Obama's comments about government's role in building infrastructure out of context, implying he belittled the private sector.

"If you've got a business, you didn't build that! Somebody else made that happen!" Mr. Obama says on a Romney ad.

But what Mr. Obama really said -- minus the editing -- had a significantly different meaning:

"Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive. Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you've got a business -- you didn't build that. Somebody else made that happen," Mr. Obama had said at a campaign event.

The Obama campaign contends that its ad about abortion is factual because Romney has expressed support for a variety of proposed legislation from different states that would outlaw all abortions, no exceptions. It's likely the campaign decided to resurrect this issue because while Obama leads among women in the polls, Romney has been gaining lately.

[ididarod]

If the POTUS and his Chicago goon squad couldn't toss out negative ads....and they started this merry go round......they wouldn't have a damned thing to talk about.........no one talks the record of this guy's first term as POTUS...a lot happened, but he was already saving himself for a second term........I have asked for a record of what the millions of jobs he and his misadministration have brought to the train wreck of an economy whih he said he would correct in his first term or ge the H out, so he finds a few more Hollywood types to front him with some dough, and here we go again. I wish the supposedly mainstream networks would wise up.......everyjone with half a brain sees through this guy, but they go along with the "Obama" mssage which to these networks mean Barack and Michelle are available for interviews.....makes the big guys at the networks feel like they are doing a good job.........for Obama, certainly not for the public.

[ididarod]

super job.........in a language even Harry Reid the hanger-on can understand (.....maybe?)

[cetaami]

Please. Let's stop the lies. FACT: Taxes on the middle class are the lowest in 50 years.

[cetaami]

Sure, typical right-winged bully tactic. You have no facts to back you up, so of course better to attack and call names than be bother with a little, teeny thing like the truth. It only takes a small amount of fact-checking to know the way of the new right stinketh to high heavens with it's distortion of fact.

[wfw3536]

Obama said he would be a different candidate who would not run a negative campaign in 2008, but when you are desparate because you're policies are a failure you will do anything to win. How sad Obama doesn't want to run on his failed economic record.

[CaptainSmollett]

Obama promised us Hope & Change.
What Obama delivered was Change & Hopelessness.

How can anyone vote for a president that has caused poverty to increase to its highest level in almost 50 years while running $trillion deficits and increasing the national debt $5 trillion?

Obama has not earned a second chance.

[Dj00140]

WOW! Obama makes 1 slip-up which wasn't even a lie, its just that mitt Romney flip-flops so much no body knows his current stance, in the 2008 debates he said he wanted to ban abortions of all kind PERIOD! Romney has been running these ads for months, straight up cuttin and pastin Obama lines, like does Romney really think Americans are that stupid? At least the ones that vote? and he's been using the word foreign to make people think Obama his a foreigner and even said he was unAmerican! And yes this is the guy that beat up a gay kid and saved his head while he was crying and yelling for him to stop, Ron Paul is the only candidate I know with conviction and principal and stands behind his beliefs, but if we cant have hi, Obama it is, Romney will be worse then bush and unless your a millionaire you would be stupid to vote for Romney, he might even be worse then bush... and the Obama tax cuts are for EVERYONE up to 250k after that you are taxed on income over 250k its not for only the people that make less then 250k, at least that how I interpreted what i read of it... /endrant

[stormerF69]

Obama makes one slip,it was he got you to drink his koolaid. With Obama's deficit it will take 200 years to pay it down by taxing the rich,Only 150 years if all yax cuts expire.

[CaptainSmollett]

Obama's own words four years ago: "The real gamble in this election is playing the same Washington game with the same Washington players and expecting a different result." Well the result is clear - total FAILURE of his economic policies resulting in an INCREASE in poverty to its highest level since 1965. Why should we give confirmed failure a second chance?

[Dj00140]

Yaaaa, ok look at the timeline: Clinton- Ecomomy up Bush- Economy DOWN (Wayyy down), Obama-Economy makes recovery and looking at europe and the rest of the world he did pretty good, if he gets his jobs bills passed and his tax reform passed he would be gravy. Romney is going back to Bush's policies and wants to lower taxes, raise defense spending, and has no way to pay for it, and if he does find a way to pay for it, it will be on the backs of the lower AND middle class Americans.. If the republican congress wasnt such a bunch of ***** and puppets are country might be working right now, but no they choose grover norquist and the NRA over serving the American people, they need to grow a pair Forreal! sorry for the spelling im on a Tablet ;) /endrant2

[Dj00140]

Yaaaa, ok look at the timeline: Clinton- Ecomomy up Bush- Economy DOWN (Wayyy down), Obama-Economy makes recovery and looking at europe and the rest of the world he did pretty good, if he gets his jobs bills passed and his tax reform passed he would be gravy. Romney is going back to Bush's policies and wants to lower taxes, raise defense spending, and has no way to pay for it, and if he does find a way to pay for it, it will be on the backs of the lower AND middle class Americans.. If the republican congress wasnt such a bunch of ***** and puppets are country might be working right now, but no they choose grover norquist and the NRA over serving the American people, they need to grow a pair Forreal! sorry for the spelling im on a Tablet ;) /endrant2

[stormerF69]

Dj,.. we know Dimocrtas can not understand what they read,so posting it twice does not help them either.

[calif7]

Romney is all over the board regarding a woman's right to choose. Guess it is hard to shake the etch a sketch on so many positions.

[stormerF69]

Sorry you can not understand what you read,Romney said he was against abortion,he did not say he would repeal (roe VS wade).

[galt1776]

CBS' cut of Obama's "You didn't build that speech" was itself cut in an out of context manner. No mention of the "lots of people are smart" or the "lots of people work hard" portions. CBS also allowed a rebuttal by the Obama camp but none from Romney's. It begs the question: in whose camp is CBS?

[galt1776]

It is insulting if you built a successful business. Obama is saying that the owner is not responsible for the success. If having a solid infrastructure was the reason for success, everyone that started a business would be successful. Obama attempts to deminish the accomplishments of the individual while while seeking to take the profits of the individual and give them to the collective. It is insulting and discouraging.

[galt1776]

By that logic "every single person on the planet" should have a successful business, if they desire it. Obama went out of his way to pander to the lowest common denominator by saying that a business owner's intelligence and hard work were not relevant to his success. To make the point that you state, Obama did not need to say those things.

[galt1776]

Not whining. I feel vindicated and happy. A still equals A and existance exists. I never tire of being correct. Your exhaustion is understandable.

[cetaami]

I can't believe this story! Are you kidding me? Where's the coverage on the right-wing lie ads that have been running on the airwaves for months? To use one ad to insinuate that President Obama is equally as guilty as Romney, Americans for Prosperity, and all the other right-wing lie ads proliferating the airways is just plain shoddy journalism.

The CBS brand use to be synonymous with fair, accurate reporting. This piece puts that label to shame.

[stormerF69]

They can hardly call the right wing ads lies,when they are true. You need to get back to the koolaid bowl,I'm sure your next in line.