Tall Tales On The Campaign Trail

Plenty Of High-Pressure Candidates Stretch The Truth, But Why?

(CBS)  They were the shots heard round the world.

"I was under sniper fire," Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said.

But as everyone now knows, those shots didn't happen, CBS News anchor Katie Couric reports.

That contrast between her words and CBS News images has caused her reputation to take a hit. In a recent poll, 46 percent of Americans say Clinton is phony; only 48 percent say she's honest.

"What do you think leads a candidate to exaggerate or be hyperbolic about his or her record?" Couric asked Republican strategist and CBS News political analyst Nicolle Wallace.

"You take all the pressure of a press corps that is on top of them all day, every day, and the competitive pressure of being head-to-head with an opponent now for months on end, and there is extraordinary pressure to come up with new proof points to prove her narrative and her reason for being the best candidate to carry the Democratic mantle," said Wallace.

But stretching the truth can be as common on the campaign trail as kissing babies ... and Barack Obama has gilded the lily as well.

Obama claimed it was the Kennedy family who helped send his dad from Kenya to America.

"It is partly because of their generosity that my father came to this country," Obama said at a rally at which he received an endorsement from the Kennedys.

Except that wasn't true. Neither was another story about the 1965 March on Selma inspiring his parents to fall in love.

Trouble is, Obama was born four years before that.

John McCain's rhetoric doesn't always pass the smell test either.

"It's called al Qaeda is in Iraq. And my friends, if we left, they wouldn't be establishing a base," McCain said. "They wouldn't be establishing a base, they'd be taking a country."

"John McCain doesn't need to exaggerate his biography, it's a spectacular biography. But he does exaggerate the threat of al Qaeda in Iraq, which is a small Sunni group in a Shi'ia country," Joe Klein, a columnist for Time, said.

In this day and age, candidates embellish at their own peril.

"We're operating in a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week news environment now," said Mike Feldman, a former advisor to Al Gore. "There really are no off-camera moments.

It may be harder today but it's hardly new.

In a 1992 "60 Minutes" interview, Correspondent Steve Kroft asked presidential candidate Bill Clinton: "Who is Gennifer Flowers? Do you know her? How do you know her, how would you describe the relationship?"

Mr. Clinton nodded and replied: "Very limited."

Gore's statement about creating the Internet played into the Republican strategy in 2000 that he wasn't trustworthy. While Democrats argued Mr. Bush wasn't up to the job.

"Roger Simon in his book called it Dumbo versus Pinnochio. When President Bush would make a misstatement, it was often seen as benign, a simple mistake," Feldman said. "When Vice President Gore would make a misstatement, it was often seen as malicious or intentionally misleading."

In this campaign cycle, Hillary Clinton runs the risk of being portrayed the same way.

"Her vulnerability among Democrats is that she will say or do anything and there is a willingness on her part to stretch or strain the truth," Wallace said.

That's not Obama's weakness, but something else could be.

"People view Obama as essentially honest so they give him the benefit of the doubt. But questions about experience and readiness for office-those are the ones, if he stumbles, could really harm him," said CBS News political analyst Joe Trippi.

[lordmi]

there is still a difference and HUGE: mess with dates of events that inspied relatives and getting experience under the bullets.
Clinton did NOT misspeake, she is a liar painting the pictue of experience, that did not go farther, than " where would we eat:this place or another".
So, please, do not put together facts, that are not equal.
She will declare War in stead of Peace, and then will tell: I misspoke.
Here is a difference

[jonesforch]

vmcneal2 at 02:04 PM.

McCain has a few skeletons in his closet that have not come out. McCain is not as clean as some people think he is. There are even different accounts of the time he spent as a POW.

Can you please post those I would love to read them. Thanks.

[hbevis]

John McCain''s rhetoric doesn''t always pass the smell test either.

"It''s called al Qaeda is in Iraq. And my friends, if we left, they wouldn''t be establishing a base," McCain said. "They wouldn''t be establishing a base, they''d be taking a country."

"John McCain doesn''t need to exaggerate his biography, it''s a spectacular biography. But he does exaggerate the threat of al Qaeda in Iraq, which is a small Sunni group in a Shi''ia country," Joe Klein, a columnist for Time, said.

I WOULD DISAGREE WITH JOE KLEIN. WHO DOES HE THINK HE IS ANYWAY? al Qaeda IS PLAYING A PRETTY BIG PART IN IRAQ RIGHT NOW. IF THIS WAR WAS NOT STARTED MAYBE, JUST MAYBE THEY WOULD NOT BE THERE THE WAY THEY ARE RIGHT NOW. THE POINT BEING THAT THEY ARE COMING INTO IRAQ FROM IRAN AND THE OTHER COUNTRIES AROUND IRAQ. THEY ARE "THE BIG PLAYER''S" IN THIS TERROR THING. EVERYONE NEEDS TO WAKE UP AND SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING AROUND THE MIDDLE EAST. JOHN MCCAIN MAY OR MAY NOT BE PRESIDENT COME JANUARY 09, BUT HE AT LEAST KNOWS MORE THAN CLINTON OR OBAMA ABOUT HOW OUR MILITARY WORKS. AND HOW TO WORK AGAINST AND DEFEAT OTHER MILITARY GROUPS. AND THAT IS WHAT al Qaeda IS FOR ALL PRACTICAL PURPOSES.

[vmcneal2]

McCain has a few skeletons in his closet that have not come out. McCain is not as clean as some people think he is. There are even different accounts of the time he spent as a POW.

[prinzowhales]

RowdyTexan2--And, Soros is the money man for the Empire''s colour-coded revolutions...picking up the resources of Kosovo for Queen and Empire.

The fraud of our two party system can be seen in the aftermath of the 2004 race when Kerry and his shrew flew off to party with Schwartzenegger and Shriver in Colorado...and in the picture of the Terminator, Lord Rothschild and Warren Buffet all chumy at the Rothschild estate.

[lorinkundert]

Hillary sure has a sense of humor when she says "Obama Cannot Win" do the math, he has a much better chance than Hillary of winning anything except liar of the year award.

[gunownerdan]

The only time politicians really tell the truth is when they call another politician a liar.

[leef531]

To everyone with Rev Wright issues...he is no different than Jerry Falwell, John Hagee, Pat Robertson, or even Pat Buchanan..all whom have been advisors, spiritual leaders, supporters or mentors and friends to present candidates and former presidents. These guys have said "Hurricane Katrina was God''s wrath the fault of allowing a gay parade in Lousiana", or "9/11 was God''s punishment due to our acceptance of abortion and homosexuals" or Pat Buchanan just last week "America has been the best country on earth for black folks. It was here that 600,000 black people, brought from Africa in slave ships, grew into a community of 40 million, were introduced to Christian salvation, and reached the greatest levels of freedom and prosperity blacks have ever known. Wright ought to go down on his knees and thank God he is an American".
HE TALKS LIKE BEING CAPTURED LIKE AN ANIMAL, COMING OVER ON A SLAVE SHIP, SEPERATED FROM YOUR HOME, FAMILY, WAY OF LIFE...WAS A CARINVAL CRUISE SHIP VACATION. People the TV, the radio, is filled with these nuts. Rev Wright said nothing you have not heard before...you are all just spinning it.

[leef531]

hi nnis: Obama''s Oil company monies are DONATIONS from employees, NOT PAC money or SPECIAL INTEREST MONEY or LOBBYIST. There is a difference. A campaign donation comes in online or mailed in by check, Obama does not even see it. NO FAVORS, NO IOU''s are owed. He should not penalized because a CEO or a shift worker wants to donate money to their candidate for president!

[leef531]

prayerman3...you should practice what you preach. Rev Wright ''sound bite'' 30 seconds that you heard, was not his whole speech, his whole sermon. Do yourself favor, and BEFORE you become GOD and JUDGE listen to his whole speech, you can find it on youtube. The man has won many awards, from WHITE CHURCHS, united church of Christ is 99% white, Trinity is black, because of being in Chicago. Rev Wright was a decorated Marine...are YOU?
signed: just your averaged white

[drputt45]

Who was the guy with the lantern or candle that went looking for an honest person? Good luck with that in politics. Until there is truth in politicing and the candidates are held accountable, it will always be the same thing. Voting for the lesser of the evils, if you can figure out which one that is.

I really get sick of political parties, Dem, Rep, and their members where no matter what is said or done, it is OK if the candidate is in your party.

Good Luck America and God Bless

[jack3213]

Dark Tales of others unfortuneate cirmustances to tug on the heart strings of America is a ploy, yet, not to undermine the people involved, it shows how Clinton manipulates the public and yet does not prove what she is capable of doing or having done to avoid such incidences. The women is a scam artist. This is not any differant than Obama promising to unite a country when he himself spent 20 years in a Church that spewed hate. Change is finally understanding that to accomplish anything you have to have a straight shooter, someone on the level, no double-talk, and certainly no BS.

[pepperp1]

Against McCain, Clinton bests Obama in swing-state polls
By David Lightman | McClatchy Newspapers
WASHINGTON %u2014 Hillary Clinton is stronger than Barack Obama when pitted against John McCain, according to new polls of three major states that tend to swing between Democrats and Republicans in November elections.
A Quinnipiac University survey released Wednesday found that, thanks largely to white voters, Clinton leads presumptive Republican nominee McCain in Ohio, Florida and Pennsylvania, while Obama trails the Arizona senator in Florida and leads him by narrower margins in Ohio and Pennsylvania.
The results:
Florida: Clinton 44 percent, McCain 42 percent; McCain 46 percent, Obama 37 percent.
Ohio: Clinton 48 percent, McCain 39 percent; Obama 43 percent, McCain 42 percent.
Pennsylvania: Clinton 48 percent, McCain 40 percent; Obama 43 percent, McCain 39 percent.

BUT WE NEW THAT %u2013 DEAN PELOSI get you hand out of the cookie jar%u2026

[kmccliment]

pepperwood2, WOULD YOU RATHER INHALE OR DO A LINE WITH A SENATOR.

[kmccliment]

mh4cbs1, SO DO TELL WHAT IS THE CHANGE GOING TO BE. HOW WILL THIS CHANGE TAKE PLACE? I HAVENT HEARD A WORD ABOUT ANY PLANS OF CHANGE. ONLY THE CURRENT YUPPIE BUZZWORD " CHANGE ".

[pepperwood2]

This is just awful! The nerve of that Richardson. Just who does he think he is lying like that to, of all people, Hillary. Where would he come up a notion of doing something like that?


It''s enough to make an honest person smoke an inhale all at the same time. Make an example out of him - Crucify him, Bill. CACKLE CACKLE CACKLE

[craigh9]

Speaking of whoppers - I haven''t seen Hillary''s earmark requests or her taxes yet!

[dgbg-2009]

So, THIS is what the lunatic fringe looks like! Frightening, disturbing but, mostly, pathetic!

[ddrbc]

Obama''s grassroots organization are winning because they''re the ultimate machine with David Axelrod pulling all the strings behind the scenes.

David Axelrod''s business is astroturfing -- using propaganda techniques to create the impression of spontaneous grassroots support when in fact it''s all coordinated from the top. It worked so well that progressive grassroots orgs have flocked to Obama and actually believe it''s about them. They''ve got a wake-up call coming:

http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnfl ash/content/mar2008/db20080314_121054.ht m

[watcher269-2009]

Republicans - they are the ones that used to cheat of the Democrats to pass the class. Do you really expect them to run an Honest Presidential Race - just like the last 2 elections - they have to CHEAT to PASS.