The Truth Behind The VP Candidates' Claims

CBS Evening News Reality Checks The Palin-Biden Debate

(CBS)  As good as both candidates were last night, they were also quite good at being wrong, CBS News correspondent Wyatt Andrews reports.

Beginning with a specific Sarah Palin claim that Barack Obama tried to raise taxes on middle class families, saying that he voted to increase taxes as late as last year for those families making only $42,000 a year.

That claim is simply false.

"Families, no way," said Brooks Jackson, director of FactCheck.org.

According to the non partisan FactCheck.org, none of Obama's votes would've raised taxes on families making $42,000.

"If you're a family, you'd have to make $83,000, maybe over $90,000, a year to have been affected by that," Jackson said.

Biden, meanwhile, not wanting the tax mistake to stand, claimed that McCain was for the same thing.

"John McCain voted the exact same way," Obama said.

Wrong again. McCain voted against the budget bill.

On the crucial, heartland issue of taxes on small business, Palin claimed Obama's tax increases on families making $250,000 would impact millions of small companies.

"You're forgetting millions of small businesses that are going to fit into that category," Palin said.

Millions of businesses? Not even close. Only 1.4 percent of small business owners, 480,000 people, make more than $250,000.

The figure is a few hundred thousand, but it's not in the millions.

On the foreign policy issue of who presidents should meet, Biden tried to claim Obama never said he'd meet Iran's President Ahmadinejad.

"He did not say sit down with Ahmadinejad," Biden said.

Fact is that's a stretch. On the CNN/YouTube debate last year, Obama was asked directly if he would meet the leader of Iran, among others.

"I would," Obama said.

Then - on the energy front - there's the Sarah Palin claim a new Alaska pipeline is under way.

"And we're building a nearly $40 billion natural gas pipeline," Palin said.

The fact is she's not quite "building."

Palin has legislative approval to plan the pipeline, but construction isn't even close, and gas flow is 10 years away.

The fact that Biden and Palin were squabbling over that 42 thousand dollar family is no political accident. Forty-two thousand dollars in income is in the range that some economists call the middle of the middle class -- the very audience both candidates were trying to win over last night.

[kathyjay1]

when you stop dodging that subpoena and then tell us about your "palling" around with AIG (you and first dude) then you can start bringing up associations. And seriously...anyone with footage on hand of having the hands of a witch doctor laid on them is in no position to go "there" about Rev. Wright. But hey...if the lipstick and stilettos fit. LOL

[imagewurks]

This is kind of interesting as a debate in a public forum. You have a person who''s obviously done too much crank and lost the thread of reality, and a woman appropriately called "mdwoman" claiming Obama is a socialist. I can''t honestly comment on the insane guy, as nothing makes any sense, but for the mad woman, who exactly wanted this socialization bailout?

Not that I''m against socialism. But maybe we should start out by helping the middle class instead of the rich. And by these posts, we obviously need to socialize medicine, especially for the mentally ill.

[imagewurks]

This is kind of interesting as a debate in a public forum. You have a person who''s obviously done too much crank and lost the thread of reality, and a woman appropriately called "mdwoman" claiming Obama is a socialist. I can''t honestly comment on the insane guy, as nothing makes any sense, but for the mad woman, who exactly wanted this socialization bailout?

Not that I''m against socialism. But maybe we should start out by helping the middle class instead of the rich. And by these posts, we obviously need to socialize medicine, especially for the mentally ill.

[imagewurks]

This is kind of interesting as a debate in a public forum. You have a person who''s obviously done too much crank and lost the thread of reality, and a woman appropriately called "mdwoman" claiming Obama is a socialist. I can''t honestly comment on the insane guy, as nothing makes any sense, but for the mad woman, who exactly wanted this socialization bailout?

Not that I''m against socialism. But maybe we should start out by helping the middle class instead of the rich. And by these posts, we obviously need to socialize medicine, especially for the mentally ill.

[imagewurks]

This is kind of interesting as a debate in a public forum. You have a person who''s obviously done too much crank and lost the thread of reality, and a woman appropriately called "mdwoman" claiming Obama is a socialist. I can''t honestly comment on the insane guy, as nothing makes any sense, but for the mad woman, who exactly wanted this socialization bailout?

Not that I''m against socialism. But maybe we should start out by helping the middle class instead of the rich. And by these posts, we obviously need to socialize medicine, especially for the mentally ill.

[imagewurks]

This is kind of interesting as a debate in a public forum. You have a person who''s obviously done too much crank and lost the thread of reality, and a woman appropriately called "mdwoman" claiming Obama is a socialist. I can''t honestly comment on the insane guy, as nothing makes any sense, but for the mad woman, who exactly wanted this socialization bailout?

Not that I''m against socialism. But maybe we should start out by helping the middle class instead of the rich. And by these posts, we obviously need to socialize medicine, especially for the mentally ill.

[alaskavoter]

AMERICA SHOULD BE FEARFULLY CONCERNED

ALASKA GOVERNOR - RECALL!!!
I am a Alaskan life voting Republican. This 2008 Election, I will [with pleasure] vote Democrat! This Alaska Governor has destroyed "MANY GOOD ALASKAN PEOPLE(s) professionally and politically during her short term position as Mayor in a small community Wasilla, Ak (Approx 7,500 residents ) and current Alaska State Governor.(of approx. twenty months). Whenever Palin is confronted with a question that she does not know, does not have a clue or simply does not want to answer, her indignation which turns to...ANGER...is familiar. McCains'''' V.P. selection Sarah Palin has no business being the Alaska Governor, let alone, a USA candidate for Vice President.... Maverick??.....****AMERICA SHOULD BE FEARFULLY CONCERNED****. I voted for Sarah Palin in Alaskas 2006 Governor Election. MISTAKE! Never Again%u2026 I repeat-NEVER AGAIN!!...Alaska Governor Palin is an absolute Embarrassment to the Alaska People and "IS" proven to be an insatiable Liar!! How can she possibly ASSUME the ability to clean up America, when she cannot clean the ''MESS" she has created in Alaska. Yes, A Mess FOR Alaskans to clean up. McCain, you should be ASHAMED of yourself!!!! This victim (palin)has no business in this Presidential Arena.
[read Alaska News-Politics adn.com]

[alaskavoter]

AMERICA SHOULD BE FEARFULLY CONCERNED

ALASKA GOVERNOR - RECALL!!!
I am a Alaskan life voting Republican. This 2008 Election, I will [with pleasure] vote Democrat! This Alaska Governor has destroyed "MANY GOOD ALASKAN PEOPLE(s) professionally and politically during her short term position as Mayor in a small community Wasilla, Ak (Approx 7,500 residents ) and current Alaska State Governor.(of approx. twenty months). Whenever Palin is confronted with a question that she does not know, does not have a clue or simply does not want to answer, her indignation which turns to...ANGER...is familiar. McCains'''' V.P. selection Sarah Palin has no business being the Alaska Governor, let alone, a USA candidate for Vice President.... Maverick??.....****AMERICA SHOULD BE FEARFULLY CONCERNED****. I voted for Sarah Palin in Alaskas 2006 Governor Election. MISTAKE! Never Again%u2026 I repeat-NEVER AGAIN!!...Alaska Governor Palin is an absolute Embarrassment to the Alaska People and "IS" proven to be an insatiable Liar!! How can she possibly ASSUME the ability to clean up America, when she cannot clean the ''MESS" she has created in Alaska. Yes, A Mess FOR Alaskans to clean up. McCain, you should be ASHAMED of yourself!!!! This victim (palin)has no business in this Presidential Arena.
[read Alaska News-Politics adn.com]

[dicktracy200]

The fact that Fox News Network is taking the position of launching a series of all out assaults against senator Obama%u2019s character is a sad day in journalism. They should be ashamed of the immoral and unethical standards that their network displays on a continual basis. What they must be made to understand is that as citizens we rely upon networks for their fair and accurate reporting of events and we will not tolerate anything less, especially when its over the top or maybe I should say as far right as Fox News Network is. It is time to take a stand against Fox and look to other networks for fair and accurate news coverage.

[harbinger09]

There is a new Poll on PBS about Palin being qualified for VP. The RNC got word of it and has had supporters inundate the site with yes votes for Palin. This poll is to be broadcast on the major networks later. it is not a scientific poll but an electronic poll--if you have an opinion about whether Palin is fit to be President or not--go to this link, also email this link to anyone who you think has an opinion on Palin.

1) Click on link and vote yourself. Here''''''''s the link:
http://www.pbs.org/now/polls/poll

-435.html

and cast your vote

[mccainisevil]

MY HOLIDAY WITH JOHN McCAIN

http://myblogthebword.blogspot.com/2008/09/my-holiday-with-john-mccain-it-was-just.html

A MUST READ - THIS GUY IS AS SICK AND CREEPY AS IT GETS!!!!

"McCain''s appreciation of the beauty of Asian women was so great that David the American economist had to move his Thai wife to the other side of the table from McCain as McCain kept aggressively flirting with and touching her. Needless to say I was irritated at his large ego and his rude behavior towards his wife and other women, but decided he must have some redeeming qualities as he had adopted a handicapped child from Bangladesh. I asked him about this one day, and his response was shocking: "Oh, that was Cindy''s idea - I didn''t have anything to do with it. She just went and adopted this thing without even asking me. You can''t imagine how people stare when I wheel this ugly, black thing around in a shopping cart in Arizona .

[maggietexas4]

As I watched the vice president debate, I was reminded of something I saw many years ago at the Academy Awards. Sir Laurence Olivier delivered a speech in his dramatic way and the cameras cut to a shot of Jon Voight just about to fall out of his seat or faint at the magnificent speech he was hearing. Sir Laurence Olivier got a standing ovation. The next day the media really dissected what Olivier had said and found it to be gibberish but we were so impressed by his speaking skills that we didn''t realize it.
Palin has good presentation skills if she can read from an index card, can memorize stuff, or read from a teleprompter but so can a lot of high school students. However, when you really think about every thing she had to say at the debate, it is really quite scary to think that someone like this could be VP and probably President of the United States. I agree with Matt Damon who said it was like a bad disney movie. I do think, however, that as Americans really think about her and her qualifications and think about how old and out of touch McCain is, they will also be very scared. Tina Fey is more qualified to be president than either McCain or Palin.

[eroosevelt08]

It is interesting that the McCalin-Palin is trying to smear Barack Obama now. I do recall that it was Senator McCain who came back from being a POW and dumped his crippled wife Carol, who had been a model and a teacher before her horrible car accident. While stationed in Florida in 1976 he had extramarital affairs. He met Cindy McCain in April of 1979. He filed for divorce in January of 1980 and married Cindy McCain in May of 1980. Carol and John McCain had been good friends with Nancy and Ronald Reagan, which friendship cooled when they learned about Cindy. Read McCain''s biography.

[indiosblue]

Six reasons why I wouldn''t like Sarah Palin as VP.
She is like a vindictive, compulsive liar, vicious, evasive and illiterate pittbull with lipstick.
Four more years of the same.

[aerhed]

Gwen the moderator was under big pressure to be neutral because of her yomama book. I thought she did okay, a little loose.

[starleo146]

I heard that following the debate Sarah got calls from no less than 20 producers of infomercials, wanting to know if she would sign exlcusive 10-year contracts. I''''m not lying. She was that good!

Posted by Voltaire777 at 11:24 AM : Oct 04, 2008

I know you guys have a thing for her, but after the physical attraction is over, and you are reminded of what she really said, your first comment will be, "What the heck did I see in her"Lord have Mercy, what a doofus. The only thing she did in the debate was repeat what she is saying on the road in the campaign and if you read enough times it comes easy to YA. She never answered the moderators questions, she did her own thing.Mc Same better watch out she may have his head on a platter and take his job if elected. The moderator never pushed her once.

[starleo146]

*** it all this %u201Cfact check%u201D is nothing more then the filter media that Palin does not like. How dare the people get a truthful perspective of the words spoken by a candidate? Don%u2019t Ya know it is all about how Ya act and not what Ya know, you betcha.

Posted by kimb54 at 12:54 PM : Oct 04, 200

Doggone it you are so right, doggone it

[starleo146]

"I''''''''m finding it difficult to understand why i cant get a fair view of Mccain-Palin... unless i watch Fair & Balanced channels like Foxnews.--------------------------------
-Posted by Akorede22 "


Man you are a riot and just the kind Faux Nooz depend on. A brainwashed individual who loves lies, gossip and enquirer tabloid journalism

[starleo146]

Sarah Palin reminds me of Anne Boleyn

[aslan17-2009]

This is regardong your interview with Sarah Palin which is closed for comment:

A friend of mine saw me years ago on TV when I was being interviewed by you, Katie Couric, as a man on the street in Washington, DC near Union Station at the beginning of your career. He told me about it, because we were both people he knew and who both attended Washington Lee High School in Arlington, Virginia. So I have every reason, knowing we come from the same school and county, to wish you all the success in the world. However, I am so disappointed how you, Katie, handled the Palin interview. I describe it as mean-spirited; a friend of mine calls it predatory. Quit trying to please your liberal friends and get back to simple human values. Be fair. You have allowed yourself to become part of the demise of honest journalism in this country. Don''t you remember when everyone was counting you out as CBS''s anchor. Now, to court the favor of your critics you seem to be treating Sarah Palin in the same unfair way you were treated when you first came on board aa CBS anchor. Shame on you, Katie. I am disapointed.