Try Honesty

Posted October 31st, 2008 at 10.18am in Ongoing Priorities.

Just last week, Heritage analyst Rea Hederman published a paper comparing John McCain and Barack Obama on taxes, concluding: “Senator McCain’s plan is substantially better at spurring economic growth than Senator Obama’s. This is not surprising, since Senator McCain focuses on economic growth and job creation while Senator Obama focuses on the redistribution of income.”

So imagine his surprise when he started receiving emails early this week informing him that Obama had a television ad up claiming the opposite. At National Review Online, Hederman describes what he did next:

Intrigued, I searched the web for a video of the ad. There it was, under the nifty title of “Try This.” A quick click and, sure enough, they’re playing my name. According to the announcer, I believe the middle class would be better off under the Obama tax plan. …

Moving quickly to the Obama campaign website, I found the same claim in print. Here, words which never passed my lips appeared in quotation marks. Suddenly, it clicked. I know those words! But two and a half months earlier, a reporter at the New York Sun wrote a story quoting me. They were his words, not mine.

Yet, the words seemed somehow incomplete. Wasn’t there, perhaps, something more in that sentence? Something that might, you know, accurately portray my views?

A little more Googling to find the original story and, yep, there was more. Though the ad ended the non-quote with a period, it should have used an ellipsis. Oddly enough, the rest of the sentence which the ad “disappeared” criticized the Obama tax plan. The article’s very next sentence — which actually contains a quote from me! — presented a very helpful suggestion as how to Sen. Obama could fix his tax plan.

Heritage has since sent a letter to Obama demanding his campaign retract its dishonest ad. Heritage’s attorney has also sent letters to TV stations asking them to stop airing Obama’s lies. If you see this dishonest ad on TV, please let us know in the comments below so we can take appropriate action.

Author: Conn Carroll
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October 31, 2008 Barack Obama On Best Political Blogs » Try Honesty writes:

[...] Try Honesty Try Honesty Posted October 31st, 2008 at 10.18am in Ongoing Priorities. Just last week, Heritage analyst Rea Hederman published a paper comparing John McCain and Barack Obama on taxes, concluding: “Senator McCain’s plan is substantially better at spurring economic growth than Senator Obama’s. This is not surprising, since Senator McCain focuses on economic growth and job creation while Senator Obama focuses on the redistribution of income.” So imagine his surprise when he started receiv [...]

October 31, 2008 » Try Honesty Barrack Obama On Best Political Blogs: News And Info On Barrack Obama writes:

October 31, 2008 Jack Dunn writes:

Question. This is very important. Could you help us find out what happened to the author that was talking to Sean Hannity on the phone from England. It concerned some e-mails he had obtained by chance of Obama taking advice from a communist leader about how to win the election and what to do if he looses. This was several weeks ago & the man is missing.

October 31, 2008 Davis, Kansas writes:

What fact checking are political ads required to go through before publication? The food industry has the FDA analyzing every ingredient, and the music industry cannot so much as utter a word without labels warning the listener. Yet political ads seems to scape through with not so much discrepancies as outright lies. I believe in freedom of speech as much as any good conservative should, but slander laws should be tightened in elections where words and attacks are all the public has to make an extremely important and globally reaching decision.

We do not need another government department to review the ethics and consequences of current political advertisement truth value. Yet to allow such inaccuracy is not just irresponsible, it is dangerous. After two years of constant campaign, advertisements seem to loose their lustre. Unfortunately, the choice is often to advertise propoganda, rather than advertise smarter.

October 31, 2008 John, Joliet IL writes:

Just Wednesday evening, I saw this ad air several times in the Chicago market on a cable station.

October 31, 2008 John Howell; West Springfield, VA writes:

The ad appeared on NBC Evening News on Wednesday evening at 7:25 PM EDT after the attorney’s letter was sent two days before. Why am I not surprised that it was NBC who chose to continue airing the ad

October 31, 2008 John McCain On Best Political Blogs » Blog Archive » Try Honesty writes:

[...] Try Honesty Just last week, Heritage analyst Rea Hederman published a paper comparing John McCain and Barack Obama on taxes, concluding: “Senator McCain’s [...]

October 31, 2008 Setting the Record Straight: Obama’s Misleading Tax Ad » The Foundry writes:

[...] Try HonestyJohn, Joliet IL [...]

October 31, 2008 M. Patterson writes:

I saw the ad aired by the Obama campaign, about “…the middle class would likely pay less under Mr. Obama’s plan…” , on October 31, 2008 @ 8:48PM, on “E!” television station, broadcasted over Dish Network.

I knew something sounded very wrong about this. Please do what you can to spread truth.

Regards,

M. Patterson

October 31, 2008 Jimmie, Waldorf, MD writes:

I’ve seen it quite often since I found out it was an outright lie.

It was aired on the Sci-Fi channel at 9:26 PM Eastern Halloween Night.

October 31, 2008 Gregory, Hampsted, Maryland writes:

I have seen the misleading ad several times here in Maryland on Direct TV. It infuriates me that he lies about everything.Its as if he is selling his soul with his lies to get power. I pray that all of obama,s lies and deceptions will be made known to the American people before the election.

I believe the American people are witnessing the most dangerous and dishonest man that has ever run for President.The American people deserve to know the whole truth about Obama. His campaign is about “change” but do the American people know what kind of change he is going to bring? I believe if he wins, most of those who voted for him will soon regret it.

October 31, 2008 Aaron, Longview, TX writes:

TBS aired the Obama ad tonight, so I checked your site, since I didn’t know what to think. Fortunately, I discovered that it was a total lie, but Obama needs to pull it now.

October 31, 2008 Phillip Giampapa, OH writes:

I saw this ad air this afternoon in the Cleveland market (ABC Channel 5)

October 31, 2008 Frankie, Bauxite Ar writes:

Just tonight, Friday, Oct. 31 saw this ad several times on TNT, Dishnet.

November 1, 2008 Ronda, Kansas writes:

I hope that more people have the common sense to check and re-check the “facts” in the political ads. I am very disappointed, although not surprised, that Obama has not stopped airing his ad.

November 1, 2008 Jennifer, PA writes:

I saw the Ad here in PA this week, I am very disapointed in the Obama campaign playing tricks like this. I am so distrustful of them.

November 1, 2008 Eric, St. Paul, MN writes:

I have not seen the false advertising obama has run. I started a boycott on all of the so called “news” media outlets. If the ad is not run on fox news I will not see it. I refuse to support propaganda television.
Good luck with this issue.

November 1, 2008 Kathy, Maryland writes:

I am outraged at the misleading statements and out right lies. It’s as if they (political parties) believe that if they say the same thing over and over enough times, people will believe it.

Deception should be penalized.

How can the general public find the truth and be able to vote wisely? Ads are allowed to be deceptive and the media is definitely showing its bias by focusing on only one candidate.

November 1, 2008 Angie, Enterprise, AL writes:

I just saw this ad this afternoon (11/1/08) on a Dish Network channel.

November 1, 2008 Robin Banks, Jonesborough TN writes:

Just saw the commercial. We flipping between ESPN and our local ABC station (WKPT). I believe it was on ABC, but I’m not sure. I remembered hearing about the ad on Sean Hannity’s radio show yesterday, that’s why I came to the website to check it out.

November 1, 2008 William, Angleton, TX writes:

Friday, Oct.31. seen ad on Sleuth Channel, DirectTV

November 1, 2008 ralph jones ohio writes:

I saw the ad run on the scifi channel during Beowulf between 10:10 and 10:20 P.M.

November 1, 2008 Debbie,Baltimore Md writes:

I just saw the ad on Fox news, during Greta’s show

November 1, 2008 J. D. Boller writes:

I saw it today, it was on USA, I am so sick of him. I cannot wait until the American reject Obama’s disinformation and lies on Tuesday and send him back where he belongs.

I can’t belive that anyone would dare to suggest taht the Heritage Foundation could support any word that came from his mouth.

November 1, 2008 Karen, Yucaipa, CA writes:

I saw the ad and was shocked. I immediately went to the Heritage Foundation website. I have emailed all of my friends with the website address and encouraged them to read it. Unbelievable!

November 1, 2008 Cheryl, Oregon, Wisconsin writes:

This ad aired on Saturday, November 1st in the Madison, Wisconsin market. I suspected there was “something fishy” and, sure enough, there is! Its’ very sad that there is very little that can be done, as any legal action will be too late, with the election just three days away.

November 2, 2008 Cherie Evans, Jackson MI 49203 writes:

The false ad is appearing here in Michigan many times a day. I have never been to your website but this prompted me to check the facts. I just knew it stunk. Here again we are being lied to. This is NOT free speech but slander!!

November 2, 2008 Stephen, Florida writes:

I continue to see the offending ad in Palm Beach County on the NBC affiliate. This was as late as last night (November 1)!

November 2, 2008 Mark Canton, Ohio writes:

Just saw the ad Sunday 11/2 on TNT about 10:40 a.m.

November 2, 2008 Todd, Stl MO writes:

I can vividly remember seeing the ad several times last week alone. You have my full support in doing whatever it is that needs to be done to fix this situation.

November 2, 2008 Ted, Winchester KY writes:

This commercial was aired repeatedly in Lexington KY on the discovery channel and others.

November 2, 2008 Stan, Bridgeport, MI writes:

Sunday, November 2, 8:20 p.m. the “Try This” ad aired on the History Channel (DirectTV).

November 2, 2008 Linda,Winston-Salem, NC writes:

I have seen the above mentioned ad several times on our cable networks. I have seen it 3 times in the last hour on the FX network, since I started watching at 9pm on Sunday, Nov. 2nd.
I am glad I googled your website and found out the truth. It’s to bad everyone else will not do the same.

November 2, 2008 Twayne, St. Louis writes:

Saw this ad as recently as Saturday evening here in St. Louis.

November 3, 2008 Frances, Charlottesville, Virginia writes:

Yes I have seen the ad mentioned on our cable networks within a few days. I wonder if you could air your ad on the networks to get the truth out. I heard it from Sean Hannity. I came to your website to see if it was mentioned here. Was glad to see your video about it. Hopefully others will check it too. I sent it to some of my family members who will be voting for Obama. Hopefully it will help to change their minds.

November 4, 2008 Suave Dave writes:

Whine about it, you idiots… then read the election results tomorrow. The Irish guy… yes, That One, Barry O’Bama will kick the slats out of the wrinkly old white-haired guy. Look for a landslide! And it will be my privilege, as a registered Republican of 50 years, to vote for the first ever black POTUS.

November 4, 2008 Dennis Aderholt writes:

This election is so full of lies,the Democrtas are running anything that they think will give them the edge. What is so bad the American people are eating it up. I think we will be the land of the dumb led by the ignorant on 11/5/08. I will never vote for Democrat again!!

November 5, 2008 Samantha, California writes:

The politics of fear have been defeated, if only for a short while. Let the nay-sayers take a break, while we put our concerted energy towards repair and restoration. We’ve got a long row to hoe, so let’s get on with it. Be better than you’ve been. The work requires it!

November 5, 2008 Sandi, Colorado Springs writes:

All the posturing about how Obama’s ideas will not work smack of complete partisanship. This turns people away as never before in that the current administration has created a “have and have not” culture. The problem the Heritage Foundation has is in seeing their own elitism. This is the real reason the majority of voters elected Obama.

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