Paul Ryan may have fired up his GOP base with a passionate, polished speech Wednesday night—but he also enraged fact checkers, even at mainstream outlets, across the nation.
On Thursday, several media organizations skewered the Wisconsin lawmaker's misleading remarks during his primetime address at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla.
Among the inaccuracies and distortions they pointed out:
- Ryan suggesting Obama failed to rescue a GM plant in the GOPer's hometown of Janesville, Wis. (It closed before Obama stepped into the White House).
- Ryan ripping Obama for not listening to recommendations of a bipartisan debt commission (Ryan was on the commission and voted against the report).
- Ryan accusing Obama of funneling $716 billion from Medicare (the same type of "cuts" Ryan once defended by cutting reimbursement rates to healthcare providers and not from seniors' benefits).
NBC Chief White House Correspondent Chuck Todd said Team Romney told him they aren't concerned about the media pushback.
"They think they can float above this, and who knows they may be right," said Todd, adding "They think that the credibility of the overall media is so low right now" and that fact checking will have "limited political impact on them for the fall campaign."
Other media takedowns of Ryan, as documented by Talking Points Memo, include Washington Post opinions editor James Downie branding the speech as "breathtaking dishonest." The Boston Globe editorial page said Ryan's speech may "hurt his own credibility."
And even Fox News anchor Chris Wallace admitted "there are some things that I think were factually questionable."
It is still yet to be seen if fact checkers and the media find as many distortions in Mitt Romney's speech, which begins shortly after 10 p.m tonight.
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When Ryan crossed that line and pushed a full series of lies, he moved into the realm of unethical behavior. That he is willing to do this, just for a political speech, makes me dread any possibility that he, and his "boss," could actually hold reign at the White House. I suspect that we could anticipate every effort to impose the political side of an Ayn Rand philisophy. I could never trust his assurances on Medicare, Medicaid, or any aspect of our safety-net.
The GOP has now come to the point where it is: "our base, backed by corporate billions is better than the electorate of the United States of America. We can now lie with impunity, pass unsconstitutional laws, safe in the knowledge we have a SCOTUS that will back us, and steal elections outright via voter suppression and there is not one goddamned thing that the good people of the US can do about!" Fascism is here, wrapped in the flag and carrying a bible
Every one of your points is, in fact, Dem Party behavior. Who are you trying to fool??
Lyin Ryan could take lessons from Clinton. Clinton delivered a wonderful speech and he didn't have to lie once. Swiss Mitt seems to lack truthiness as well. His ads were downright dishonest regarding Welfare work requirements, but he continued to "approve this message" They even said their campaign was not going to be dictated by fact checkers.
What is the measure of a man if he cannot take responsibility for his own mistakes? These two characters seem to lack a true moral compass. They are knowingly telling lies with impunity. Where is the normal shame or guilt for getting caught in bad behaviour? If they were your children, you would put them in the naughty chair.
Paul Ryan has officially shown America that he is the male version of Sarah Palin. Bad move Mitt, Id say your sinking your own ship with this one.
their going to win, by lieing cheating and stealing, but they are gonna win, they got the polling places under their control, they got the machines under their control, because good honest people will do anything to get that black man out of that white house.
Wow. Seems like some fact checkers should do their work a little better. Lying and cheating? Seems to me that same argument could be used here, no?
The following link from Investors seems to have done their fact checking and references a CNN piece John King did that supports Paul Ryans story. If your just getting your party line news from MSNBC, then your definetly drinking the cool aide every bit as much as the Fox News croud.
BTW, I found the snarky, childish behavior of the entire crew who covered the RNC to be over the top. Rachel Maddow giggling like a school kid when anyone on the panel made what she thought was a great point? Good grief. If MSNBC ever hopes to be a real alternative to Fox, et al, they better get a handle on at least being somewhat professional. If not, just admit that it's a clown show covering a circus. It will be interesting to see how this crew handles the DNC next week.
You are absolutely right. I watched as they tripped over themselves trying to get that "gotcha" question or comment out to whoever they could get on the microphone. It was pathetic, childish and unprofessional.
News.Investors.com is where you can find the piece. Not allowing a link post.
Obama has NOTHING to show for and it is obvious to even the simple minded. The left's response is now to attack, attempt to discredit, seek out negatives in others to justify their own failures - rather than be honest and admit Obama's shortcomings. They have chosen to take a less-than-honorable approach and will now try to sell the "hope & change" thing to the American people again... How gullible do they think America is??
Leo And how gullible do you think those of us who live in Ryan's District are ? We saw right through the BS
How about that "Believe in America" that Romney is using in his campaign. Mitt should add: because I don't, I didn't even invest in America, but outsourced and offshored my wealth.
Obama has cooked his own goose. Even his zombies will not save him. He is ONE & DONE !
That piece I referenced in my above post is in: news.Investors.com/ibd-editorials/
"so called fact checks disguise media liberal agenda"
Just for some insight, Why, When Ryan was chosen for VP, Romney and Ryan chose to go to Waukesha and NOT his hometown of Janesville????
See the Ayn Rand glaze in his eyes.