One Person’s Gaffe Is Another’s Lie

So, Obama called his great uncle his “uncle” and said “Auchwitz” when he should have said “Buchenwald”

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SV1sxq8mqvA]

“Sickening,” huffs Red State. “Barack Obama must be the most gaffe-prone politician in memory,” reports PowerLine. “The Young Gaffer Sees Dead People,” chortles Hot Air.

You’d think he was a bold-faced liar if you listened to all the right-wing Obama-haters. And don’t you love how the ignore the McCain gaffes.

• Confederate Flag Over South Carolina Capitol, April 19, 2000 During the run-up to the South Carolina Republican primary in February 2000, McCain was asked whether he felt the Confederate flag should be removed from atop the statehouse.
  Non-truth: McCain stated publicly that it was up to South Carolinians to decide.
  Truth: Two months later McCain said he believed “the flag should be removed” from the Capitol. “I feared that if I answered honestly, I could not win the South Carolina primary. So I chose to compromise my principles,” he said. “I broke my promise to always tell the truth.
  “Source: “Excerpts from McCain’s Remarks on Confederate Flag,” New York Times, April 20, 2000.

• Economics Expertise, Jan. 27, 2008
  Non-truth: When confronted with his own remarks about his economic prowess during a Republican primary debate, McCain said, “I don’t know where you got that quote from. I’m very well versed in economics.” In a later interview on NBC, McCain added that he’s “very strong on the economy.”
  Truth: McCain was asked about a quote he gave The Wall Street Journal in a November 2005 interview in which he admitted he lacked expertise on economic issues. The quote read: “I’m going to be honest: I know a lot less about economics than I do about military and foreign policy issues. … I still need to be educated.”McCain told reporters in December 2007, “The issue of economics is not something I’ve understood as well as I should.
  “Sources: “‘Reform. Reform. Reform.’ John McCain Explains His Eclectic-and Troubling-Economic Philosophy,” Wall Street Journal, Nov. 26, 2005; NBC GOP presidential debate exchange, Jan. 24, 2008; “Meet the Press,” NBC, Jan. 27, 2008.

• Safety in Baghdad, March 26, 2007
  Non-truth: During an April 2007 visit to Baghdad, McCain said in interviews that “General (David) Petraeus goes out there (in Baghdad) almost every day in an unarmored Humvee.” He also said, “There are neighborhoods in Baghdad where you and I could walk through those neighborhoods today.”
  Truth: There are no unarmored Humvees in Iraq. McCain later admitted that he had misspoken regarding public safety in Baghdad. “Of course, I am going to misspeak and I’ve done it on numerous occasions and I probably will do it in the future,” he said. “I regret that when I divert attention to something I said from my message, but you know, that’s just life.”
  Sources: “McCain Misspoke on Baghdad Security, He Says,” New York Times, April 8, 2007; “60 Minutes,” CBS, April 8, 2007.

• Abortion Stance, Aug. 19, 1999
  Non-truth: McCain told The San Francisco Chronicle that “in the short-term or even in the long-term I would not support repeal of Roe v. Wade, which would then force X number of women in America to [undergo] illegal and dangerous operations.”
  Truth: McCain soon after released a statement saying that he has always opposed Roe v. Wade and “as president, I would work toward its repeal.” McCain has a near 0 percent lifetime rating from NARAL, a national abortion rights group.
  Sources: “McCain Softens Abortion Stand,” Washington Post, Aug. 24, 1999; “Capital Gang,” CNN, Aug. 28, 1999.

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.