Factcheck says SmearBoatVets just as credible as Rassman, Alston, Sandusky

[Feanorcurufinwe]

Factcheck's conclusion:

At this point, 35 years later and half a world away, we see no way to resolve which of these versions of reality is closer to the truth.
http://www.factcheck.org/article.aspx?docID=231

By the way, they also give Bush a pass on being AWOL, failing to examine the question of whether he showed up, and repeating the Bush campaign spin "he was credited". New Evidence Supports Bush Military Service (Mostly)


Check out the trustees and staff:

Ambassador Walter H. Annenberg
Founder, 1908-2002

Trustees

Leonore Annenberg
President, Chairman and Sole Director

Wallis Annenberg
Vice-President

Lauren Bon
Charles Annenberg Weingarten
Gregory Annenberg Weingarten
http://www.annenbergfoundation.org/about/about_show.htm?doc_id=210597

Now check out the political donations. There is A LOT here to wade through.
http://www.newsmeat.com/fec/bystate_detail.php?st=PA&last=Annenberg


So, do you think factcheck is a RW operation fronting as a non-partisan fact-checker?

[thebigidea]

1. if they can't sort out the truth, perhaps they're in the wrong business.

maybe faxcheck.org? They can check to see which brands of fax paper are less annoying or something.

Personally, I was a little suspicious of this Brooks Jackson guy that was suddenly everywhere, posing as the ultimate arbiter of fact. Who are you and where did you come from, sir?

CNN and the Wall Street Journal? Well... no wonder.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

2. Here you have a case of Rassman, the guy Kerry pulled out of the water

saying things were one way, and another guy, Thurlow, who ran his boat aground 200 yards away saying things were a different way, and all the contemporaneous accounts back up Rassman, and they can't tell which version is true? :eyes:

[Sparkly]

13. Exactly!!!

It's like saying you and I have different perspectives on what you ate for breakfast this morning. Of course, I'm way over here and you're the one who actually ate it, but nobody can tell which of us really is telling the truth... :eyes:

[Zen Democrat]

17. Ed Gillespie said this week that FactCheck is a Republican website. n/t

[tomfodw]

25. Thurlow can't have it both ways

Thurlow says there was no enemy fire during the incident for which Kerry won a Bronze Star.

However, Thurlow also won a Bronze Star for the same incident. So, either he's lying about the firefight, or he was equally undeserving of his Bronze Star.

Which is it, Mr. Thurlow?

[fishface]

3. The theroy is they're a bait & switch group that helps cover

for Shrubby by 'exposing' wingnutz Bushit thereby gaining our trust while sandbagging us on the important stuff.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

4. Yep, that's the other component

they are sneaky aren't they?

[Cocoa]

9. exactly

and they focus on the little lies, while ignoring Bush's Big Lies.

And they're not consistent in what their mission is. Earlier, they specifically said they're not there to debunk Internet rumors, but then they recently debunked and anti-Teresa one that I hadn't even heard.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

29. It's a dishonest tactic that works well.

[depakid]

5. Annenberg, huh

Check out Walter H. Annenberg's obit by Jack Shafer in Slate. Not a pretty picture, for certain.

http://slate.msn.com/?id=2071870

[wndycty]

6. PLEASE READ: A NOTE ABOUT FACT CHECK!

On a recent segment of Washington Journal (C-SPAN) Ed Gillespie said that the RNC controlled factcheck.org.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=2015200

[DaveSZ]

7. I took factcheck out of my sig

The only reason I added it was because Bill Moyers featured it on his show "NOW."

[Feanorcurufinwe]

30. Good for you.

[LTR]

8. That's been corrected in recent days

Ratface sent a letter to Factcheck stating that the RNC has nothing to do with them.

Still don't trust Factcheck. I prefer Snopes and Media Matters.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

15. So

Gillespie says they are, then he say they aren't. I wonder if he's lying?

[GiovanniC]

26. He's Such a Flip-Flopper

[wndycty]

27. Kick

:kick:

[sandnsea]

10. Thurlow's Bronze Star

I didn't see where they explained how Thurlow got a Bronze Star that day if the situation was as they are telling it now. Which is basically that he got thrown overboard, they thought they were hit and in an ambush, but they really weren't. If they'd explained that, maybe I would have believed they weren't biased.

[buycitgo]

19. they ALSO say Kerry accelerated to RUN AWAY from.......

all the SHOOTING going on

I heard that AHOLE on with tweety, when the defender wansn't allowed to SPEAK!!

they can't even get their LIES straight on that one, and NOBODY is talking about this obvious point

[blondeatlast]

11. I am unsubscribing with a pointed little note as to why.

He responded personally to my first criticism of them, so they do read their mail.

I love this entry (barf):

http://www.factcheck.org/MiscReports.aspx?docID=229

I thought FC had real potential in this sea of media sludge, but it just ain't gonna happen, it's clear now.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

12. Kerry Received Those Medals......

It is up to those who are questioning how he received those medals to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he received them fraudelently.....


I could say that, hmmmmm, Ann Coulter copulated with a dog but it would be up to me to provide clear and convincing evident that it actually occurred...

[trogdor]

28. Furthermore...

1 - You can't put yourself in for a Silver Star.

2 - Recommendations for the Silver Star went to the Secretary of the Navy, in the Pentagon, who acts on the behalf of the President. No commander who values his career sends bogus stuff to the Pentagon.

[blondeatlast]

14. My response to FactCheck (they've answered my e-mails before)

"At this point, 35 years later and half a world away, we see no way to resolve which of these versions of reality is closer to the truth."

Then what, exactly, is your purpose? I have given FactCheck the benefit of the doubt in the past, but no longer. There are other, far more long-lived and apparently less biased, organizations performing the same function.

Ed Gillespie's slip-up, even if it was a mistake, is just too telling--particuarly your contention that the response PROVES you aren't biased. It does nothing of the sort, it just proves that you are just as capable of covering your own posterior region as anyone.

I shall get my facts from other sources--Snopes may not be elegant, but she does a fine job of doing what you want to do, but have failed.

This isn't the first time I have pointed out some sneaky bias, but it will be the last. I am unsubscribing.

I am just boiling--this guy's gotten far too much publicity, and I want to bring him down.

Please join me!

[Feanorcurufinwe]

16. A real fact check

George Elliot: "John Kerry has not been honest about what happened in Vietnam." George Elliott was NOT a crewmate of John Kerry's

Al French: "He is lying about his record." Al French was NOT a crewmate of John Kerry's

Louis Letson "I know John Kerry is lying about his first purple heart, because I treated him for that injury." Louis Letson, Now Part of the Republican Veterans Efforts to Smear Kerry, WAS NOT the Doctor That Signed Kerry's Sick Call Sheet and Was NOT a Kerry Crewmate

MORE: http://www.johnkerry.com/rapidresponse/080504_truth.html

[buycitgo]

20. that ahole wasn't even a DOCTOR at the time, FWIW

[Feanorcurufinwe]

18. Sunday kick nt

[blondeatlast]

21. Meerits a kick for sure. How can we expose FactCheck and make it STICK?

It's gained far too much credibility in far too little time--they have to go NOW.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

23. All we can do is keep talking about it

and make sure, at least, that the informed folks on our side don't use it as a source.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

24. Monday kick nt

[Spiffarino]

22. Thanks for exposing this!

I have noticed a subtle bias slipping into their research over the last month or so, but I was hoping it was just a fluke. Now I know better.

I have been recommending Factcheck.org for months now, yet I had no idea that the Annenbergs were such committed Rightwingnuts. I will cease using them forthwith and unsubscribe from their newsletter.

I will also make sure that they know why I no longer want their propaganda.