FactCheck.org's Full-Blown Analysis of Obama-McCain Debate I

[Montauk6]

http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/factchecking_debate_no_1.html

[FatDave]

1. **SPOILER ALERT**

McCain was full of shit all night long.

[FatDave]

2. Also note that one of Obama's inaccuracies actually benefited McCain

Obama said that McCain's health care plan would add taxes for employers, where in fact it would add taxes for employees. Geez Barack, I know you felt sorry for him, but you don't have to help him!

[central scrutinizer]

5. I believe it adds taxes for both

currently businesses can claim the cost of employee health insurance as a deduction. McW's plan would eliminate that deduction. Likely outcome is that many companies will stop offering health insurance. Many of those dropped would be unable to find coverage at the same price as a group plan if they are older or have a family member with a pre-existing coverage. Many will be unable to find coverage at any price. The value of the health insurance would become income for the employee, hence taxable. Taxes would go up and possibly push some people into higher tax brackets as well for a double whammy.

[Essene]

3. Yes, Obama was nearly perfect on the Truth-o-Meter. Mccain was lying lying lying...

Obama made some blunders tho, which he needs to stop doing.

The statement about 95% getting a tax cut under him, is not accurate. That's a big one. He cant let the details confuse the message. He should just stick closely to the facts.

[On the Road]

9. He Said "95% of Working Families"

Does that change the equation?

[crispini]

4. Nice. K&R

[starroute]

6. Really interesting that McCain was wrong on that Eisenhower letter

McCain's constant use of relatively ancient history (while insisting the Keating 5 scandal is too long ago to matter) is annoying in itself -- but you at least tend to assume he gets his facts right.

That he would misstate what for him is obviously a key personal example of military honor and responsibility is very telling:

"McCain claimed Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower had drafted a letter of resignation from the Army to be sent in case the 1944 D-Day landing at Normandy turned out to be a failure. Ike prepared a letter taking responsibility, but he didn’t mention resigning."

[No Elephants]

10. He may not have been lying--not intentionally. There was a reason he finished 896th in a class of

900. This is not the swiftest man.

[TTUBatfan2008]

7. The most dubious lies in that report...

1. McCain's claim that earmarks have tripled in the last 5 years when they've gone down.

2. McCain's attack on Obama about Kissinger.

3. McCain's claim about Eisenhower.

4. McCain's claim about foreign oil.

5. Obama's claim that 95% would receive a tax cut under his plan.

[starroute]

12. Was Obama really lying there?

FactCheck says "Obama said 95 percent of 'the American people' would see a tax cut under his proposal. The actual figure is 81 percent of households."

But at least one clip that was floating around had him referring to "working families," not all families. Would that justify the 95% figure?

[mucifer]

8. will the Sunday am talking heads acknowledge this or is it just people like us who see this facts?

[Catsbrains]

11. no mention of McCain's remarks about Pakistan....hmmmm..