Obama's relationship to the truth

[bigtree]

Candidates exaggerate their record and accomplishments in campaigns, and both of ours have, as well . . . and, you KNOW why I posted this.


3/25/2008

Senator Obama’s Record of Exaggerations & Misstatements

Once again, the Obama campaign is getting caught saying one thing while doing another. They are personally attacking Hillary even though Sen. Obama has been found mispeaking and embellishing facts about himself more than ten times in recent months. Senator Obama’s campaign is based on words –not a record of deeds – and if those words aren’t backed up by facts, there’s not much else left.

"Senator Obama has called himself a constitutional professor, claimed credit for passing legislation that never left committee, and apparently inflated his role as a community organizer among other issues. When it comes to his record, just words won't do. Senator Obama will have to use facts as well," Clinton spokesman Phil Singer said.

Sen. Obama consistently and falsely claims that he was a law professor. The Sun-Times reported that, "Several direct-mail pieces issued for Obama's primary campaign said he was a law professor at the University of Chicago. He is not. He is a senior lecturer (now on leave) at the school. In academia, there is a vast difference between the two titles. Details matter." In academia, there's a significant difference: professors have tenure while lecturers do not. Hotline Blog, 4/9/07; Chicago Sun-Times, 8/8/04

Obama claimed credit for nuclear leak legislation that never passed. "Obama scolded Exelon and federal regulators for inaction and introduced a bill to require all plant owners to notify state and local authorities immediately of even small leaks. He has boasted of it on the campaign trail, telling a crowd in Iowa in December that it was 'the only nuclear legislation that I’ve passed.' 'I just did that last year,' he said, to murmurs of approval. A close look at the path his legislation took tells a very different story. While he initially fought to advance his bill, even holding up a presidential nomination to try to force a hearing on it, Mr. Obama eventually rewrote it to reflect changes sought by Senate Republicans, Exelon and nuclear regulators. The new bill removed language mandating prompt reporting and simply offered guidance to regulators, whom it charged with addressing the issue of unreported leaks. Those revisions propelled the bill through a crucial committee. But, contrary to Mr. Obama’s comments in Iowa, it ultimately died amid parliamentary wrangling in the full Senate." New York Times, 2/2/08

Obama misspoke about his being conceived because of Selma. "Mr. Obama relayed a story of how his Kenyan father and his Kansan mother fell in love because of the tumult of Selma, but he was born in 1961, four years before the confrontation at Selma took place. When asked later, Mr. Obama clarified himself, saying: 'I meant the whole civil rights movement.'" New York Times, 3/5/07

LA Times: Fellow organizers say Sen. Obama took too much credit for his community organizing efforts. "As the 24-year-old mentor to public housing residents, Obama says he initiated and led efforts that thrust Altgeld's asbestos problem into the headlines, pushing city officials to call hearings and a reluctant housing authority to start a cleanup. But others tell the story much differently. They say Obama did not play the singular role in the asbestos episode that he portrays in the best-selling memoir 'Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance.' Credit for pushing officials to deal with the cancer-causing substance, according to interviews and news accounts from that period, also goes to a well-known preexisting group at Altgeld Gardens and to a local newspaper called the Chicago Reporter. Obama does not mention either one in his book." Los Angeles Times, 2/19/07

Chicago Tribune: Obama's assertion that nobody had indications Rezko was engaging in wrongdoing 'strains credulity.' "…Obama has been too self-exculpatory. His assertion in network TV interviews last week that nobody had indications Rezko was engaging in wrongdoing strains credulity: Tribune stories linked Rezko to questionable fundraising for Gov. Rod Blagojevich in 2004 -- more than a year before the adjacent home and property purchases by the Obamas and the Rezkos." Chicago Tribune editorial, 1/27/08

Obama was forced to revise his assertion that lobbyists 'won't work in my White House.' "White House hopeful Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) was forced to revise a critical stump line of his on Saturday -- a flat declaration that lobbyists 'won't work in my White House' after it turned out his own written plan says they could, with some restrictions… After being challenged on the accuracy of what he has been saying -- in contrast to his written pledge -- at a news conference Saturday in Waterloo, Obama immediately softened what had been his hard line in his next stump speech." Chicago Sun-Times, 12/16/07

FactCheck.org: 'Selective, embellished and out-of-context quotes from newspapers pump up Obama's health plan.' "Obama's ad touting his health care plan quotes phrases from newspaper articles and an editorial, but makes them sound more laudatory and authoritative than they actually are. It attributes to The Washington Post a line saying Obama's plan would save families about $2,500. But the Post was citing the estimate of the Obama campaign and didn't analyze the purported savings independently. It claims that "experts" say Obama's plan is "the best." "Experts" turn out to be editorial writers at the Iowa City Press-Citizen – who, for all their talents, aren't actual experts in the field. It quotes yet another newspaper saying Obama's plan "guarantees coverage for all Americans," neglecting to mention that, as the article makes clear, it's only Clinton's and Edwards' plans that would require coverage for everyone, while Obama's would allow individuals to buy in if they wanted to.” FactCheck.org, 1/3/08

Sen. Obama said 'I passed a law that put Illinois on a path to universal coverage,' but Obama health care legislation merely set up a task force. "As a state senator, I brought Republicans and Democrats together to pass legislation insuring 20,000 more children. And 65,000 more adults received health care…And I passed a law that put Illinois on a path to universal coverage." The State Journal-Register reported in 2004 that "The Senate squeaked out a controversial bill along party lines Wednesday to create a task force to study health-care reform in Illinois. <…> In its original form, the bill required the state to offer universal health care by 2007. That put a 'cloud' over the legislation, said Sen. Dale Righter, R-Mattoon. Under the latest version, the 29-member task force would hold at least five public hearings next year." Obama Health Care speech, 5/29/07; State Journal-Register, 5/20/04

ABC News: 'Obama…seemed to exaggerate the legislative progress he made' on ethics reform. "ABC News' Teddy Davis Reports: During Monday's Democratic presidential debate, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., seemed to exaggerate the legislative progress he has made on disclosure of "bundlers," those individuals who aggregate their influence with the candidate they support by collecting $2,300 checks from a wide network of wealthy friends and associates. When former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel alleged that Obama had 134 bundlers, Obama responded by telling Gravel that the reason he knows how many bundlers he has raising money for him is "because I helped push through a law this past session to disclose that." Earlier this year, Obama sponsored an amendment in the Senate requiring lobbyists to disclose the candidates for whom they bundle. Obama's amendment would not, however, require candidates to release the names of their bundlers. What's more, although Obama's amendment was agreed to in the Senate by unanimous consent, the measure never became law as Obama seemed to suggest. Gravel and the rest of the public know how many bundlers Obama has not because of a 'law' that the Illinois Democrat has 'pushed through' but because Obama voluntarily discloses that information." ABC News, a=href"http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2007/07/obama-exaggerat.html">7/23/07

Obama drastically overstated Kansas tornado deaths during campaign appearance. "When Sen. Barack Obama exaggerated the death toll of the tornado in Greensburg, Kan, during his visit to Richmond yesterday, The Associated Press headline rapidly evolved from 'Obama visits former Confederate capital for fundraiser’ to ‘Obama rips Bush on Iraq war at Richmond fundraiser' to 'Weary Obama criticizes Bush on Iraq, drastically overstates Kansas tornado death toll' to 'Obama drastically overstates Kansas tornado deaths during campaign appearance.' Drudge made it a banner, ensuring no reporter would miss it." politico.com, 5/9/07

[woolldog]

Professor Obama

Professor Cass Sunstein said. "We wanted him to join the faculty full-time at various different junctures. That's not a trivial fact. . . . If we want to hire someone, the faculty has to think they're tremendous. But he liked political life."


<snip>

Some Obama critics say because he had the title of "senior lecturer" he should not call himself "professor." U. of C. professors said Obama -- who practiced civil rights law for a time and stopped teaching in 2003 -- could have joined their ranks whenever he wanted.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/701490,CST-NWS-obamaprof18.article

[bigtree]

4. maybe we should make up some cartoons about it

and spam the forum, with ridicule of his misstatement about the professorship, as LIES

[woolldog]

6. Read the piece.

[bigtree]

7. I'm not impressed. He 'misspoke'.

By the standard of folks here, though, he LIED.

[woolldog]

11. you don't "misspeak" about having come under sniper fire

If it has never happened to you, you can't misspeak about it. You don't forget that you have never come under sniper fire. If you have, you know that. If you haven't you also know that.

If it never happened and you say it did, it's a flat out lie. It's not a matter one forgets about or is imprecise about.

[bigtree]

14. Good for you. You have an opinion and you expressed it well. I disagree.

She pulled back from her comments, and I'm satisfied with that, as I have been with Obama's tortured relationship with the truth, as demonstrated in this post.

[woolldog]

familiarize yourself with the defnition of professor

pro·fes·sor Listen to the pronunciation of professor
Pronunciation:
\prə-ˈfe-sər\
Function:
noun
Date:
14th century

1: one that professes, avows, or declares
2 a: a faculty member of the highest academic rank at an institution of higher education b: a teacher at a university, college, or sometimes secondary school c: one that teaches or professes special knowledge of an art, sport, or occupation requiring skill

[bigtree]

27. not convincing to me in the face of the minute criticisms of Hillary Clinton

but, you go ahead. I happen to believe that he 'misspoke', rather than having adopted the logic displayed here at DU that misstatements constitute outright LIES.

[woolldog]

47. Look, I'm not going to crucify her over this,

but she didn't "misspeak", at least not in the traditional sense that the word misspeak is used. She lied and fabricated. The idea of her dodging sniper fire and running to her car head down was invented out of whole cloth.

The two situations aren't comparable.

[bigtree]

52. folks have different opinions on this. Can't go to Wiki and cut and paste our view on this, can we?

Whole cloth would assume that she hadn't made the historic trip, characterized by the press at that time as the only such visit to a war zone by a First Lady since Eleanor Roosevelt's. In fact, a she had already written a reasonable account in her book which appeared to be jumbled into the statements she retracted. It was a clear misstatement, admitted by Clinton. But, of course, you're free to call it anything you want. As with Obama, these misstatements will inevitably be labeled as LIES by folks with a political axe to grind. Par for the trail.

[woolldog]

61. Calling it a mistatement implies, not that there was something wrong

with the substance of what she said, but that the substance was somehow inartfully conveyed. that there was a flaw in execution or process of speaking.

The problem however was with the substance of what she said. It in no way resembles the truth and that is hard to reconcile with the vivid detail in which she recounted the incident.

Perhaps if she had used a different word in her mea culpa, her apology would have gone over better. For example, "my recollection was way off." I think people would've cut her a lot of slack had she phrased it in that way.

[bigtree]

65. well, the objections to her statement seek to completely denigrate and dismiss her trip

as meaningless, risk-free, and free of substance.

Her statement describing one moment in her trip does not take away ANY of the historic nature of her visit, the focus she brought to plights of the residents there, or any of the efforts she made in support of our members of the military in the separation zone between the warring factions. I think that's what motivated this exaggerated focus, more than any concern over her account of the dangers she may have faced.

[TLM]

96. What???

"Whole cloth would assume that she hadn't made the historic trip,"


So according to that standard, The stories of Tom and Huck were true because the Mississippi river is real?

[LSK]

15. did he teach law or not????

:wtf:

[bigtree]

16. was he a professor, or not?

I've taught students at college level. Am I a professor?

[woolldog]

17. he wasn't teaching students at the college level

he was teaching students at the doctoral level (juris doctor).

[bigtree]

19. you mean his qualifications? They don't allow him to just assume a professorship

with every teaching assignment.

[woolldog]

24. qualifications?

He was offered a full-time professorship at the UChicago.

[bigtree]

28. yet, he never held that position

[woolldog]

44. when did he ever claim that he was a full-time or tenure track prof?

He didn't.

[bigtree]

54. He wasn't employed as a part-time professor either, no matter what he called himself

. . . or what the folks he taught called him. You obviously disagree. I hear that. I don't think that will change here . . . so,

[LSK]

18. well it just dawned on me that I have to take your word for it

That he called himself a professor. Can you show me where he said this?

[bigtree]

23. Hotline Blog, 4/9/07; Chicago Sun-Times, 8/8/04

[LSK]

25. ok

[EFerrari]

21. But since his own students probably called him "professor"

that would be silly.

[anamandujano]

82. If they do, he should correct them, not solidify it in his resume.

I met a police man in a grocery store. During a short conversation, I called him "officer." He corrected me.

[readmoreoften]

95. He shouldn't call himself a Prof. but its reasonable for his students to do so.

There are PRECIOUS FEW full professors in academia. It is unnecessary to tell students to call professors by their rank. Adjunct Professor, Lecturer, and Adjunct Instructor usually mean your living in a really competitive city like NY or you're really young or you're really fucked. I know adjuncts with more than 5 well-received published books who can't get health care in NYC. This has nothing to do with quality of work. It has to do with the neoliberal 'enterprise' university and bad labor laws. Students are not going to call to their teachers: Hi Lecturer Smith, Hello Assistant Professor Gonzales, Good to See you Associate Professor Carmichael...Howdy Adjunct Instructor Martinetti.

To say that you're a professor of Constitutional Law when you're a university lecturer is inaccurate for someone running for president, but it's pretty normal to call yourself a "professor" in any other context. It's what you do. It's what your students call you and it's what they should call you if they feel comfortable. I've worked in two departments at major universities where 100% of the faculty were adjuncts.

[mythyc]

85. what a crock of shit this line is:

"Some Obama critics say because he had the title of "senior lecturer" he should not call himself "professor."

As a career academic I can tell you I have met a 100% consensus at the 5 establishments of higher education I've taught at and the 6 I've attended among both Faculty and Staff, among Administration and colleagues, that if you hold a doctorate degree, such as a PhD, MD, ScD, EngD etc, then you may be called, nay deserve the title and distinction of 'professor.' Barack Obama earned his J.D. from Harvard, an advanced doctorate law degree, which automatically entitles him to be called professor by his colleagues, students, etc. Before harping on the point, there is a difference between the job title "Professor" (more often listed as "Associate Prof." or "Assistant Professor") and the job status "professor". The former is a tenured, lifetime educator whereas the latter is a non-tenured lecturer (any good dictionary will list both definitions as well). But as far as the use of the term "professor" goes, Obama earned it the moment he stepped into a classroom to teach as a Doctorate holder. Anyone who disputes this point is either ignorant or has a biased bone to pick. PERIOD.

[chascarrillo]

1. Yes, I know why you posted this.

Your candidate has lost and you're upset. Understandable.

[bigtree]

2. I wish that was your candidate's new slogan

voters LOVE to be taken for granted.

[Tellurian]

53. The Lamest excuse you've received in your Obama talking point's e-mail

Obama has gotten a FREE ride on all his Lies and misspeaks. You ought to know that and open your eyes ans see, Obama is a fraud and is a step down and an afront to the Founding Fathere and every other past president serving this country. (Bush and Cheney excluded, of course)

[anonymous171]

3. With respect, Obama isn't running on his "experience"

[bigtree]

5. no, he openly refers to the 'judgment' he demonstrated in his 2002 speech

which he neglected to act upon until he opposed Kerry's 2005 bill mandating immediate withdrawal from Iraq, saying, among other things, that we needed to stay there and defend the junta and fight 'terrorists'

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. legislatively BOTH have similar records

and numbers of bills passed (Two)

Neither of them is that experienced. (That does not mean either would be bad necessarily due to that... given US history)

And BOTH have done things that are questionable... though I know why you are posting this... today it is your candidate's turn to annoy a significant group of voters, which probably means in November, if she's the nominee I will hold my nose a little tighter, instead of it was Obama... though that is this week

Why those of us WHO ARE HONEST and truly have a horse in this game or love for either candidate

Truth be told I truly WISH NEITHER WAS THE POTENTIAL NOMINEE

that said, we will vote for either of them, since we really don't want McCain... but... I am not expecting the skies to open and hosannahs to ring to the ground, as the Democratic Nominee is sworn in/ Sorry, the 2006 house taught me that having the majority, or even the WH is no guarantee that ANYTHING will change. In fact, it is safer to assume that nothing substantial will change but that the dems are just slightly better for my economic interest.

Go ahead, keep saying I support the other one by the way... as you did in one thread

But if you are truly honest, you will realize this mess is hurting the chances OF THE PARTY in november.

[bigtree]

10. I respect your neutrality. I really did miss that.

The 'mess' is the responsibility of both candidates, but is probably inevitable given the lateness in which they scheduled the convention. I happen to think the party will be fine. We'll see.

[nadinbrzezinski]

26. The mess is the responsibility of the system

it was designed for one strong candidate

This year we had three... and now we are down to the two survivors...

That is why we have a mess

And the early primaries and two states doing no-nos

This year the system has been exposed for all its weaknesses

But given US History... the longer this goes on, the harder it will be for the resultant candidate to get going and actually win

That is history... and rarely do we see history fooled.

So if this goes to the convention, I fear we gave the WH to McCain... and at that point I will, (as I have now done) blame BOTH campaigns and the adults in the party

[bigtree]

29. and the prospect of the SDs is self-inflicted damage. What an anti-democratic construction.

[nadinbrzezinski]

33. Strictly speaking if the Supers follow the popular vote, as it stands

when the voting happens, then they followed a democratic system

If the convention chooses the one NOT with the majority, or as rumors have it, a perfect outsider to this mess... then yes you are talking a lack of purely democratic, by definition of the word, process

Demos People

Kratos, government.

Never mind that Athens was not democratic either.

But historically if we reach a brokered convention... kiss the GE goodbye. The last brokered convention where we won was 1932

That is WELL BEFORE MY TIME ON EARTH

This is why I HOPE this comes to an end, one way or the other, SOONER rather than later

[BumRushDaShow]

9. bigtree - I do not support your candidate nor your arguments against the one I am supporting...

However I must pause to say this - you are perhaps one of the most tenacious Clinton supporters to make arguments without going into the gutter with persistent name-calling, snarky and insulting comments, and other ugly discourse. You take a licking and keep on ticking.

So I will give you kudos for your persistence and attempts to keep it "above the belt" and my comment is genuine. :)

[bigtree]

13. I like Obama

Always have. And, I'm fiercely partisan, in favor of our Democratic party. Thanks for the nice comments for the political fool that I surely am. We're going to kick some republican ass in November . . . together.

[BumRushDaShow]

22. I do appreciate your civility!

:)

[October]

56. Wow, You made my day

I'm serious.

This is like the old DU I knew and loved.

Huzzah! for Bigtree, too.

(Like the avatar.)

[VolcanoJen]

75. I'll second that. And I'll add...

... that bigtree has posted some positive Obama threads, too. I can remember one really delightful one where he posted some great photos of Obama on the campaign trail.

There aren't too many of us Obama supporters who would've shown Clinton the same kind of graciousness.

[Saturday]

12. recommended nt

[democrattotheend]

20. If you are going to post stuff from HillaryHub, please source it as such

So people know this is coming from the Clinton campaign verbatim.

[bigtree]

30. I linked. I think criticisms like these are more meaningful if they come from the candidates

That way we can allow the candidates to defend their OWN constructions, rather than someone else's.

[democrattotheend]

31. Fair enough. But you should specify that it came from Hillary Hub

and not a neutral fact check site.

[bigtree]

38. I just forgot the link. Hillary Hub usually supportes their criticisms with outside references

as they did on this piece.

[1776Forever]

32. Reply - Get a grip - No one is perfect but Obama has a lot to be proud of!

As far as your statement:

Sen. Obama consistently and falsely claims that he was a law professor. The Sun-Times reported that, "Several direct-mail pieces issued for Obama's primary campaign said he was a law professor at the University of Chicago. He is not. He is a senior lecturer (now on leave) at the school. In academia, there is a vast difference between the two titles. Details matter." In academia, there's a significant difference: professors have tenure while lecturers do not. Hotline Blog, 4/9/07; Chicago Sun-Times, 8/8/04

............

Well why was he called a "part-time" professor/instructor in this article:

http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/701490,CST-NWS-obamaprof18.article

Law students gave Obama big thumbs-up

'I LOVED TEACHING' | Consistently rated one of top instructors at U. of C.
December 18, 2007

BY ABDON M. PALLASCH Political Reporter

White House hopeful Barack Obama could have given it all up for the gentler life of a law professor.

A Sun-Times review of student evaluations from Obama's 10 years of teaching part-time at the University of Chicago Law School shows that students almost always rated Obama as one of their top instructors -- except for one quarter in 1997.

............

As for this - He says he put IL on a "path" to universal coverage - I think he did. Sitting up a health care task force is how it is done on the State level!:

Sen. Obama said 'I passed a law that put Illinois on a path to universal coverage,' but Obama health care legislation merely set up a task force.

..........
As for the ethics bill it was certainly a good start! You have to give him that!

Feingold, Obama Push for Strongest Ethics and Lobbying Reform Bill Possible
Thursday, June 21, 2007

http://obama.senate.gov/press/070621-feingold_obama/

Architects of Ethics and Lobbying Reform Bill Urge Senate Leaders to Maintain Provisions That Will Lead to Real Change in Way Washington Works

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Russ Feingold (D-WI) and Barack Obama (D-IL) are pushing for Congress to produce the strongest ethics and lobby reform bill possible. Feingold and Obama are urging several Senate leaders, who will play important roles in the bill’s fate as the Senate prepares to negotiate the final bill with the House of Representatives, to include several key provisions that passed the Senate but were left out of the House version of the bill. Feingold and Obama were two of the main architects of the Senate bill which passed in January with broad bipartisan support. Senate Majority Leader Reid hailed the bill as one of the most significant pieces of legislation dealing with ethics and lobbying reform in our nation’s history. Also signing the letter were all of the freshmen Democratic Senators including Senators Brown (D-OH), Cardin (D-MD), Casey (D-PA), Klobuchar (D-MN), McCaskill (D-MO), Sanders (I-VT), Tester (D-MT), Webb (D-VA), and Whitehouse (D-RI), who made cleaning up Washington crucial parts of their successful campaigns.

“The public voted for change last November in part because people were sick and tired of the way Washington works,” Feingold said. “Without provisions like a strong lobbyist gift ban, and tough restrictions on privately funded travel and corporate jet flights, the bill won’t do enough to change the status quo in Washington.”

........

I don't think anything that you mentioned could be interpreted either way by only a few degrees, while Hillary goes way over the top with her "misspeaks". Get a grip!!!!

:nopity:

[bigtree]

35. Your camp needs to find a new tactic, lest your candidate has his own mispoken moment

. . . highlighting his campaign's hypocrisy in their criticisms of Clinton.

[1776Forever]

41. I still don't think Obama reaches Clinton's hypocrisy and height of "misspeaking!"!

:argh:

[bigtree]

43. maybe, but you are entitled to your own perspective on that

absent providing facts supporting your view.

[Taxmyth]

34. Rezko and Wright

2 reasons why Senator Obama won't be elected President. And even if he were his tenure would be damaged by the inevitable investigation(s) into his relationship and "bonehead" deals with Rezko.

Knock Senator Clinton out of the picture and the focus switches to Obama and Rezko

When a Presidential Candidates name comes out several times in an ongoing trial involving fraud and corruption it's time to step back and re-evaluate election strategies.

[bigtree]

36. Our party will aggressively defend him on both Wright and Rezko

against the clear abomination of a McCain candidacy.

[chascarrillo]

45. Why not defend him now?

Otherwise, you could get labeled a hypocrite.

[bigtree]

60. I've defended him on Wright, repeatedly.

Rezko can be easily defended against the associations of McCain, who struggled to explain his own financial scandal during his time in the Senate. Against Sen. Clinton, Rezko is a marker for every attempt by his camp to denigrate Clinton for her associations. Other than that, it's just politics as usual, something these three pols are quite familiar with.

[Taxmyth]

67. I have no doubt about that, especially with Wright

But if there is the slightest hint of anything unsavory with Rezko then all bets are off.

[bigtree]

71. Meh. Against McCain? I really don't have any respect for his prospects

But, I guess, we'll see.

[Taxmyth]

77. The thing about

McCain is that he's seen as a moderate Republican and not one of the hard core Neo-Cons. Yes, he has embraced some of the more ugly actions of the Bush Administration like the Iraq invasion but overall he's seen as a centrist rather than a Right Wing problem creator. If Republicans wanted Democratic Party voters to cross over then McCain was the perfect candidate for them to put up. I don't think I could vote for him but I have heard other, supposedly Democratic leaning voters, saying that they could and they would.

[bigtree]

78. not after we get through with him

'not this time' . . . lol

[anamandujano]

84. There could be a good deal that is indefensible.

[bigtree]

89. we'll force the debate onto McCain and his obvious deficiencies

and his full embrace of the tyrant Bush.

[ProSense]

37. This is regurgitated debunked nonsense from Hillary's campaign to shift focus from her lies!

This is from a Hillary campaign's memo citing their old (and lame) claims against Obama which have been debunked and discredited:

Professor Obama and Me

Professor Obama was a listener, students say

Hillary's use of ties to Exelon to disingenuously attack Obama's nuclear plant bill (which she even falsely claims to have helped him introduce; she didn't sign on as a co-sponsor until 12 days later):

Washington, DC – Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) applauded the approval today by a key Senate committee of legislation to require nuclear plant operators to quickly notify the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the state and county in which the plant is located, of any leak of radioactive substances, such as the releases from the spent fuel pools at Indian Point that occurred last August. Senator Clinton joined Senator Obama in bringing the legislation to the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, where it was unanimously approved today.

“Local officials need to know when radioactive materials are leaked from any of New York's nuclear power plants, including Indian Point,” said Senator Clinton. “This important legislation will ensure prompt notification of any future leaks, and I will be working hard to move it through the full Senate.”

link

They're still pushing the debunked lobbyists claim, although she gets even more money from lobbyist than McCain and is proud of it (video).

Meet Janice Enright, Hillary’s Lobbyist Friend and Fundraiser

Fact Check On Washington Post's Inaccurate Depiction of Obama's Role in Immigration Reform

Rezko is on trial. His problems have nothing to do with Obama.




edited to remove double entry.

[babylonsister]

39. Thanks, Pro, for the truth. It's hard for the OP to admit to it. nt

[bigtree]

40. everyone has an opinion

good for you both for expressing your own. (you and Ignored)

[anamandujano]

83. That's funny. They are "you and ignored" to me also.

[UALRBSofL]

42. Fact checking both candidates will show both made false statements.

I'm making a list right now but I haven't finished. I also look for videos supporting the false statements. Anyway, Obama stating he was a professor is accurate. Obama is a Juris Doctorate and he taught at a Law School. He may have been hired for a temporary position as a lecturer or instructor but he still held the title of Professor. He was considered as an adjunct faculty member. I'm not an Obama supporter at all but on this issue he is factual. I looked it up but my partner confirmed it as well and he starts law
school in august. He sat in a few classes where he will be attending, a couple times and one of the Professors was an adjunct faculty member whom was a new graduate from a law school teaching for a few months.

[ProSense]

50. Deal with reality:

This is not the same as Hillary's charge against Obama that he referred to himself as a professor

[TTUBatfan2008]

46. McCain...

I'd rather see the Dems hammer McCain on his campaign finance lies and flip-flopping. The dude pretends to be honorable and promises his donors he won't sell their information to a 3rd party, then turns around and uses his email list as collateral for a loan because his campaign was in danger of going bye-bye in fall '07. Plus, he agreed to public finance and has already spent more than he was supposed to. He was only allowed to spend $54 million but he's already spent $58 million. It's too bad the FEC can't get their act together and fill their empty commission seats so that they can investigate both of these fraudulent actions by McCain's campaign.

[DrFunkenstein]

48. Obama Didn't Release an Ad Suggesting He Would Not Let Your Children Die in Their Sleep

Unlike that pinko, Obama.

[bigtree]

55. good for him

[JimGinPA]

49. Do You Really Want To Argue "Relationship To The Truth" While Supporting The Clintons?

Really?

[bigtree]

57. Yup. I'll go all day comparing 'misstatements' between the two

this is just the Clinton campaign's list

[JimGinPA]

62. She Has 35 Years Of Experience Of Lying

Which is in itself a lie.

[bigtree]

66. there, you've demonstrated the absurdity of these political attacks.

Hillary Clinton is certainly not alone in inflating her resume in this campaign, or in misrepresenting her record. Sen. Obama has been challenged to make up for the deficit of similar life experiences, compared to Clinton's. Holding up his 'community organizing' as a qualification for the highest office in the land comes to mind.

[MadHound]

51. Being in academia right now, let me address your first point

Obama could indeed have been a professor, especially if he was listed as a senior lecturer. The title professor has several degrees involved, including senior lecturer, adjunct, associate, assistant and full professor. Not all of these titles, while falling into the larger group known as professor, are entitled to tenure, yet all are referred to as professor. Furthermore, it is common courtesy, and common practice, to bestow the title of professor upon anybody who is teaching an academic class. Apparently Mr. Singer's familiarity with academia is tenuous at best.

[bigtree]

70. My uncle used to call my dad 'professor' because of his degree

. . . didn't mean he was employed as one though. Not a big deal, but an exaggeration, nonetheless, I think.

[MadHound]

74. A suggestion for you then,

Since you don't seem to want to believe anybody contradicting your POV(even though I have experience in the field). Go down to your local college or university and make your inquiry there. Or ask a friend who is in academia, if you have one. While there may be minor differences from institution to institution, the fact of the matter remains that Singer was once again talking out his ass.

[bigtree]

76. you can't obliterate the point of the OP by singling out the one criticism

and, this is just the campaign's representation of Obama's 'misstatements'.

Don't get comfortable believing there aren't (or won't be in the future) other examples.

[MadHound]

79. I'm not trying to "obliterate the point of the OP".

I'm simply pointing out that this particular point, Singer's spreading bullshit about Obama correctly calling himself a professor, is utterly ridiculous, and a complete lie by Singer. I am speaking to what I know, which is more than what Hillary's staff members are doing, as attested to by Singer's garbage statement.

As far as the rest goes, perhaps I will take the time later to debunk it, perhaps not. But since the first point in your little screed is patently false, it wouldn't surprise me if the rest doesn't follow the same pattern.

[bigtree]

88. that's just a cop-out which reflects on your summary dismissal of the one point

Again, Obama isn't immune from 'misstatements' which, by the standards set by your candidate's supporters here, would be regarded as LIES. That's obvious to everyone except for myopic partisans.

[anamandujano]

80. Another very important one. Emil Jones gave Obama his whole

resume, including the landmark racial profiling and videotaped confession legislation that everyone likes to brag about.

The white, race-baiting, hard-right Republican Illinois Senate Majority Leader James "Pate" Philip was replaced by Emil Jones Jr., a gravel-voiced, dark-skinned African-American known for chain-smoking cigarettes on the Senate floor.

Jones had served in the Illinois Legislature for three decades. He represented a district on the Chicago South Side not far from Obama's. He became Obama's ­kingmaker.

snip

Jones appointed Obama sponsor of virtually every high-profile piece of legislation, angering many rank-and-file state legislators who had more seniority than Obama and had spent years championing the bills.

"I took all the beatings and insults and endured all the racist comments over the years from nasty Republican committee chairmen," State Senator Rickey Hendon, the original sponsor of landmark racial profiling and videotaped confession legislation yanked away by Jones and given to Obama, complained to me at the time. "Barack didn't have to endure any of it, yet, in the end, he got all the credit.

"I don't consider it bill jacking," Hendon told me. "But no one wants to carry the ball 99 yards all the way to the one-yard line, and then give it to the halfback who gets all the credit and the stats in the record book."

http://dallasobserver.com/2008-02-28/news/obama-and-me/2

[bobbert]

58. When every other reply to your topic is your own, it's time for a *plonk*

funny how there's not many people defending you

[bigtree]

63. I really can't blame folks for shrinking away from this garbage back and forth

. . . but, you go ahead and make sticking around to defend my own post something pernicious instead of the rare virtue it actually is here at DU.

[anamandujano]

81. I just got here.

[Life Long Dem]

59. Seemed to exaggerate, could have, might haves don't cut it

Guy if your going to accuse someone of something back the shit up with evidence.

Like a video showing no such sniper terrorist attack on Hillary. That my friend is evidence. Ok?

[bigtree]

64. and she has backed off of her statements, which were at odds with her earlier recollections.

She misspoke and owned up to it. If you really want to posture as if your pol has been straightforward and truthful all throughout his campaign and career, and you are clearly comfortable in your zone of denial, there's really nothing ANYONE can say or do to rescue you from all of that.

[Life Long Dem]

68. Read my signature

[bigtree]

72. cute. still, your opinion. enjoy it. you own it.

[Mezzo]

69. and all of that while dodging sniper fire. wow. nt

[bigtree]

73. that's just boring. Not as much impact as you might think. Watch the news tonight?

Hmm?

[mythyc]

86. you're so full of it bigtree... you & the pundits you try to pass off as legit "sources"

Reposing my reply from above lest anyone miss it, especially the ass of an OP.

....

"Some Obama critics say because he had the title of "senior lecturer" he should not call himself "professor."

As a career academic I can tell you I have met a 100% consensus at the 5 establishments of higher education I've taught at and the 6 I've attended among both Faculty and Staff, among Administration and colleagues, that if you hold a doctorate degree, such as a PhD, MD, ScD, EngD etc, then you may be called, nay deserve the title and distinction of 'professor.' Barack Obama earned his J.D. from Harvard, an advanced doctorate law degree, which automatically entitles him to be called professor by his colleagues, students, etc. Before harping on the point, there is a difference between the job title "Professor" (more often listed as "Associate Prof." or "Assistant Professor") and the job status "professor". The former is a tenured, lifetime educator whereas the latter is a non-tenured lecturer (any good dictionary will list both definitions as well). But as far as the use of the term "professor" goes, Obama earned it the moment he stepped into a classroom to teach as a Doctorate holder. Anyone who disputes this point is either ignorant or has a biased bone to pick. PERIOD. nitpicking like this comprises not simply a lightweight facile attempt to trumpet cogency into that flat balloon of a whimper you call an argument, but it's also one of the most pitiful and desperate fallacies of them all. I pity you. Soon you're candidate will be out of the picture and you'll have to find a new meaning for your life :eyes:. Actually I'm looking forward to seeing what turn your posts take when Obama secures the nomination and this kind of idiocy gets banned from DU.

I don't give a fuck what you write in your reply. We all know it will be one of those redundant reductive reactionary puff of self-aggrandizing megalomaniacal flatulence that so singularly characterizes the candidate you're attempting to vindicate but in reality are only further vilifying. I get a kick out of it, the only reason I don't have you on ignore.

lay it on me :popcorn:

[bigtree]

91. so you disagree with that one point. That doesn't make your candidate immune

. . . from 'misstatements' which, by your candidate's supporters' standards here, would be labeled as out right LIES. I don't need this list as a guide, I have my own.

And all of the personal attacks against me in your post are pathetic. Very mature. Don't bother to answer back. 'Ignored' has no opinion that I can discern.

[mythyc]

93. The DELICIOUS irony here

is that the OP has for the first time in my knowledge, conceded a point, which in his history = :nuke:

yet, ironically, he'll never register my shock and awe at this cataclysmic event ---> :applause:

in other words: like I give a fuck whether you pressed the almighty fearful ignore button. i know this tacit admittance is a fluke, a rara avis, a once in a lifetime event, after which my main interests in reading his posts are (1) to point out the cosmic hypocricy and fallacy of their thinking and (2) :popcorn:

...

oh yes, one more point, "outright" is one word, not two. Oh hell, two points: "immune" takes the preposition "to", not "from" ;)

[Name removed]

87. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[bigtree]

92. You feel comfortable calling DUers 'freepers'?

I don't think you should be comfortable in that. Let's see if the mods think it's proper here.

Oh, and, you are so ignored.

[charakter]

90. Great article

I will never forget that NAFTA lie, even though there was a memo proving Obama's adviser had assured the Canadian official tha Obama's anti-NAFTA words were well, just words. Meanwhile, accusations that Clinton had done the same were denied by the Canadian MP and were only founded on unsubstantiated hearsay from a canadian newspaper that did not present proof but only a rumor.

[BigBearJohn]

94. Battle hymn of the Primary

Verse
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of Barack:
He is trampling Hillary Clinton and her vote for war in Iraq;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword:
His truth is marching on.
Chorus
Glory! Glory Barack Obama!
Glory! Glory Barack Obama!
Glory! Glory Barack Obama!
His truth is marching on.
Verse
I have seen Him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling posts,
The MSM has builded Him and alter in the evening dews and damps;
I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and evening news…
His day is marching on.

Chorus
Glory! Glory Barack Obama!
Glory! Glory Barack Obama!
Glory! Glory Barack Obama!
His truth is marching on.

Verse
I have read a fiery gospel writ in burnished rows of steel:
"As ye deal with my contemners, so with you my grace shall deal;
Let the Hero born of woman crush the serpent with his heel,
Since Obama’s marching on.
Verse
He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat;
He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgement seat:
Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer Him! be jubilant, my feet!
Obama is marching on.
Verse
In the beauty of the lillies Barack was born across the sea,
With a glory in his bosom that transfigures you and me:
As he runs to make men holy, let us die to make men free,
While Barack is marching on.