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The End of Facts
Wednesday, September 10th, 2008One of the more depressing articles about the state of political discourse in America.
And, alas, dead-on.
9 Responses to “The End of Facts”
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Actually, I didn’t find the article surprising or particularly depressing.
For sure, it would be great if the campaigns tried to be factual and didn’t work to distort facts to suit their ends. But, veracity isn’t’ really their business.
My default assumption is not that the facts as given in a campaign ad or a press release are true and presented in a non-deceptive context. Why would I? That would be as silly as assuming that buying the sleek new sports car is going to get me the hot girl in the ad. Frankly, I tend to be pretty skeptical about many hard news claims in newspapers. There is no way I’d assign much credibility to a campaign’s spin doctor.
I think the article points out what I would have expected. And, to my view, the real value of the various fact watchdogs isn’t that the campaigns will straighten up and fly right. It’s that there are more resources available for people like Radley (and me and any other media consumer) to use when making a determination about something a politician or one of his surrogates says.
That was a good article, though, actually, I didn’t find it surprising or particularly depressing.
For sure, it would be great if the campaigns tried to be factual and didn’t work to distort facts to suit their ends. But, veracity isn’t’ really their business.
My default assumption is not that the facts as given in a campaign ad or a press release are true and presented in a non-deceptive context. Why would I? That would be as silly as assuming that buying the sleek new sports car is going to get me the hot girl in the ad. Frankly, I tend to be pretty skeptical about many hard news claims in newspapers. There is no way I’d assign much credibility to a campaign’s spin doctor.
I think the article points out what I would have expected. And, to my view, the real value of the various fact watchdogs isn’t that the campaigns will straighten up and fly right. It’s that there are more resources available for people like Radley (and me and any other media consumer) to use when making a determination about something a politician or one of his surrogates says.
While I certainly agree with the point of the article, I think the McCain camp is right about Obama’s lipstick comment. Watching the clip, it seems very plausible that Obama meant it as a joke targeted towards Palin, and, judging by the response he got, the crowd thought he was making a joke.
Facts are simple and facts are straight.
Facts are lazy and facts are late.
Facts all come with points of view.
Facts don’t do what I want them to.
Facts just twist the truth around.
Facts are living turned inside out.
–Talking Heads, “Crosseyed and Painless”
“Lipstick on a pig” is a joke in itself. I don’t know why it seems plausible to anyone that it was aimed at Palin.
“When the facts are on your side, pound the facts. When the law is on your side, pound the law. And when neither are on your side, pound on the table.”
Did anyone notice that McCain was the only one not correcting their ads after the fact checkers proved they were wrong? According to the article, Obama adjusted two of his claims while McCain just flat ignored them.
Nando, you’re right. The piece seems intent on proving its own conclusion.
#4 Andrew Williams:
I was trying to remember Byrne’s “facts rap” from that song after I read the story but you beat me to it. It is most appropriate. Good thinking.
The facts,all the facts, and nothing but the facts. Thus, facts are the truth. History is bunk, beacause of facts.