Media don't challenge false claim that Obama vacationed on a "private beach in Hawaii"
SUMMARY: Several media outlets have uncritically reported the false charge by Sen. John McCain's campaign that Sen. Barack Obama "just got back from vacation on a private beach in Hawaii." In fact, according to the Hawaii Department of Land and Resources, all beaches in Hawaii are public.
Several media outlets, including The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, the Chicago Tribune, The Boston Globe, the Associated Press, and McClatchy Newspapers, have uncritically reported the false charge by Sen. John McCain's campaign that Sen. Barack Obama "just got back from vacation on a private beach in Hawaii," which the McCain campaign made in response to an Obama ad highlighting McCain's reported inability to answer the question, "How many houses do you and Mrs. McCain have?" NBC News correspondent Lee Cowan simply omitted the false claim from his report without noting that the McCain campaign had made it.
In fact, according to a document put out by the Hawaii Department of Land and Resources, all beaches in Hawaii are public: "The public has a right of access to and along all beaches and shorelines in the State situated below the 'upper reaches of the wash of the waves.' "
During the August 21 broadcast of NBC's Nightly News, Cowan included portions of the McCain campaign response, but edited out -- with no explanation -- McCain's falsehood about Obama vacationing on a "private beach in Hawaii." Cowan reported that a McCain spokesman said: "Does a guy who made more than $4 million last year and bought his $1 million mansion with the help of a convicted felon really want to get into a debate about houses?" During Cowan's report, which also aired on MSNBC's Verdict with Dan Abrams, on-screen text displayed the McCain response with an ellipsis in place of the falsehood "just got back from vacation on a private beach in Hawaii."
By contrast to these media outlets, an August 22 Los Angeles Times article reported McCain's charge, but added that "[h]e [Obama] and his family stayed at a friend's home last week in Hawaii, where beaches, in fact, are all public."
From the August 21 broadcast of NBC's Nightly News with Brian Williams:
COWAN: For Barack Obama today in Virginia, it was all too good to resist.
OBAMA [video clip]: If you don't know how many houses you have, then it's not surprising that you might think the economy was fundamentally strong. But if you're like me and you got one house, or you were like the millions of people who are struggling right now to keep up with their mortgage so they don't lose their home, you might have a different perspective.
COWAN: His staff jumped into action, too, releasing a hurriedly produced TV entitled "Seven," criticizing McCain as an elitist.
NARRATOR [video clip of Obama campaign ad]: And here's one house American can't afford to let John McCain move into.
COWAN: A McCain spokesman shot back in a statement, saying, quote, "Does a guy who made more than $4 million last year and bought his $1 million mansion with the help of a convicted felon really want to get into a debate about houses?"
I'm confused. Isn't that what conservatives claim we should all aspire to? I find it interesting that conservatives consistently deride the people who actually embody the principles conservatives claim to hold.
...$4M yearly income and a $1.6M mansion, right?
A mere pittance to the former POW, John McCain, and Cindy McCain, the wife of the former POW.
You use the "Former POW" phrase to an extreme on here, in most of what you post lately
I beg to differ...I am simply following the example of the former POW, John McCain, who believes there is no such thing as pointing out his former POW status too often. But, of course, as a former POW John McCain doesn't like to talk about it. He just likes pandering for votes, my friend...
if he made it, it's income. I can see why dems can claim a tax cut to the people they want to tax to death with that logic.
But Johnnie Mac is a POW, so I guess you could say he deserves his status.
*nudge*
"Does a guy who made more than $4 million last year and bought his $1 million mansion with the help of a convicted felon really want to get into a debate about houses?"
Answer: "Yes"
Can't have a former and a present jackass like maybe, you!!! I am the POW around here and I will follow that other POW John McCain and introduce my POW status everytime someone proves I am wrong.
Will you agree that a yearly salary means you get that ever year? Can't say it any slower. And really, if he did make 4 mil a year, why would he take this cut in pay? Ego or dedication to his country?
To stay on topic, Rush said that he was on a private beach marked "Blacks Only"......I lied..but Rush may have thought that.
Perhaps you should take your complaint up with the former POW John McCain who is running for president as a former POW. In fact, John McCain, the former POW, has not only used his status as a former POW to excuse every single infidelity, campaign gaffe and outright lie as being excuseable because he's a former POW, he's used his status as a former POW to spend his etire inside the beltway career running as a former POW. But what did you expect from a self serving egotist who's entire career can be summed up by the excuse that he's a former POW? So Dee, if you don't like hearing over and over that McCain, the former POW uses the label "former POW" like it's crack in a candy store, I suggest you call the former POW's office and tell McCain, the former POW, to stop abusing his status as a former POW for political cover-up. Because being a former POW has nothing to do with his shady life, poor memory and highly suspect lobbying for the country of Georgia.
As a former prisoner of war John McCain favors air strikes on the "private" beach where Barack Obama and his family were vacationing. McCain, the former POW, was quoted as saying that Obama "should stay in America next time and not go vacationing in some foreign country."
Even though he vacationed in a foreign country once......FOR FIVE AND A HALF YEARS!
most areas have the same rules. the high tide mark is public access. above the mark is private, unless it's public property. but the question is so what? if you go to a hotel on the beach, that's a "private beach". this is a pretty weak argument by the mccain camp. nitpicking at it's height.
I talked to a friend of mine who lives in Manoa Valley and he said Obama presented NO problems wherever he went. When he went body surfing at Sandy Beach (I've been there and it's the best) no one was prevented from body surfing with him. Granted they were very carefully watched by Roger said he was more than welcome back anytime.
The locals love him.
BY the way what is with this four mil A YEAR income? I was under the impression that was just for the last year due to book sales NOT sucking off of his wife's alcohol money.
I guess IF the 527's REALLY wanted to get nasty they could go after the beer dealership and how many people have died as a result of her family's death merchant status selling alcohol which causes fatal accidents and overdoses?
IF they really wanted to show how low they could go.
But claiming they are attacking Cindy because John is just...what...a gigolo?
I think I mentioned this already in a post here, but the McCain camp's response to Obama's ad about Grampy not knowing how many houses he had was hilarious.They lashed out with the Hawaiian vacation and arugala to portray Obama as the elite-ier.
I know very solid blue-collar workers who have saved up and vacationed in Hawaii. I know middle-class and working -class people who have not only ordered something with arugula in a restaurant, but have served it to me in their homes.
I don't know anybody personally who can't tell me how many homes they own. I guess I hang out with a bunch of loser super-elitists.
And vacationing in Hawai'i is not exotic or elitist. Hell, I went to Hawai'i when I was in college for Spring Break. I, wasn't rich, by any stretch. But you know, I worked a crappy job, saved some money, and got to go on a nice trip. Same holds true for other folks around the country.
Great point Col!
My mom is a part-time dental hygentist and some friends and her saved up money and spent a week in Hawaii. Guess my Mom is a super elitist!