http://mediamatters.org/tools/syndication/tag_rss/the_politico This link is for use by RSS-enabled software to retrieve Media Matters items matching the term: The Politico en-US Copyright 2008, Media Matters for America http://mediamatters.org/items/200807030011 In a <em>Politico</em> op-ed, <em>The New Republic</em>'s James Kirchick cited Wesley Clark's comments about Sen. John McCain on CBS' <em><em>Face the Nation </em></em>as part of a "pattern of attacks meant to insinuate that McCain's Vietnam experience not only shouldn't count as meaningful 'experience,' but rendered him psychologically unfit for presidential office." In fact, Clark did not "attack[]" McCain's Vietnam experience or suggest that it "rendered him psychologically unfit for presidential office." Kirchick also asserted that "one would be foolish not to at least consider the possibility they [the "attacks"] were coordinated by the Obama campaign." But Clark has been saying for months that McCain's military service alone does not make him qualified to be president, including while he was speaking on behalf of Sen. Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign. http://mediamatters.org/items/200807030011 Thu, 3 Jul 2008 19:08:23 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200807010009 The <em>Politico</em> falsely claimed that "[a] Democratic bill that would have blocked a 10.6 percent cut in Medicare payments to doctors fell just one vote short of the 60 it needed for passage Thursday." In fact, the vote in question was a cloture vote, which required a supermajority of 60 votes to overcome a Republican filibuster of a motion to proceed to consideration of the bill. The bill itself would have required a simple majority to pass. http://mediamatters.org/items/200807010009 Tue, 1 Jul 2008 19:15:37 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200806230004 Jonathan Martin uncritically quoted Regnery Publishing president Marjory Ross saying of Sen. Barack Obama, "He's the No. 1 most liberal member of the U.S. Senate, and nobody has really examined his record." Ross was apparently referring to the <em>National Journal</em>'s 2007 Vote Ratings. Martin did not cite any criticism of the study's subjectivity -- including criticism by Obama during a February interview with <em>Politico -- </em>or note that a more comprehensive study reached a different result. http://mediamatters.org/items/200806230004 Mon, 23 Jun 2008 15:54:25 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200806200010 The <em>Politico</em>'s Ben Smith reported that Sen. Barack Obama "has complained that [Sen. John] McCain said he couldn't control attack ads from outside groups -- though the only outside attack ads to run this cycle have been financed by Obama allies and directed at McCain." In fact, the Vets for Freedom political action committee launched two Internet ads in May attacking Obama over issues related to the Iraq war, and the independent group Freedom's Watch ran television ads attacking Obama and two Democratic congressional candidates. http://mediamatters.org/items/200806200010 Fri, 20 Jun 2008 19:35:45 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200806190003 In a blog post, the <em>Politico</em>'s Ben Smith asserted that "well-funded attacks from independent groups on behalf of [Sen.] John McCain" have "so far [been] absent" during the presidential campaign. However, the Vets for Freedom political action committee has run television ads attacking Sen. Barack Obama over issues related to the Iraq war, and independent group Freedom's Watch has put out ads attacking Obama over tax and health care issues. http://mediamatters.org/items/200806190003 Thu, 19 Jun 2008 13:28:56 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200806100012 <em>The New York Post </em>reported CNBC host Maria Bartiromo's assertion that Sen. Barack Obama would "take the capital gains tax at 15 percent right now all the way up to 25 to 28 percent." The <em>Post</em> further quoted Bartiromo: "Sell anything, like a home or stocks, and make a profit ... [almost] 30 percent of the profit will go to the government instead of 15' " [brackets in original]. But Bartiromo's suggestion that the entire profit on the sale of a house is always subject to tax is false; single homeowners can exempt up to $250,000 in gains realized from the sale of an owner-occupied home from capital gains taxes, and married homeowners can in most cases exempt up to $500,000. <em>Politico</em>'s Mike Allen uncritically reprinted the <em>Post </em>report of Bartiromo's comments in its entirety. http://mediamatters.org/items/200806100012 Tue, 10 Jun 2008 16:52:37 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200806050001 Ignoring its own interview with Sen. Barack Obama in which he criticized the <em>National Journal </em>study, the <em>Politico</em> uncritically reported Sen. John McCain's claim that Obama has the "most liberal voting record," without citing any criticism of the study or noting that the ranking was based on subjectively selected votes. http://mediamatters.org/items/200806050001 Thu, 5 Jun 2008 11:41:13 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200805220010 The <em>Politico</em> stated that Sen. Barack Obama is "blaming Republicans for the smears" about his religion, patriotism, and citizenship "even though they have not been traced back to GOP sources." In fact, there have been numerous instances in which Republicans, including on Sen. John McCain's own staff, have promulgated or promoted these smears, some of which the <em>Politico</em> itself reported on. http://mediamatters.org/items/200805220010 Thu, 22 May 2008 19:09:58 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200804300005 Reporting on advertising buys by the National Republican Congressional Committee "and GOP allies," the <em>Politico</em>'s Josh Kraushaar cited an ad that refers to Sen. Barack Obama's "ranking by National Journal as having 'the most liberal voting record in the U.S. Senate.' " But Kraushaar did not mention that a respected, comprehensive vote study contradicts the <em>National Journal</em>'s ratings, which were based on "99 key Senate votes" selected by <em>Journal</em> staff members. http://mediamatters.org/items/200804300005 Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:59:40 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200804300002 In writing that Rev. Jeremiah Wright "made it legitimate" to use Sen. Barack Obama's middle name, the <em>Politico</em>'s Roger Simon selectively quoted Wright saying at an NAACP dinner, "Please run and tell my stuck-on-stupid friends that Arabic is a language; it's not a religion. Barack Hussein Obama. Barack Hussein Obama. Barack Hussein Obama." Simon omitted the portion of Wright's remarks that immediately followed the part he quoted, in which Wright appeared to criticize those who use Obama's middle name. http://mediamatters.org/items/200804300002 Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:53:25 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200804290002 Reporting on a speech by Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr., Sen. Barack Obama's former pastor,<em> Politico</em>'s Mike Allen misrepresented Obama's April 16 debate response on "disown[ing]" Wright's controversial remarks by writing, "Obama referred to Wright as 'somebody who is associated with me that I have disowned,' then clarified that to say he had disowned the comments." Allen left out the first part of Obama's sentence: "[T]he notion that somehow that the American people are going to be distracted once again by comments not made by me but somebody who is associated with me that I have disowned, I think doesn't give the American people enough credit." http://mediamatters.org/items/200804290002 Tue, 29 Apr 2008 13:33:53 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200804100009 <em>Politico </em>senior political writer Jonathan Martin reported on Republican National Committee "[i]nternal polling data" showing Sen. John McCain "with a solid lead over both his potential general election rivals," but Martin did not report -- nor did he give any indication that he had sought -- any additional information about the RNC's data, or provide any justification for treating the results of an internal partisan poll as newsworthy. http://mediamatters.org/items/200804100009 Thu, 10 Apr 2008 20:39:50 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200804100007 Writing about Sen. John McCain's chances of winning California in the general election, <em>Politico</em> chief political columnist Roger Simon asserted that McCain "is, broadly speaking, in the same mold as California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger." But Simon did not mention the differences between Schwarzenegger and McCain on two key issues: a timetable for U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq and universal health care. http://mediamatters.org/items/200804100007 Thu, 10 Apr 2008 18:48:33 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200803260008 <em>Politico</em>'s Mike Allen wrote, "It looks like Senator [John] McCain will resist pandering when he speaks later today on the housing crisis." Allen cited prepared remarks in which McCain said: "Let's start with some straight talk. I will not play election year politics with the housing crisis," and claimed that he has "always been committed to the principle that it is not the duty of government to bail out and reward those who act irresponsibly, whether they are big banks or small borrowers." But Allen has yet to note that McCain said he does not think the Federal Reserve acted improperly by extending a $30 billion line of credit to facilitate the acquisition of the near-bankrupt investment bank Bear Stearns by JP Morgan Chase. http://mediamatters.org/items/200803260008 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 18:54:26 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200803200004 Several media figures have falsely claimed that Sen. Barack Obama contradicted previous statements when he said during a March 18 speech on race: "Did I ever hear him [Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Obama's former pastor] make remarks that could be considered controversial while I sat in the church? Yes." In fact, Obama previously asserted he had not been present for particular statements Wright made that were repeated by various media outlets and that spurred the recent controversy. He did not claim to have never heard Wright make "remarks that could be considered controversial." http://mediamatters.org/items/200803200004 Thu, 20 Mar 2008 15:42:33 EST