Lowlights of media reports and commentary from the 2006 election season

Many of the falsehoods, dubious claims, and other media misinformation that Colorado Media Matters has identified since its launch in July have revolved around the November 7 election. Colorado Media Matters has compiled some notable examples, in no particular order, of conservative misinformation from the Colorado media during the election season.

Caldara delivers a smear and a falsehood on Colorado Public Television

AP repeated false claim -- attributed to O'Donnell -- that Social Security could go “bankrupt” by 2018

Rocky, AP uncritically reported O'Donnell's claims that he took CBS4's Panama trip to solicit contributions for state media campaign

UPDATE: CBS4 still silent on O'Donnell trip reportedly given by CBS4 and paid for by CBS network

Despite poll showing Ritter 22 points ahead, Coloradoan reported “recent polls suggest” Beauprez “could be” closing in

Fox 31 lets GOP off on “agricultural trespass,” misleads on Ritter's record

AP uncritically repeated Beauprez's false claim that Ritter said he would include “Down syndrome” as exception to abortion ban

CBS4 “Reality Check” omitted key aspects of Perlmutter's Iraq plan

Rocky uncritically repeated Romney's suggestion that Beauprez is “not tied to any special interest”

Gazette reported that Ritter plea bargains for illegal immigrants “help[ed] them avoid deportation” -- but omitted Ritter's argument that they didn't

Rocky's Blake claimed Ritter “hasn't yet refuted” charge that “he gave illegal aliens a break” -- but omitted Ritter's response to that charge

AP claims "[r]ecent polls have shown" Beauprez “gaining some ground”

Rocky: Democratic “political preening ... largely unanswered by Republicans who say they're too busy getting out the vote”

Gazette runs weekly column by Republican secretary of state candidate, but no column by Democratic opponent

Rocky, others misleadingly attributed O'Donnell's “personal lockbox” proposal to Gore

Post uncritically reported Bush's suggestion that without a GOP Congress, “parents will pay $500 more per child”

In endorsing Tipton, Sentinel misrepresented Salazar staffer's criticism of Tancredo's attacks on Islam

Post suggested support for same-sex marriage ban is “pro-marriage”

Post's Knight distorted governors' arguments against judicial term limits

Pro-Amendment 43 op-ed in Chieftain misleadingly suggested “mountains of social science data support” the claim that children of gay parents are disadvantaged

Caldara repeated dubious claim that Beauprez “really helped” extradite Gomez-Garcia

“Gunny” Bob: “Radical liberals” want Coloradans to “vote against” tax break for disabled veterans because “they hate the military”

On Colorado Inside Out, Kopel used plea bargains to claim that, as Denver DA, Ritter “in effect” ran a “sanctuary city”

Dobson vs. Dobson: Moments after saying liberals “despise this country and its freedoms,” he claimed Focus on the Family is “not political”