REALITY CHECK: Ad zeros in on 'nos'; no credit for 'yeses'
By Raj Chohan, CBS4 NEWS
Published October 31, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.
Updated October 31, 2008 at 12:23 a.m.
There's a strange new ad attacking Democratic Senate candidate Mark Udall. This one Photoshops Udall's face over a guy who is marching and swinging his arms back and forth in exaggerated cadence. This one comes from the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
Ad: Left, left, left-left-left: Boulder liberal Mark Udall voted against funding for troops in the battlefield . . .
The claim is true regarding the vote cited in the ad. Udall voted against a defense appropriations bill in December 2005. He says he voted against that measure because Republicans had slipped in a provision that would have opened up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for drilling, something Udall opposes.
In fact, as a member of the House Armed Services Committee, Udall has cast numerous votes to fund the troops.
Ad: . . . against body armor . . .
The claim that Udall voted against body armor is technically true but misleading. Udall voted against an emergency supplemental funding measure for Iraq in October 2003. The bill had a provision that provided funding for body armor. Udall says he voted against the bill because it contained a provision giving Iraq $20 billion in direct grants. Udall says he opposed that bill because he wanted that money to be given to Iraq in the form of loans.
But it's not the whole story. Udall has cast several votes to fund body armor for U.S. troops.
Ad: . . . and against health care for our troops . . .
The claim is true regarding the vote cited in the ad. It had to do with a Republican amendment to an emergency appropriations bill to fund the war in Kosovo in 2000. Udall says he voted against the amendment because he considered it a partisan budget gimmick. The measure Udall voted against ended up passing with overwhelming support from both parties. However, the ad fails to mention that Udall has cast numerous votes to fund health care for veterans.
Ad: . . . voting the party line 94 percent of the time.
The claim is true. According to Congressional Quarterly, Udall has voted with his party more than 90 percent of the time since he has been in Congress.
Read and view Raj Chohan's full Reality Check and see its sourcing at cbs4denver.com/realitycheck
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October 31, 2008
6:50 a.m.
Suggest removal
PVMsr writes:
Another classic example of parties taking part of a comment or speech and twisting it around to fit their needs. To hell with whether or not what they say is true. I think we need federal regulations that make it illegal to twist something someone says around to be a negative. I would love to see some positive ads, instead of "Don't vote for this guy, look what he did"
October 31, 2008
8:44 a.m.
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sheepherder writes:
Political advertising (lies) should be outlawed.
October 31, 2008
12:56 p.m.
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BigSky182 writes:
This IS a bit like McDonald's running an ad claiming that eating too much Burger King food will make you fat.