How the Associated Press Encourages Republican Obstructionism

[jsr]

http://www.jamisonfoser.com/blog/2012/09/how-the-ap-incentivizes-republican-obstructionism.html

...The facts are that the Romney campaign pollster said exactly what Bill Clinton said he said. Clinton’s own personal credibility doesn’t really have anything to do with it. And even if it was relevant, you’d think the AP could come up with a better example of Clinton’s mendacity than a 14 year old quote that was “legally accurate.” Finally, it’s worth noting that a quick search failed to turn up any examples of the Associated Press invoking Newt Gingrich’s dishonesty about infidelity in writing up his speech at last week’s GOP convention. So it’s both an incredibly cheap shot by the AP and an incredibly dumb one.

But it isn’t the worst part of the article. The worst part is the first statement the AP pretends to fact-check:

CLINTON: "When times are tough, constant conflict may be good politics but in the real world, cooperation works better. ...Unfortunately, the faction that now dominates the Republican Party doesn't see it that way. They think government is the enemy and compromise is weakness. One of the main reasons America should re-elect President Obama is that he is still committed to cooperation."

THE FACTS: From Clinton's speech, voters would have no idea that the inflexibility of both parties is to blame for much of the gridlock. Right from the beginning Obama brought in as his first chief of staff Rahm Emmanuel [sic], a man known for his getting his way, not for getting along.

That purported statement of fact by the Associated Press may be the most rigidly ideological statement of the convention season, and the biggest whopper.

[sadbear]

1. That wasn't fact-checking. It was a hit piece.