Nosey Online

The LA Times does a nice job catching the campaigns up to their typical spin antics. But, I must say, it feels to me like the Bush points show their lies, and the Kerry points are actually bolstered a bit. It's all spin, of course, but the difference is that Kerry exaggerates Bush's position, while Bush wholly misrepresents Kerry's approach. Since Bush doesn't do nuance, and he doesn't do smart, this is where we are.

From Bush:

Statement: "Sen. Kerry opposed Medicare reform and health savings accounts. After supporting my education reforms, he now wants to dilute them…. He opposed reducing the marriage penalty, opposed doubling the child credit, opposed lowering income taxes for all who pay them." — Thursday at the Republican convention

Context: Kerry missed the final vote in 2003 on a bill establishing the first Medicare prescription-drug benefit. But he opposed it in preliminary votes and has criticized the law since then as a giveaway to the pharmaceutical industry that fails to allow the government to negotiate lower drug prices. He also criticizes a provision of the law that allows consumers to save money for health expenses tax-free, calling it inadequate relief for 45 million uninsured Americans.

Kerry voted for the No Child Left Behind Act in 2001, but he criticized its implementation and said it needed more funding. Kerry also has voted against many Republican tax initiatives, but he has supported numerous Democratic tax-cut initiatives over the years. He now pledges to cut taxes for the middle class and raise taxes only on families that make more than $200,000 a year.

From Kerry:

Statement: "I will not have my commitment to defend this country questioned by those who refused to serve when they could have." — Thursday speech after the GOP convention

Context: Bush joined the Texas Air National Guard during the Vietnam War when he was of draft age. The future president flew fighter jets but never went to Vietnam. Cheney also was eligible for the draft but obtained several deferments; he said in 1989 that he had "other priorities" at the time of the war. Bush and Cheney have both said Kerry served honorably in Vietnam.