LIE OF THE WEEK: 09-29-2006

Senator Clinton and Sec. of State Rice on which administration has done more to fight terrorism:

"I'm certain that if my husband and his national security team had been shown a classified report entitled 'Bin Laden Determined to Attack Inside United States,' he would have taken it more seriously than history suggests it was taken by our current president and his national security team," [Senator Clinton] told reporters on Capitol Hill Tuesday.
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On Monday, Rice told the New York Post editorial board that Clinton failed to leave Bush "a comprehensive strategy to fight al-Qaida." Rice, in turn, was responding to the former president's stormy Sunday appearance on Fox News, in which he accused Bush of failing to address the bin Laden threat during the first eight months of the administration.

THE TRUTH: President Clinton was very much distracted by the Monica Lewinsky Scandal and wouldn't have behaved any differently regardless of any reports that might have been shown to him. And pre-9/11, President Bush's administration was very much focused on everything on their agenda (discarding ABM, a new energy policy, Russia, etc) and not on terrorism; nothing could force that to change until the tragic events of 9/11. Trying to rewrite history is useless in this information age and both the current administration and former administration's officials should focus on doing work that is more productive instead of the constant barrage of spin.

LIE OF THE WEEK: 09-22-2006

Former Governor James McGreevey on his upcoming book:

Former New Jersey Gov. James E. McGreevey said he has no desire to return to politics since he left office two years ago amid a sex scandal but hopes his new tell-all book leads to public acceptance of his homosexuality.

THE TRUTH: The issue with Gov. McGreevey was never his sexual orientation. Regardless of the varying positions taken by Americans on the immorality of certain behaviors, everyone agrees that it is immoral to abuse your position, it is immoral to violate your oath of office, it is immoral to spend taxpayer dollars appointing your friends to high positions, and it is immoral to violate the sanctity of your marriage. This attempted whitewash will not fool anyone and he should continue to be shunned for his lack of morality and ethics and possibly even prosecuted for his abuses.

LIE OF THE WEEK: 09-15-2006

President Bush on the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks:

I'm often asked why we're in Iraq when Saddam Hussein was not responsible for the 9/11 attacks. The answer is that the regime of Saddam Hussein was a clear threat. My administration, the Congress, and the United Nations saw the threat -- and after 9/11, Saddam's regime posed a risk that the world could not afford to take.

THE TRUTH: If Saddam's regime (a brutal despotic oppressive dictatorship) was a clear threat, why have we not followed suit and attacked (or at least broken off alliances) with the dozens of other regimes around the world that match that description? It's clearly because the administration was focused on Iraq since before 9/11 and found (and exaggerated) the excuses they needed to finally take action as a result of 9/11. Rather than focusing on our true enemies who attacked us and continue to attack us, the propaganda machine will apparently not stop to tell the truth even once before the president leaves office. Apparently, the truth would be a sign of weakness in an administration that values strength and loyalty above truth, justice, or any other truly American values.

LIE OF THE WEEK: 09-08-2006

White House Spokesman Tony Snow on President Bush's planned speech on the five year anniversary of the September 11th attacks:

"This is not a political speech. There are not going to be any calls to action for Congress," said White House Press Secretary Tony Snow.

THE TRUTH: Every speech is a political speech when it comes to this administration and it's desperation to maintain power. Just as in 2004, this administration is preparing a fall campaign of fear-mongering to try to regain an advantage for the 2006 elections. Most of the policies of the Bush White House are among the most unpopular in the history of America and playing off of the fears of the public is the only chance they see to win an election they deserve to lose in a big way. It's a very sad day for American democracy when there is no hopeful view of the future being shown by the candidates during an election campaign due to the desperate attempts of a corruption-laden administration and majority party in Congress to stay in power.

LIE OF THE WEEK: 09-01-2006

Senator John McCain on potentially speaking at Bob Jones University:

Republican Sen. John McCain says he would consider speaking at Bob Jones University, a school he criticized during the 2000 presidential campaign for its ban on interracial dating and anti-Catholic views." I can't remember when I've turned down a speaking invitation. I think I'd have to look at it," McCain told The State newspaper in South Carolina. The potential 2008 presidential candidate and Arizona senator said he would have to look at Bob Jones University's latest policy statements. "I understand they have made considerable progress," he said.

THE TRUTH: I have always admired Senator McCain for his support of campaign finance reform and for his military record, but this pandering is sickening. It is a complete untruth to say that Bob Jones University has made progress when they continue to smear Catholicism. I have no problem with someone holding a belief that their religious choice is the correct one and that others are not true, but the language used by the Bob Jones University statements is hateful and not based on any kind of reasonable discussion of religious differences. That being said, their other policies are simply racist, such as the ban on interracial dating. There is no justification for Senator McCain to change his views on the university and the fact that he is doing so is an indication that he is willing to compromise his ethics in order to win an election.