Will the media fact-check President McCain?

[babylonsister]

http://mediamatters.org/blog/200908250034

Will the media fact-check President McCain?

August 25, 2009 2:43 pm ET by Jamison Foser


All three cables are carrying John McCain's town hall meeting. They do know the election is over, and he lost, right? And they do know this doesn't count as "substantive" health care coverage, right?

And surely they'll follow this up by fact-checking McCain's claims -- and those made by people speaking at the event? McCain just completely ducked a question about whether the questioner will still be able to choose his own doctor under proposed health care reforms. McCain didn't come within a country mile of answering the question -- maybe because he didn't want to admit that, yes, the questioner will be able to do so.

So, that's something that the cables should probably make clear before viewers get the wrong idea.

Oh, and McCain just took this question: "We want to know how to help you." Yes, that's the question an audience member asked McCain. I'm sure we'll see rampant speculation that the forum was screened in advance, just like we did when Barack Obama did a town hall.

[nc4bo]

1. Too little too late. There should be real-time fact checking going on...nt

[mustardman]

2. I hit the mute button. It would be like fingers on a chalk board otherwise

Made the mistake of unmuting once during what looked like a heated exchange. Turned out the lady was ranting and stating as FACT that there was an addendum to one of the bills mandating single payer and what McCain is going to do to stop it. Then everyone clapped in unison accepting this nutjobs 'facts'.

The horror.....the horror

[Eric68601]

3. Huh?

Fact check "PRESIDENT" McCain? Since when was he elected President?
.
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[babylonsister]

4. Tongue-in-cheek. They've been giving him a lot of face time on

cable news for his town hall.