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GeorgiaPeanuts

(2,353 posts)
Sun Apr 3, 2016, 12:44 AM Apr 2016

Politifact deserves a 'PANTS ON FIRE!' rating for their assessment of Clinton's oil donations.

http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/4/2/1509695/-Politifact-deserves-a-PANTS-ON-FIRE-rating-for-their-assessment-of-Clinton-s-oil-donations?_=2016-04-02T21:30:55.627-07:00

So when accusations of lying get thrown about the political battlefield, as they often do, I can usually head on over to the Tampa Bay Times’ fact-checking website Politifact to help clear things up. The ‘Snopes for politics’ operation has usually done a decent job in covering elections and candidate statements. As expected, they had a commentary on the recent back and forth over Hillary Clinton’s ties to fossil fuel industry lobbyists (Warning: autoplaying video):

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2016/apr/01/sorting-out-clintons-fossil-fuel-contributions/

The author, C. Eugene Emery Jr., does a decent job in laying out the facts of the situation as far as I can tell, but where he goes wrong is this statement (emphasis mine):

The Greenpeace report goes a step further to include $4.25 million going to Priorities Action USA, the super PAC that supports Clinton.

But it’s a stretch to draw a direct line between those super PAC donations and Clinton’s campaign. Under federal law, the candidates have no control over super PAC spending.


Whoaaaaaaa there, I know that the journalists over at Politifact know better than to say that a candidate has no direct connection to their supporting Super PAC and can’t be held accountable for those donations.

In fact, they just published a really nice summary of the influence on Super PACs in this year’s presidential race:

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2015/sep/30/bernie-s/bernie-sanders-only-presidential-candidates-withou/

In that article Linda Qiu lists Priorities Action USA as an affiliated Clinton Super PAC, and then goes on to elaborate what this means (emphasis again mine):

Affiliated super PACs are often created or staffed by the candidate's political allies and act as extensions of the official campaigns. Though these independent groups are not allowed to donate directly to or coordinate with campaigns, they’ve have found ways to toe the line.

A few examples: Jeb Bush’s longtime strategist and friend Mike Murphy heads his Right to Rise super PAC, which has advertised on his behalf. Hillary Clinton’s 2008 campaign manager Guy Cecil is at the helm of the pro-Clinton Priorities Action USA, while her current campaign manager has met with potential PAC donors.


Using their own words as evidence, I rate their assertion that “it’s a stretch to draw a direct line between those super PAC donations and Clinton’s campaign”, as PANTS ON FIRE!
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Politifact deserves a 'PANTS ON FIRE!' rating for their assessment of Clinton's oil donations. (Original Post) GeorgiaPeanuts Apr 2016 OP
Kinda starts making you doubt Politifact huh? nt revbones Apr 2016 #1
Rachel Maddow spent several years decrying politifact. dogman Apr 2016 #7
Exactly. revbones Apr 2016 #9
Oh, the HORROR!!!11!! madamesilverspurs Apr 2016 #2
LOL. Those that are fighting to defend those among us that are suffering from the ravages rhett o rick Apr 2016 #6
Lol! zappaman Apr 2016 #17
I remember Colbert had many shows explaining azmom Apr 2016 #3
This message was self-deleted by its author snowy owl Apr 2016 #4
This one is even worse jfern Apr 2016 #5
So Bernie knows about his super pac and has direct connection? fun n serious Apr 2016 #8
Wow...your style is reminiscent of a pattern of Hillary bashing we see often on GDP. Sancho Apr 2016 #10
... NuclearDem Apr 2016 #11
Interesting observation there, sancho. George II Apr 2016 #12
I think they're trying to push the pro-Bernie OPs deeper down the GDP stack. JoePhilly Apr 2016 #13
Yeah, responding to them (i.e., "kicking") really pushes them down deeper in the stack. Sheesh. George II Apr 2016 #16
Huh? GeorgiaPeanuts Apr 2016 #14
great observation my friend rbrnmw Apr 2016 #15
 

rhett o rick

(55,981 posts)
6. LOL. Those that are fighting to defend those among us that are suffering from the ravages
Sun Apr 3, 2016, 12:58 AM
Apr 2016

of the corporations you revere so dearly, will prevail. Maybe not today or tomorrow but we will throw off the yoke of oppression that you seem to adore.

Response to GeorgiaPeanuts (Original post)

 

fun n serious

(4,451 posts)
8. So Bernie knows about his super pac and has direct connection?
Sun Apr 3, 2016, 01:07 AM
Apr 2016

It is especially important that he not receive money from a super pac or even KOCH. He is the one smearing Hillary while claiming he is running a purity grass roots campaign. You can't go city to city smearing someone with innuendos you have in your own campaign. I don'y know why there isn't more of you calling him out.

Sancho

(9,070 posts)
10. Wow...your style is reminiscent of a pattern of Hillary bashing we see often on GDP.
Sun Apr 3, 2016, 07:17 AM
Apr 2016

Is there a template or model? Just curious. Here's another example:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024374818

At any rate, most middle-of-the-road voters are tired of the "donations" meme at this point. Hillary is winning, and the debate over PACs is old news that everyone has heard about for years. Remember Colbert's explanation a couple years ago? At such, there is a consensus building that will someday attempt to change the system.

Meanwhile, we are living with something that needs transparency and repair, but that's the way it is for 2016. Whether you think that Hillary's donations come from corporations or that Bernie's donations are under-the-table donations from Koch operatives or whatever CT you can imagine, no one here is going to change their mind because of the "bash and trash" posts - but they continue to take up time and energy that otherwise would be used to GOTV with real voters.

So I'm not arguing that you stop posting these repeated ideas; I do wonder what the source and motivation are for such prolific OPs over and over. Even progressive pundits (like Thom Hartmann and Stephanie Miller and Ed Shultz) occasionally mention that it actually hurts Bernie's campaign when blogs, tweets, etc. are over zealous, or Bernie supporters act badly.

I guess it's better to post an OP here to deaf ears than to be waving a sign at a Clinton rally.


JoePhilly

(27,787 posts)
13. I think they're trying to push the pro-Bernie OPs deeper down the GDP stack.
Sun Apr 3, 2016, 11:59 AM
Apr 2016

Its clearly a clever trick by the Hillary camp to make Bernie supporters look bad.

 

GeorgiaPeanuts

(2,353 posts)
14. Huh?
Sun Apr 3, 2016, 12:02 PM
Apr 2016

I just formatted the article into DU, putting excerpt around the quotes in the DailyKos article. Is there anything about the article that is a lie?

Politifact has shown itself to be less than factual this cycle. I've seen other lies from it. They rated a claim false by Sanders that he outperforms Clinton in all general election matchup polling. I know everyone here knows Sanders or Clinton supporter alike that he has been doing so since the race has really gotten underway. I guess if you go back to when he had no name recognition you might find differently, but then that is just being disingenuous.

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