October 09, 2004

FactCheck.org isn't Perfect

For the most part FactCheck.org (not .com, Vice President Cheney) is pretty reliable. But even it is not immune to pro-Kerry bias. Compare what was written on last night's debate. Here's a criticism of President Bush (emphasis mine):

Bush got a laugh when he scoffed at Kerry's contention that he had received $84 from "a timber company." Said Bush, "I own a timber company? That's news to me."

In fact, according to his 2003 financial disclosure form, Bush does own part interest in "LSTF, LLC", a limited-liability company organized "for the purpose of the production of trees for commercial sales." (See "supporting documents" at right.)

So Bush was wrong to suggest that he doesn't have ownership of a timber company. And Kerry was correct in saying that Bush's definition of "small business" is so broad that Bush himself would have qualified as a "small business" in 2001 by virtue of the $84 in business income.

Then on Kerry:

Kerry claimed, as he had in the first debate, that the Army's Chief of Staff, Gen. Eric K. Shinseki, was forced to retire for saying before the invasion of Iraq that many more troops were needed than the administration was planning to send.

...

There was some truth to Kerry's comment, however. According to the Oct. 9 Washington Post , the story of Shinseki's replacement was leaked "in revenge" for Shinseki's position on troop requirements, which he was already expressing in private. By naming a replacement 14 months early, the Post said Pentagon leakers effectively undercut Shinseki's authority. And as it turned out, Keane never actually took the job, reportedly turning it down for family reasons to retire in Oct. 2003.

Of the two answers Kerry's was more manipulative. Bush's timber income was from a trust. It's safe to assume it's a blind trust so Bush would have no conflict of interest (which Kerry would have used in the campaign by now). How is Bush suposed to know every detail of his financial dealings while being President AND running for re-election?

Kerry's comment on Shinseki ignored the fact that it was known a year in advance the then Army Chief of Staff was going to retire. FactCheck.org pointed this out but still wrote, "There was some truth to Kerry's comment." It would have been nice of them to be as generous to the President.

"Distortions Galore at Second Presidential Debate"