Because of that "fact check" I have quit using factcheck.org. Their unprofessional op-ed, and the McCain-Palin serving slant of what they considered "true" and "untrue" discredit all the other fact checks they've done. They simply cannot be trusted.
----------- On Sep 10, 11:42 am, "Keith In Tampa" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Sliming Palin > September 8, 2008 > False Internet claims and rumors fly about McCain's running mate. > > Summary > We've been flooded for the past few days with queries about dubious Internet > postings and mass e-mail messages making claims about McCain's running mate, > Gov. Palin. We find that many are completely false, or misleading. > > - Palin did not cut funding for special needs education in Alaska by 62 > percent. She didn't cut it at all. In fact, she tripled per-pupil funding > over just three years. > > - She did not demand that books be banned from the Wasilla library. Some > of the books on a widely circulated list were not even in print at the > time. > The librarian has said Palin asked a "What if?" question, but the librarian > continued in her job through most of Palin's first term. > > - She was never a member of the Alaskan Independence Party, a group that > wants Alaskans to vote on whether they wish to secede from the United > States. She's been registered as a Republican since May 1982. > > - Palin never endorsed or supported Pat Buchanan for president. She once > wore a Buchanan button as a "courtesy" when he visited Wasilla, but shortly > afterward she was appointed to co-chair of the campaign of Steve Forbes in > the state. > > - Palin has not pushed for teaching creationism in Alaska's schools. She > has said that students should be allowed to "debate both sides" of the > evolution question, but she also said creationism "doesn't have to be part > of the curriculum." > > We'll be looking into other charges in an e-mail by a woman named Anne > Kilkenny for a future story. For more explanation of the bullet points > above, please read the Analysis. > > *Correction: In our original story, we incorrectly said that a few of the > claims we examine here were included in the e-mail by Kilkenny. Only one of > the claims – about the librarian's firing – was similar to an item in that > e-mail. We regret the error. * > Analysis > Since Republican presidential nominee John McCain tapped Alaska Gov. > Sarah Palin to be his running mate, information about Palin's past has been > zipping around the Internet. Several claims are not true, and other rumors > are misleading. > > No Cut for "Special Needs" Kids > > It's not true, as widely reported in mass e-mails, Web postings and at least > one mainstream news source, that Palin slashed the special education budget > in Alaska by 62 percent. CNN's Soledad O'Brien made the > claim<http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0809/04/cnr.01.html>on > Sept. 4 in an interview with Nicolle Wallace, a senior adviser to the > McCain campaign: > > *O'Brien, Sept. 4:* One are that has gotten certainly people sending to me a > lot of e-mails is the question about as governor what she did with the > special needs budget, which I'm sure you're aware, she cut significantly, 62 > percent I think is the number from when she came into office. As a woman who > is now a mother to a special needs child, and I think she actually has a > nephew which is autistic as well. How much of a problem is this going to be > as she tries to navigate both sides of that issue? > > Such a move might have made Palin look heartless or hypocritical in view of > her convention-speech pledge to be an advocate for special needs children > and their families. But in fact, she increased special needs funding so > dramatically that a representative of local school boards described the jump > as "historic." > > According to an April 2008 > article<http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/04/30/35recaps.h27.html>in > *Education Week*, Palin signed > legislation<http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill_text.asp?hsid=HB0273A&ses...>in > March 2008 that would increase public school funding considerably, > including special needs funding. It would increase spending on what Alaska > calls "intensive needs" students (students with high-cost special > requirements) from $26,900 per student in 2008 to $73,840 per student in > 2011. That almost triples the per-student spending in three fiscal years. > Palin's original proposal, according to the *Anchorage Daily News*, would > have increased funds slightly more, giving intensive needs students a > $77,740 allotment by 2011. > > *Education Week:* A second part of the measure raises spending for students > with special needs to $73,840 in fiscal 2011, from the current $26,900 per > student in fiscal 2008, according to the Alaska Department of Education and > Early Development. > > Unlike many other states, Alaska has relatively flush budget coffers, thanks > to a rise in oil and gas revenues. Funding for schools will remain fairly > level next year, however. Overall per-pupil funding across the state will > rise by $100, to $5,480, in fiscal 2009. ...* > * > Carl Rose, the executive director of the Association of Alaska School > Boards, praised the changes in funding for rural schools and students with > special needs as a "historic event," and said the finance overhaul would > bring more stability to district budgets. > > According to Eddy Jeans at the Alaska Department of Education and Early > Development, funding for special needs and intensive needs students has > increased every year since Palin entered office, from a total of $203 > million in 2006 to a projected $276 million in 2009. > > Those who claim that Palin cut special needs funding by 62 percent are > looking in the wrong place and misinterpreting what they find there. They > point to an apparent drop in the Department of Education and Early > Development budget for special schools. But the special schools budget, > despite the similar name, isn't the special needs budget. "I don't even > consider the special schools component [part of] our special needs funding," > Jeans told FactCheck.org. "The special needs funding is provided through our > public school funding formula. The special schools is simply a budget > component where we have funding set aside for special projects," such as the > Alaska School for the Deaf and the Alaska Military Youth Academy. A > different budget component, the Foundation Program, governs special needs > programs in the public school system. > > And in any case, the decrease in funding for special schools is illusory. > Palin moved the Alaska Military Youth Academy's ChalleNGe > program<http://www.ngycp.org/>, > a residential military school program that teaches job and life skills to > students under 20, out of the budget line for "special schools" and into its > own line. This resulted in an apparent drop of more than $5 million in the > special schools budget with no actual decrease in funding for the programs. > * > *Not a Book Burner > > One accusation claims then-Mayor Palin threatened to fire Wasilla's > librarian for refusing to ban books from the town library. Some versions of > the rumor come complete with a list of the books that Palin allegedly > attempted to ban. Actually, Palin never asked that books be banned; no books > were actually banned; and many of the books on the list that Palin > supposedly wanted to censor weren't even in print at the time, proving that > the list is a fabrication. The librarian was fired, but was told only that > Palin felt she didn't support her. She was re-hired the next day. The > librarian never claimed that Palin threatened outright to fire her for > refusing to ban books. > > It's true that Palin did raise the issue with Mary Ellen Emmons, Wasilla's > librarian, on at least two occasions, three in some versions. Emmons flatly > stated her opposition each time. But, as the *Mat-Su Valley > Frontiersman*(Wasilla's local paper) reported at the time, Palin > asked general > questions<http://www.frontiersman.com/articles/2008/09/05/breaking_news/doc48c1...>about > what Emmons would say if Palin requested that a book be banned. > According to Emmons, Palin "was asking me how I would deal with her saying a > book can't be in the library." Emmons reported that Palin pressed the issue, > asking whether Emmons' position would change if residents were picketing the > library. Wasilla resident Anne Kilkenny, who was at the meeting, > corroborates Emmons' story, > telling<http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-palin-book_bdsep07...>the > *Chicago Tribune* that "Sarah said to Mary Ellen, 'What would your response > be if I asked you to remove some books from the collection?' " > > Palin characterized the exchange differently, initially volunteering the > episode as an example of discussions with city employees about following her > administration's agenda. Palin described her questions to Emmons as > "rhetorical," noting that her questions "were asked in the context of > professionalism regarding the library policy that is in place in our city." > Actually, true rhetorical questions have implied answers (e.g., "Who do you > think you are?"), so Palin probably meant to describe her questions as > hypothetical or theoretical. We can't read minds, so it is impossible for us > to know whether or not Palin may actually have wanted to ban books from the > library or whether she simply wanted to know how her new employees would > respond to an instruction from their boss. It is worth noting that, in an > update, the *Frontiersman* points out that no book was ever banned from the > library's shelves. > > Palin initially requested Emmons' resignation, along with those of Wasilla's > other department heads, in October 1996. Palin described the requests as a > loyalty test and allowed all of them (except one, whose department she was > eliminating) to retain their positions. But in January 1997, Palin fired > Emmons, along with the police chief. According to the *Chicago > Tribune*<http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-palin-book_bdsep07...>, > Palin did not list censorship as a reason for Emmons' firing, but said she > didn't feel she had Emmons' support. The decision caused "a stir" in the > small town, according to a newspaper account at the > time<http://www.adn.com/sarah-palin/story/510219.html>. > According to a widely circulated e-mail from Kilkenny, "city residents > rallied to the defense of the City Librarian and against Palin's attempt at > out-and-out censorship, so Palin backed down and withdrew her termination > letter." > > As we've noted, Palin did not attempt to ban any library books. We don't > know if Emmons' resistance to Palin's questions about possible censorship > had anything to do with Emmons' firing. And we have no idea if the protests > had any impact on Palin at all. There simply isn't any evidence that we can > find either way. Palin did re-hire > Emmons<http://www.adn.com/sarah-palin/story/510219.html>the following > day, saying that she now felt she had the librarian's backing. > Emmons continued to serve as librarian until August 1999, when the *Chicago > Tribune* reports that she resigned. > > So what about that list of books targeted for banning, which according to > one widely e-mailed version was taken "from the official minutes of the > Wasilla Library Board"? If it was, the library board should take up fortune > telling. The list includes the first four Harry Potter books, none of which > had been published at the time of the Palin-Emmons conversations. The first > wasn't published until 1998. In fact, the list is a simple cut-and-paste > job, snatched (complete with typos and the occasional incorrect title) from > the Florida Institute of Technology library Web > page,<http://www.lib.fit.edu/pubs/librarydisplays/bannedbooks/website.htm>which > presents the list as "Books banned at one time or another in the > United States." > > *Update, Sept. 9: We have revised this section dealing with accusations that > Palin wanted to ban books from Wasilla's library to include more detail > about what transpired at the time.* > > Closet Secessionist? > > Palin was never a member of the Alaskan Independence Party – which calls for > a vote on whether Alaska should secede from the union or remain a > state –despite mistaken reports to the contrary. But her husband was a > member for > years, and she attended at least one party convention, as mayor of the town > in which it was held. > > The party's chair originally told reporters that Palin had been a member, > but the official later retracted that statement. Chairwoman Lynette Clark told > the *New York > Times*<http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/02/alaska-party-official-s...>that > false information had been given to her by another member of the party > after she first told the *Times* and others that Palin joined the AIP in > 1994. Clark issued an apology <http://www.akip.org/090308.html> on the AIP > Web site. > > The director of Alaska's Division of Elections, Gail Fenumiai, confirms that > Palin registered to vote in the state for the first time in May 1982 as a > Republican and hasn't changed her party affiliation since. She also told > FactCheck.org that Palin's husband, Todd, was registered with AIP from > October 1995 to July 2000, and again from September 2000 until July 2002. > (He has since been registered as undeclared.) However, the AIP says Todd > Palin "never participated <http://www.akip.org/index.html> in any party > activities aside from attending a convention in Wasilla at one time." > > There is still some dispute as to whether Sarah Palin also attended the > AIP's 1994 convention, held in Wasilla. Clark and another AIP official > <http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/09/another-aip-off.html>told > ABC News' Jake Tapper that both Palins were there. Palin was elected mayor > of Wasilla two years later. The McCain campaign says Sarah Palin went to the > 2000 AIP convention, also held in Wasilla, "as a courtesy since she was > mayor." As governor, Palin sent a video > message<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwvPNXYrIyI>to the 2008 > convention, which is available on YouTube, and the AIP says she > attended in 2006 when she was campaigning. > > Didn't Endorse Pat Buchanan > > Claims that Palin endorsed conservative Republican Pat Buchanan for > president in the 2000 campaign are false. She worked for conservative > Republican Steve Forbes. > > The incorrect reports stem from an *Associated Press* story on July 17, > 1999, that said Palin was "among those sporting Buchanan buttons" at a lunch > for Buchanan attended by about 85 people, during a swing he took through > Fairbanks and Wasilla. Buchanan didn't help > matters<http://www.thenation.com/blogs/jstreet/350730/sarah_palin_buchananite>when > he told a reporter for the liberal publication > *The Nation* on Aug. 29: "I'm pretty sure she's a Buchananite." But in fact, > she wasn't. > > Soon after The AP story appeared, Palin wrote in a letter to the editor of > the *Anchorage Daily News* that she had merely worn a Buchanan button as a > courtesy to her visitor and was not endorsing him. The letter, published > July 26, 1999, said: > > *Palin, July 26, 1999:* As mayor of Wasilla, I am proud to welcome all > presidential candidates to our city. This is true regardless of their party, > or the latest odds of their winning. When presidential candidates visit our > community, I am always happy to meet them. I'll even put on their button > when handed one as a polite gesture of respect. > > Though no reporter interviewed me for the Associated Press article on the > recent visit by a presidential candidate (Metro, July 17), the article may > have left your readers with the perception that I am endorsing this > candidate, as opposed to welcoming his visit to Wasilla. As mayor, I will > welcome all the candidates in Wasilla. > > Palin actually worked for Forbes. Less than a month after being spotted > wearing the "courtesy" button for Buchanan, she was named to the state > leadership committee of the Forbes effort. *The* *Associated Press* reported > on Aug. 7, 1999: > > *The Associated Press, Aug. 7 1999:* State Sen. Mike Miller of Fairbanks > will head the Alaska campaign chairman for Republican presidential candidate > Steve Forbes, campaign officials said. Joining the Fairbanks Republican on > the leadership committee will be Wasilla Mayor Sarah Palin, and former state > GOP chairman Pete Hallgren, who will serve as co-chairs. > > Still, after nine years, the truth has yet to catch up completely. > > No Creationism in Schools > > On Aug. 29, the *Boston Globe* reported that Palin was open to teaching > creationism in public schools. That's true. She supports teaching > creationism alongside evolution, though she has not actively pursued such a > policy as governor. > > In an Oct. 25, 2006, debate, when asked about teaching alternatives to > evolution, Palin replied: > > *Palin, Oct. 25, 2006:* Teach both. You know, don't be afraid of > information. Healthy debate is so important and it's so valuable in our > schools. I am a proponent of teaching both. And you know, I say this too as > the daughter of a science teacher. Growing up with being so privileged and > blessed to be given a lot of information on, on both sides of the subject – > creationism and evolution. It's been a healthy foundation for me. But don't > be afraid of information and let kids debate both sides. > > A couple of days later, Palin amended that statement in an interview with > the *Anchorage Daily News*, saying: > > *Palin, Oct. 2006:* I don't think there should be a prohibition against > debate if it comes up in class. It doesn't have to be part of the > curriculum. > > After her election, Palin let the matter drop. *The Associated > Press*reported Sept 3: "Palin's children attend public schools and > Palin has made > no push to have creationism taught in them. ... It reflects a hands-off > attitude toward mixing government and religion by most Alaskans." The > article was headlined, "Palin has not pushed creation science as > governor<http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080903/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_palin_creationism>." > It was written by Dan Joling, who reports from Anchorage and has covered > Alaska for 30 years. > > That E-mail Author > > Switching gears: Almost 100 readers have written to ask us if the many > claims made about Palin in an e-mail written by someone named Anne Kilkenny > are true. We can tell you that Kilkenny is a real person. (She was quoted by > the *Chicago Tribune*, as we said above.) According to the *New York Times*, > she's a Democrat. According to Kilkenny herself, Palin "has hated me since > back in 1996, when I was one of the 100 or so people who rallied to support > the City Librarian against Sarah's attempt at censorship." > > We're still analyzing Kilkenny's claims, and we will be posting something on > this soon. > > *—by Brooks Jackson, Jessica Henig, **Emi Kolawole, Joe Miller and Lori > Robertson** > * > Sources > Sutton, Anne. "Governor signs revamped education package into law." > Anchorage Daily News, 28 Mar. 2008. > > Holland, Megan. "Intensive needs funding examined." Anchorage Daily News, 12 > Jan. 2008. > > Cavanagh, Sean. "Alaska Legislators Overhaul > Funding<http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/04/30/35recaps.h27.html>." > Education Week, 29 Apr. 2008. > > Joling, Dan. "Palin has not pushed creation science as governor." The > Associated Press, 3 Sept. 2008. > > Hayes, Christopher. "Sarah Palin, > Buchananite.<http://www.thenation.com/blogs/jstreet/350730/sarah_palin_buchananite>" > The Nation "Capitolism" Web site, 29 Aug. 2008. > > Palin, Sarah. "Letters from the People." Anchorage Daily News. 26 July 1999; > 5B. > > The Associated Press: "Forbes sets Alaska leadership team," 7 Aug 1999. > > Kizzia, Tom. "'Creation science' enters the race." Anchorage Daily News, 27 > Oct. 2006. > > Paulson, Michael. "Sarah Palin on faith, life and creation." The Boston > Globe, 29 Aug. 2008. > > Tapper, Jake. "Another AIP Official Says Palin Was at 1994 > Convention<http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/09/another-aip-off.html>." > ABCNews.com, 2 Sept. 2008. > > Tapper, Jake. "Members of 'Fringe' Alaskan Independence Party Incorrectly > Say Palin Was a Member in > 90s<http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/09/members-of-frin.html>." > ABCNews.Com, 1Sept. 2008. > > Komarnitsky, S.J. "Wasilla Keeps Librarian, But Police Chief Is > Out<http://www.adn.com/sarah-palin/story/510219.html>." > 1 February 1997. The Anchorage Daily News, 8 Sept. 2008. > > Stuart, Paul. "FROM THE ARCHIVE: Palin: Library Censorship Inquiries > 'Rhetorical'<http://www.frontiersman.com/articles/2008/09/05/breaking_news/doc48c1...>." > 18 December 1996. Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman, 8 Sept. 2008. > > White, Rindi. "Palin Asked City Librarian Whether She'd Ban > Books<http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-palin-book_bdsep07...>." > 7 September 2008. The Chicago Tribune, 8 Sept. 2008. > > Related Articles > FactChecking > McCain<http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/factchecking_mccain.html> > He made some flubs in accepting the nomination. > GOP Convention Spin, Part > II<http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/gop_convention_spin_part_ii.html> > Palin trips up on her facts, and Giuliani and Huckabee have their own > stumbles on Night 3 of the Republican confab. > Hit the Brakes <http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/hit_the_brakes.html> > An Obama ad running in Michigan claims McCain didn't support loan guarantees > for the auto industry. In fact, he does support them. > FactChecking > Obama<http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/factchecking_obama.html> > He stuck to the facts, except when he stretched them. > Sliming Obama <http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/sliming_obama.html> > Dueling chain e-mails claim he's a radical Muslim or a 'racist' Christian. > Both can't be right. We find both are false. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more. -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
