Wash Post: McCain Lies Not That Important

In a somewhat astounding "analysis" of John McCain's ad released today, the Washington Post says that the charge made by McCain is less important than his systematic misrepresentation of Obama's tax proposals:

"The charge that Obama voted to raise taxes on people making $42,000 stretches a valid point. Obama voted for a non-binding Democratic budget resolution that would not have raised anyone's taxes. But it did envision phasing out most of the Bush tax cuts, which would have that effect. (The McCain campaign has backed off a previous charge that Obama would boost taxes at the $31,000 level, labeled false by Factcheck.org.)

The ad is selective in saying that Obama would raise taxes on seniors and "your family," omitting that he would target only families, Social Security recipients and those with capital gains earning more than $250,000 a year. And it is misleading in charging that Obama wants to hike taxes on small business, offering the lame explanation that many affluent taxpayers who would be affected by the income-tax increase also happen to own small businesses. The commercial also leaves out Obama's proposal for a middle-class tax cut.

But more important than the mathematical details is the portrait the Arizona senator is trying to paint of his opponent as an untested leader whose domestic policies are obscured by the media spotlight. "

This is one for the books, folks. I am passing this message along to the Post and hope you will speak up as well.