Off-the-cuff, repeated falsehoods are part of our troubles

[SoCalDem]

Today on Hardball, as he was ending the show with the obligatory, mawkish drivel about Poppy Bush, Matthews tossed this one in.."... he was shot out of the sky a few times & was plucked out of the water when he was a young fighter pilot..."

1. he was NOT shot out of the sky a few times

2. he BAILED out, leaving 2 crewmates to perish, when he smelled smoke..

3. he was not a fighter pilot..he flew a torpedo plane

The only reported eyewitness accounts have H.W. Bush bailing out to save himself while both of his crewmembers rode the aircraft down to their deaths. Bush's own conflicting accounts of the incident have only served to raise questions about his failure to fulfill his obligations as Pilot in Command of the aircraft. Unless the people who witnessed the event are lying, the criticism is warranted.

[sally cat]

1. You can't believe anything that lying SOB Matthews says anymore. Blows with the wind.

[elleng]

4. EVER, not 'anymore.' HIGHLY unreliable, always has been.

[handmade34]

2. yes

these comments from a lot of people are doing great harm... it is well past time for everyone to deal in (empirical) facts whenever possible

[jaysunb]

3. You are so right.

Not just on the airwaves but, in our everyday lives we hear oft repeated falsehoods and simply let them slide. Being "polite" I guess. :shrug:

Just yesterday I was at my favorite little tobacco/lottery shop when some fellow smugly stated that "obamacare" was something optional and that most people would opt out of it.
Under most circumstances I would have just shrugged and left, but this time I just couldn't let it pass. I ask the guy where he got information like that. Was he listening to Fox News for his info ? Of course he became defensive at the mention of Fox and claimed he heard Wolf Blitzer say it on CNN.

I proceeded to school him on the the fine points of HCR and let him know that disrespect for the President (which is what I consider anybody using the term obamacare is doing) was not acceptable in this combat veterans eyes.

I'm sure I could have just let it go, but there was at least a small opportunity to help try to overcome the mountains of misinformation that's spread by lazy minded people that parrot people whose only job it is to keep them stupid and distracted.

rant off :)

Good post.

[rgbecker]

5. I love you calling him on "Obamacare". More Vets need to school the stupids.

[Jackpine Radical]

7. Why should we be relying on vets to do this?

After all, I don't think animal doctors know more about politics than the rest of us.

:hide:

[jberryhill]

6. And then he hurt his back saving all of those fellers from that PT boat /nt

[SoCalDem]

8. I assume the snark was aimed at JFK, but

I seem to recall that JFK was at least concerned about the safety of his men..and did not abandon them to die..

I'm sure that most "war stories" get embellished, and that the stories attributed to the sons of well-connected-famous people will automatically go though a process of "sanitation", but Poppy's adventures in war, smack of a youthful skittishness (as did McCain's).

The whole McCain is a war hero stuff bothers me too, because being shot down does not convey "hero-status", and the whole "he refused early release" stuff is smelly too.. He knew his Daddy would have handed him his ASS, if he had done the cowardly thing..

Comparing JFK's war service to GHW's is like comparing a nice wedge of Camembert to spray-cheesefood in a can..