By the way, Intelligent Discontent has been amazing in covering the Burns-Tester debate. In fact, I’d argue too amazing.
That is, I didn’t see Pogie’s three “Fact check” posts until now, because they were buried under additional commentary. I had planned on doing some of this stuff, but Pogie not only beat me to it, but did a better job on it than I ever could.
So, for the two people that don’t regularly visit Intelligent Discontent, you can read Burns’ misstatements in three posts, Fact Check on Conrad Burns part 1, part 2, and part 3.
You can tell a candidate is poorly prepared for a debate when you need three separate posts to show all his errors.
Pogie neglected one area of Burns-ian misstatements, though, and that’s on illegal immigration. While Burns came down firmly against amnesty, as did Tester, the junior Senator implied that Tester gravitated towards his position. Oh, dear GOP readers, were it only so!
Luckily for me, Matt Singer has already written a post about the multitude of positions that Senator Burns has held on the issue. In March, he was in favor of amnesty for undocumented workers. Then again in his infamous Marianas Islands vote, he opposed tougher border control.
Tester, on the other hand, has as far as I know always opposed amnesty for undocumented workers.
(Please note that 4&20 blackbirds favors amnesty. Just because I’m voting for Tester – and urging everyone else to do so – doesn’t mean I agree with all of his views. But he’s honest, and I trust him to do the right thing. So…I’ll give up amnesty. Although I still think it’s inevitable.)
Update: Now you can find all the misstatements in one handy post over at Intelligent Discontent!
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June 26, 2006 at 3:02 pm
I consolidated the Fact Check (with a few additions) into one post, here:
http://intelligentdiscontent.com/the-burns-file/the-burns-record-distortionsmisrepresentations-in-the-debate/
Mind if I add the immigration point? Of course, having to listen to Burns mangle the English language to get the quote right on might be too much for me. :)
June 27, 2006 at 9:47 am
Sounds as if Burns scored a solid victory – he got all of his bullshit through the filters, unchecked by media, unchallenged by Tester. All of this wrapup now is of no consequence.
June 27, 2006 at 10:06 am
One can only hope that this information filters out somehow. Maybe some competent journalist will take up the challenge and look into the candidates’ claims.