Taylor's Tall Tale: AP Reporter 'Forgets' At Least 19 Senate Dems Praised Obama's February Budget
In the course of a story ("Senate votes down controversial House budget") from all appearances designed to make House Republicans look like quixotic time-wasters while minimizing presidential embarrassment, the Associated Press's Andrew Taylor fabricated the following:
GOP senators immediately forced a vote on President Barack Obama's February budget proposal, which opened to chilly reviews in February for failing to aggressively tackle issues like the long-term future of benefit programs like Medicare and Social Security. Democrats joined Republicans in opposing the plan, which failed to receive a single vote.
No Andrew, you're wrong, wrong, at least nineteen times wrong. From Townhall's Guy Benson, with links -- The following Senate Democrats sang the praises of the President's laughingstock of a "budget" in mid-February (resorted in alphabetical order after Reid and Schumer; bolds and underlines are as they originally appeared):
SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV): “President Obama’s budget is a serious attempt…” (Sen. Reid, Press Release, 2/14/11)
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): “This is a responsible proposal… I believe this approach should have bipartisan support.” (Sen. Schumer Press Release, 2/15/11)
SEN. MAX BAUCUS (D-MT): “The President's budget… strengthens our economy...” (U.S. Senate, Finance Committee, Hearing, 2/16/11)
SEN. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL (D-CT): “…the President’s budget provides a good blueprint for achieving many of our shared goals.” (Sen. Blumenthal, Press Release, 2/14/11)
SEN. SHERROD BROWN (D-OH): “The President’s budget proposal will put us on track…” (Sen. Brown, Press Release, 2/14/11)
SEN. MARIA CANTWELL (D-WA): “I applaud President Obama…” (Sen. Cantwell, Press Release, 2/14/11)
SEN. BEN CARDIN (D-MD): “President Obama has given us a credible blueprint…” (Sen. Cardin, Press Release, 2/14/11)
SEN. TOM CARPER (D-DE): “The President's budget is an important step forward…”(Sen. Carper, Press Release, 2/14/11)
SEN. KENT CONRAD (D-ND): “The President’s budget gets it about right in the first year.”(Sen. Conrad, Press Release, 2/14/11)
SEN. CHRIS COONS (D-DE): “I am encouraged … I applaud the President for remaining committed to innovation...” (Sen. Coons, Press Release, 2/14/11)
SEN. AL FRANKEN (D-MN): “The President's budget proposal is headed in the right direction…” (Sen. Franken, Press Release, 2/14/11)
SEN. KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND (D-NY): “… the President’s budget provides a good place to start the conversation.”(Sen. Gillibrand, Press Release, 2/14/11)
SEN. KAY HAGAN (D-NC): “…a good start.” (Sen. Hagan, Press Release, 2/14/11)
SEN. TOM HARKIN (D-IA): “…the President has proposed a balanced approach…” (Sen. Harkin, Press Release, 2/14/11)
SEN. HERB KOHL (D-WI): “The President's budget is a good first step…” (Sen. Kohl, Press Release, 2/14/11)
SEN. FRANK LAUTENBERG (D-NJ):“President Obama’s budget presents a careful evaluation of what our nation needs...” (Sen. Lautenberg Press Release, 2/14/11)
SEN. BILL NELSON (D-FL): “I personally think that the President's budget is a step in the right direction.”(U.S. Senate, Finance Committee, Hearing, 2/16/11)
SEN. JEANNE SHAHEEN (D-NH): “…a responsible framework...”(Sen. Shaheen, Press Release, 2/14/11)
SEN. TOM UDALL (D-NM): “… it's a solid starting point.” (Sen. Udall, Press Release, 2/14/11)
The President's February budget did have one interesting number -- a prediction that spending in fiscal 2011 will total an all-time record $3.819 trillion by the time the year ends on September 30. If that happens, it will represent a mind-boggling 40% increase over fiscal 2007. Sadly, that grim milestone is within reach.
Cross-posted at BizzyBlog.com.
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Comments
They Forgot
Submitted by bmac32 on Thu, 05/26/2011 - 11:23pm.
The Democrats do that so easily from month to month. They are great at setting up a program but then fail to think what this cost the tax payer in the end. That list is pretty much a list of Whois in the party.
They need help
Submitted by paragrouper on Thu, 05/26/2011 - 11:40pm.
Perhaps is something in the water?
Or maybe this?
You've got to admit he's good Tom.
Submitted by Boil It Down on Fri, 05/27/2011 - 12:23am.
Taylor is good at crafting misleading stories that included these fabrications. With all the criticism up front and a few pertinent facts at the end. If you didn't know any better you might think you've read a balanced representation of the Senate vote. That is the problem, the reader is trying to learn about the budget and it's ramifications, not to be lead to the writer's beliefs.
The reality is that Andrew Taylor's, somewhat subtle, partisanship betrayed the readers need to know the facts on an extremely important issue. "Controversial" did not need to be used in the title.
The talent Taylor has to write misleading things like this tells us that he must know he has strayed away from journalism into persuasive writing. Therefore the AP, as a whole, must require this sort of dishonest behavior. It's shameful. -bidn-
Great points ...
Submitted by Tom Blumer on Fri, 05/27/2011 - 6:59am.
... in your second paragraph, and insight in your third.
That is one thing I've always
Submitted by ThatDude on Fri, 05/27/2011 - 9:01am.
That is one thing I've always hated about msm pieces. They always seem to use the word "controversial" or other loaded words when speaking of Republican/conservative actions or words but do no such thing for Democrats unless in a positive manner. How do you get out your message when the media is constantly negative both openly and subliminally about everything and everyone on your side of issues?
Socialist Democrats
Submitted by jessieH on Fri, 05/27/2011 - 11:29am.
The Democrats did NOTHING for eight years, putting us in this mess! Now, they try to blame the GOP. How stupid do they think we are? At least the Republicans are trying to do something. If it wasn't for the liberal Democrats, we would be in great shape, financially. But, just keep electing incompetent liberals. We will be a third world country soon enough.
JessieH
Submitted by Model850 on Fri, 05/27/2011 - 4:27pm.
The Democrats did NOTHING for eight years
How stupid do they think we are?
We will be a third world country soon enough.