The following is an excerpt from OpinionJournal.com’s “Best of the Web” written by the editor, James Taranto.
News of the Tautological
“State Offices Will Be Open, With the Exception of Those Closed Due to Power Outages Resulting From Inclement Weather”–headline, Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin (W.Va.) press release, Oct. 31
Accurate but Fake?
Washington Post “fact checker” Glenn Kessler “fact checks” a new Mitt Romney ad and finds it wanting. “The series of statements in the ad individually may be technically correct, but the overall message of the ad is clearly misleading.” Kessler gives it “four Pinocchios,” the worst rating.
You see how this works? The statements are correct, but they lead to a conclusion with which Kessler disagrees, so he treats them as the equivalent of an outright lie. However strong his argument may be, it is just that–an argument for an opinion, not a neutral evaluation of facts.
For more “Best of the Web” click here and look for the “Best of the Web Today” link in the middle column below “Today’s Columnists.”
