Fact-Checkers Set Sights on Campaign Fibs

Many pundits ruled out Obama victory early

(NEWSER) - With the election over, what's more fun than calling out all those whose predictions were off—way off. Der Spiegel lists some highlights:

• "He cannot win, Bill. He cannot win." Hillary Clinton, on Barack Obama
• "We'll win Florida." Rudy Giuliani
• "Virginians are really getting fired up for this ticket of McCain and Palin." George Allen
• "Romney for the Republicans, Hillary for the Democrats." Ann Coulter, on the nominees

Legislation Republican is criticizing meant to protect kindergartners from pedophiles

(NEWSER) - John McCain’s new campaign ad accusing Barack Obama of voting to teach kindergarten kids the explicit details of sex, is “deliberately misleading,” Margaret Talev notes for McClatchy. While in the Illinois legislature, Obama voted in favor “age-appropriate” sex ed—which for young kids would primarily consist of being able to recognize inappropriate adult affection. More»

Dem's strengths expose key gaps in armor of Republican's rumored short-listers

(NEWSER) - Joe Biden presents a problem for John McCain, Jeanne Cummings notes on Politico. “McCain knows Biden well," says one Republican insider. "He knows how good he is as a knife fighter." Stacked up against Biden, all of the rumored GOP short-listers reveal potentially fatal flaws:

• Mitt Romney: Considering Biden's middle-class roots, the multimillionaire former governor could undermine McCain's claims of Obama elitism.

McCain's potential running mate gets back in the spotlight

(NEWSER) - Behaving more and more like John MCain's still-unnamed running mate, Mitt Romney yesterday tore into Joe Biden, reports the Washington Post. “His record being wrong on foreign policy is as long as his years in foreign policy,” zinged Romney. When asked if he was ready to debate Biden, Romney called the senator an "impenetrable thicket of words. I don't know if anyone is ready to debate him." More»

Kennedy, Kerry endorsements can't help Obama overcome ad blitz

(NEWSER) - Hillary Clinton topped Barack Obama in the Massachusetts primary today, overcoming his fervent endorsements by Ted Kennedy and John Kerry, MSNBC reports. Clinton did benefit from backing by state lawmakers like the senate president, Therese Murray, who implied Clinton lost the big endorsements because she is a woman, the AP reports. Clinton also ran more than twice as many ads in the state as Obama, the Times reports. More»