Point-for-Point

In Slate, there's a nicely written point-for-point answer to many, many -- um, well, what to call them if not lies? -- said by RNC speechmakers.

My personal favorite, said by Zell Miller, that Kerry voted to kill the M-1 tank, apache helicopter, F-14, F-16, F-18 jet fighters, and just about every other weapons system. What's he talking about? Well, first, the accusation came from an RNC talking-points memo. That memo was referring to a time in the 1990's when Kerry voted against, with 15 other Senators including 5 Republicans, a defense authorization bill -- so the RNC cherry-picked weapons programs out of it, as if Kerry sought to cruise-missle the programs into oblivion. By the same logic, Kerry voted to dismantle the entire US military. Oh, and this while Cheney was Defense secretary, and, in Senate testamony, complained that Senators were not slashing the budget enough to get that peace dividend (remember that?), and forcing weapons purchases -- of M1 tanks, F-14s and F-16s -- that he didn't want and didn't need.

Get ya coming and going, these folks.