They are all saying it, so it must be true. John McCain's campaign is telling lies. That is what they are saying.
The McCain campaign commercial claimed that Barack Obama has the legislative accomplishment of voting for comprehensive sexual education for Illinois children in Kindergarten. George Stephanopoulos said it was a lie. Joy Behar said it was lie. David Brooks said it was not truthful. Mark Shields said that by saying this, McCain has become dishonorable.
Forgive whom you must. The piece of legislation in question is some years old and nearly fourteen pages long. Illinois SB0099, amending the existing law to add K through 5 to the Sex Education statute, contains this text:
6 (105 ILCS 5/27-9.1) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-9.1)
7 Sec. 27-9.1. Sex Education.
8 (a) No pupil shall be required to take or participate in
9 any class or course in comprehensive sex education if the
10 pupil's
his parent or guardian submits written objection
11 thereto, and refusal to take or participate in such course or
12 program shall not be reason for suspension or expulsion of
13 such pupil. Each class or course in comprehensive sex
14 education offered in any of grades K
6 through 12 shall
15 include instruction on the prevention of sexually transmitted
16 infections, including the prevention, transmission and spread
17 of HIV
AIDS. Nothing in this Section prohibits instruction in
18 sanitation, hygiene or traditional courses in biology.
19 (b) All public elementary, junior high, and senior high
20 school classes that teach sex education and discuss sexual
21 activity or behavior
intercourse shall emphasize that
22 abstinence is an effective method of preventing unintended
is
23 the expected norm in that abstinence from sexual intercourse
24 is the only protection that is 100% effective against
25 unwanted teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases,
26 and HIV
acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) when
27 transmitted sexually.
That is from page 1 of the amendment. Underlined text is added to the law and struck-through text is removed.
At line 9, the legislation considers this bill as regarding "comprehensive sex education". At line 13, it adds grades K through 5 to those students receiving instruction on the prevention of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. At line 19, this includes the teaching of sexual activity or behavior. Barack Obama admits to voting for this legislation in committee.
I can forgive the McCain campaign for believing that a bill about comprehensive sex education amended to include K-5 on a vote by Barack Obama for sharing that with the public.
But, on the news, they said it was a lie.
They also said that the Obama comment this week about putting lipstick on a pig was not in response to the Sarah Palin comment about lipstick on hockey moms differentiating them from pit bills. You be the judge. The audience certainly seems to know what he was saying. The pause in his delivery, the wait for the audience to get "it" isn't confusing. Only Obama's defenders, only those who wish to pick another battle will leave it alone.
Behar, Brooks, Shields and Stephanopoulos, and many others in the media, said it was deceitful and misleading to accuse Obama of referring to Sarah Palin. He later characterized his statement as a common figure of speech for him. However, consider his delivery, not only on Letterman, but also at a campaign event. In the original, he stumbles and trips over getting the line right, but nails the wait for reaction. In the last two, the words slip off his tongue without any pause. Perhaps he was nervous the first time. Perhaps he understood the certain outcry to come. I cannot know.
What do you think?
