Lies 79 and 80

from count the lies (link at left)

FactCheck.org: McCain's "False" Clean Coal Claims are "Not True." "The McCain-Palin campaign is airing radio ads in four states claiming that the Obama-Biden ticket 'oppose[s] clean coal.' That's false: Obama's energy plan, which he began promoting well over a year ago, calls for investing in 'low emissions coal plants' and creating '5 'first-of-a-kind' commercial scale coal-fired plants with carbon capture and sequestration.' His position in support of clean coal has been clear. The ad's claim rests solely on a remark Biden made when questioned while shaking hands on a rope line in Ohio. Biden said, 'We're not supporting clean coal.' The campaign says he meant something else entirely. Regardless, it's Obama's energy plan that the ticket is running on." [FactCheck.org, 9/30/08: http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/not_coming_clean_on_coal.html]

CNN: McCain Spending Claim "Misleading." "This hour we are taking on the issue of spending. Like taxes when you start talking about billions and trillions of dollars, its easy to get confused. So let's take a listen to the charge from John McCain yesterday in Columbus, Ohio. 'It shouldn't be surprising that Senator Obama isn't interested in protecting your tax dollars. Senator Obama has proposed more than $860 billion in new spending.' Nearly $1 trillion in new spending? That's a lot of money. Is it true? Well, you really have to break down the statement. Let's take a look at a key word in McCain's statement. He said Obama proposed more than $860 billion in new spending. The key word being 'new.' Not 'spending with cuts in other areas,' but new spending. The McCain campaign simply added up the costs of programs Obama has talked about. But the Obama campaign told us some of the programs will be paid for in cuts in other areas. They called the McCain figure 'totally ludicrous.' Now, we also checked with the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, and that nonpartisan group, agreed, saying McCain's statement was misleading and taken out of context. And listen to this. The group actually found that in the end the candidates would have about the same impact on the federal budget. The projection by the year 2013, Obama would be adding $286 billion to the deficit. McCain, $211 billion. So back to the original charge and the question: Is McCain right in saying that Obama would propose $860 billion in new spending? Well, the truth squad says -- no. The statement is misleading." [CNN American Morning, 9/30/08: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6hfmQz8J5g]