Flip-Flop Flap

One of the World Wide Web's most distinguished organs of fake news, the Borowitz Report, leads its current issue with this flash:


The liberal blogosphere was aflame today with new accusations that Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill) is trying to win the 2008 presidential election.

Except that sometimes it's hard to tell fake from real. Full Story »

Posted by Beth Wellington
Tags Help
Subjects: U.S., Politics
Topics: Presidential Election 2008
Editorial Help

Reviews

Show All | Notes | Comments | Quotes | Links
Derek Hawkins
3.5
by Derek Hawkins - Oct. 1, 2008

A commendably pointless attempt by the New Yorker to blend merit-based analysis of Barack Obama's campaign with the flip-flop-obsessed perspective of cable news. There's not a lot of new information presented here, but the assessment is refreshing. The apparent goal is to break the intellectual laziness that categorizes a public statement or policy change as a flip-flop when the reality is more complex. That said, the New Yorker could have come down harder on Obama's more substantial reversals and contradictions.

See Full Review » (10 answers)
Gerard Barberi
3.9
by Gerard Barberi - Oct. 1, 2008

I've never seen someone attempt to put political doublespeak in a positive light.

See Full Review » (13 answers)
Jim Lang
3.9
by Jim Lang - Oct. 1, 2008

This is a reasoned article that discusses the "flip-flops" that Obama is accused of making, ranks them, alludes to McCain's "flip-flops" then concludes that "flip-flops" are preferrable to George Bush's practice of never adjusting to changing circumstances. Though reasoned, the article on its path to it's final conclusion is clearly pro-Obama.

See Full Review » (7 answers)
Fred Gatlin
3.6
by Fred Gatlin - Oct. 1, 2008

An interesting story about Obama's supposed changes of position. The results are less than many would suggested, but seem impartial. This is a fair story from the same source as the as the 'satire' front page.

See Full Review » (7 answers)
Anthony Phillips
4.4
by Anthony Phillips - Oct. 1, 2008

More a "review article" than a "report," but a fair analysis of the so-called Obama flip-flops. It would have been more balanced (but much longer) if equal space had been given to examining McCain's much more substantial changes in position.

See Full Review » (7 answers)
Andre Smith
3.4
by Andre Smith - Oct. 1, 2008

It was even handed, however, I am more concerned with what it was saying in that it only could present everything in a immediate short term context, okay, maybe that was because of the limitations of space and time. At any rate my question is what is the point? If the point was about being able to change, even if the change is seems to be a "flip flop" is better than clinging to a idea out of nothing other than stubborness; then it would have been better if it could have mentioned some rationale or context, instead it just seemed a bit cynical.

See Full Review » (7 answers)

Comments on this story Help (BETA)

NT Rating | My Rating

Ratings

3.5

Good
from 11 reviews (50% confidence)
Quality
3.4
Facts
4.0
Fairness
3.7
Information
3.6
Sourcing
3.0
Style
4.0
Accuracy
4.0
Balance
4.0
Context
3.2
Popularity
3.8
Recommendation
3.8
Credibility
3.7
# Reviews
5.0
# Views
3.4
# Likes
1.0
# Emails
1.0
More
How our ratings work »
(See these related stories.)

Links Help

No links yet. Please review this story to add some!