Truth Test 2: What to believe in a Slattery vs. Roberts ad
4:35 p.m. Wednesday, July 23, 2008
"Nearly forty years ago, Neil Armstrong walked on the moon and Pat Roberts was already in Washington."
Democrat Jim Slattery's first political ad takes a soft approach, but still calls out Pat Roberts and the fact that he's been in Washington for the past 40 years. It gives the impression that he's spent all that time in office.
But here are the facts: Roberts actually has spent a total of 20 years in office as a Congressman and a Senator. He worked for Kansas' U.S. Senator Frank Carlson in 1967. In 1969, Roberts became administrative assistant to First District U.S. Congressman Keith Sebelius.
While he was in Washington when Armstrong landed on the moon, he didn't get into office until 1980. So while this claim is technically true, we're labeling it misleading.
The ad goes on to say it's time for new leadership.
"Washington is more incompetent and indifferent than ever. Partisan bickering hasn't fixed our problems with health care, jobs and high gas prices," claims the ad.
Slattery press secretary Abbie Hodgson defends the ad.
View the ad here.
"People's approval rating of Congress is at an all-time low." she said.
According to a 2008 Gallup poll the Congressional approval rating dipped below 20% for only the fourth time in the 34 years Gallup has asked Americans to rate the job Congress is doing.
That claim would be a truth.
"I will work with Senators from both parties to solve our problems.>
Watch the first Truth Test story from July 21 here.
Comments
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Jul. 23, 2008 at 7:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)situveux1 (anonymous)
"People's approval rating of Congress is at an all-time low."
And who's fault is that? Democrats control both the House and the Senate, so why would sending another Democrat solve problem?
Does 49 think this makes up for the flat out lies they put forward in their first story?
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