A lie is a lie is a… by SunshineUnderground

I have to come back to that Mario Diaz-Balart attack ad linking Joe Garcia to Enron, and the media's coverage of it. Channel 10, or WPLG-10, did a niece segment debunking it .

The ad was lies from start to finish. Take the part in the beginning where it says that Ken Lay said he was "comfortable" with Garcia as a possible candidate for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Lay made that statement when a Frontline reporter asked him if he opposed Garcia's appointment to the commission because Garcia was on the record as supporting more regulation than Enron favored. And Garcia did not change his stance and did not get the appointment. Read the transcript.

Now, how the hell, based on those facts, can you possibly conclude that Garcia was, in any way, working with Enron?

That's only the beginning. Next, the Diaz-Balart ad says that Garcia 'begged" Lay for a job. Interestingly, the ad cites no sources. Even more interestingly, the Diaz-Balart campaign has yet to provide any sources, or supporting evidence for that line, despite being asked to do so. I hope that will change, but right now it just looks like a bold face lie. I won't even deal with the end of the ad, which of course, appears to contain another lie, this time about Garcia supporting a raise in utility rates. Channel 10 did a good job of debunking that one.

Which brings me to my second point. Throughout the segment on channel 10, the reporter, Glenna Milberg, points out the "false" statements made by the Diaz-Balart ad. Why not call a lie a lie? I believe I know the argument that many reporters will make in response to that question. They will say that the word "lie" is a value laden word. It's too partisan, too aggressive. "False" or "misleading" are just as accurate, and they don't come with all the extra baggage.

And to that I respond with one of my favorite words in the English language: bullshit. A lie is a deliberately deceptive statement, while a false statement is wrong, but not necessary intentionally so. The difference is that a lie, by definition, is intentional, and there is no better example of a lie than a politician making stuff up about his opponent for political gain. Lie is the right word. False, is well, wrong,

Don't take this to be an attack on Milberg. She performed a valuable service, unlike the Miami Herald, which ducked the question all together, before following Diaz-Balart down change-the-subject lane.

- Jared Goyette SunshineUndergroundFL@gmail.com