Comments on: Mark Levin Show Lie about Obama Selective Service Registration http://netmix.com/2008/09/08/mark-levin-show-lie-about-obama-selective-service-registration/ Digital Dance Music | DJ Culture | DJ Mixes | Web Technology & Online Marketing Tips, Tools and Techniques for the Dance Music Community Sun, 03 Jan 2010 01:05:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Tony Zeoli http://netmix.com/2008/09/08/mark-levin-show-lie-about-obama-selective-service-registration/comment-page-1/#comment-11321 Tony Zeoli Fri, 12 Sep 2008 13:30:40 +0000 http://netmix.com/?p=1194#comment-11321 I understand your point. Mr. Obama should have said something to the effect that AFTER he had graduated from high school, he had to sign up for selective service. Because he added the date 1979, people started jumping on him about being a liar. My problem with this, is BEFORE anyone checked into it, they started calling him a liar. That is a dangerous path to to take. The right wing media are looking for any piece of information to label Obama a liar, taking "swift boat" politics to a new level. First, you must check the facts with a reliable resource. Second, you must find out if Obama actually registered and when did the actually sign up. Only then can you ascertain whether someone lied or did not lie. It is the responsibility of media personalities to fact check before the go around labeling someone. Mark Levin did not fact check before saying that Obama lied. Nor did Bob Grant, who came on in the slot after Levin on WABC 770. Bob Grant did not say Obama "lied," but he did continue the issue into the next two hours without fact checking himself. That is irresponsible. Radio talk show hosts who use the public airwaves need to do a better job of policing themselves. Agreed that both the left and the right need to do better at stating their facts. On the other hand, I couldn't tell you the date that I registered for selective service either. I'm not sure if I registered when I was a freshman in 1980, asenior in 1984 or after I graduated. Is this an issue that has relevance? Yes, because it's important to know whether Obama registered for selective service or not, given his position on service overall. Now that it has been confirmed he did register, the date he did so is inconsequential. Levin should apologize for calling him a liar, period. But Levin isn't going to apologize, because he could never bring himself to do that. That brings me to my next point, which is that these right wing talk show hosts get on the radio and spew venom to get their listeners riled up, in order to generate revenues for their stations and multimillion dollar pay packages for themselves. They are not reporters, they are entertainers. Many listeners needs to realize that just because they are on the radio, does not mean that what they say is the truth. It is their truth that they are spreading, and its up to the listeners to decide for themselves what the reality is. The same goes for this blog. All media have a perceived responsibility to the public. And I try my best to fact check, before I go around making incendiary statements. I understand your point. Mr. Obama should have said something to the effect that AFTER he had graduated from high school, he had to sign up for selective service. Because he added the date 1979, people started jumping on him about being a liar. My problem with this, is BEFORE anyone checked into it, they started calling him a liar. That is a dangerous path to to take. The right wing media are looking for any piece of information to label Obama a liar, taking “swift boat” politics to a new level.

First, you must check the facts with a reliable resource. Second, you must find out if Obama actually registered and when did the actually sign up. Only then can you ascertain whether someone lied or did not lie. It is the responsibility of media personalities to fact check before the go around labeling someone. Mark Levin did not fact check before saying that Obama lied. Nor did Bob Grant, who came on in the slot after Levin on WABC 770. Bob Grant did not say Obama “lied,” but he did continue the issue into the next two hours without fact checking himself. That is irresponsible. Radio talk show hosts who use the public airwaves need to do a better job of policing themselves.

Agreed that both the left and the right need to do better at stating their facts. On the other hand, I couldn’t tell you the date that I registered for selective service either. I’m not sure if I registered when I was a freshman in 1980, asenior in 1984 or after I graduated.

Is this an issue that has relevance? Yes, because it’s important to know whether Obama registered for selective service or not, given his position on service overall. Now that it has been confirmed he did register, the date he did so is inconsequential. Levin should apologize for calling him a liar, period. But Levin isn’t going to apologize, because he could never bring himself to do that.

That brings me to my next point, which is that these right wing talk show hosts get on the radio and spew venom to get their listeners riled up, in order to generate revenues for their stations and multimillion dollar pay packages for themselves. They are not reporters, they are entertainers. Many listeners needs to realize that just because they are on the radio, does not mean that what they say is the truth. It is their truth that they are spreading, and its up to the listeners to decide for themselves what the reality is.

The same goes for this blog. All media have a perceived responsibility to the public. And I try my best to fact check, before I go around making incendiary statements.

]]> By: betbbretret http://netmix.com/2008/09/08/mark-levin-show-lie-about-obama-selective-service-registration/comment-page-1/#comment-11319 betbbretret Fri, 12 Sep 2008 09:02:09 +0000 http://netmix.com/?p=1194#comment-11319 I completely agree that Mr. Levin and the caller were calling Senator Obama a liar. The lie they are referring to is that Mr. Obama said that he was required to register for Selective Service in 1979. That statement, by Mr. Obama, is wrong. He did not register in 1979. As I said before, his registration date was Sept. 4, 1980. Misstatement or outright lie (as Mr. Levin suggests), the facts show Mr. Obama's statement was not accurate. I hate to say it, but it just seems that Mr. Obama might need to do some fact checking of his own before he makes statements (even if they are about his own life). I think that the argument as to whether he registered 28 or 29 years ago is a pointless argument, but it does need to be brought up solely because our politicians MUST be held accountable for what they say and if they make false statements (intentional or simple mistakes), no matter how small and seemingly insignificant they may seem, they need to be addressed and explored. I have heard and seen too many politicians get caught in blatant lies and get let off by the media and the public when they basically say \Ooops...I misspoke\. That is the main reason that the American public does not trust or believe any politician on either side of the aisle and that is a very sad state of affairs in which we live. I completely agree that Mr. Levin and the caller were calling Senator Obama a liar. The lie they are referring to is that Mr. Obama said that he was required to register for Selective Service in 1979. That statement, by Mr. Obama, is wrong. He did not register in 1979. As I said before, his registration date was Sept. 4, 1980. Misstatement or outright lie (as Mr. Levin suggests), the facts show Mr. Obama’s statement was not accurate. I hate to say it, but it just seems that Mr. Obama might need to do some fact checking of his own before he makes statements (even if they are about his own life). I think that the argument as to whether he registered 28 or 29 years ago is a pointless argument, but it does need to be brought up solely because our politicians MUST be held accountable for what they say and if they make false statements (intentional or simple mistakes), no matter how small and seemingly insignificant they may seem, they need to be addressed and explored. I have heard and seen too many politicians get caught in blatant lies and get let off by the media and the public when they basically say \Ooops…I misspoke\. That is the main reason that the American public does not trust or believe any politician on either side of the aisle and that is a very sad state of affairs in which we live.

]]> By: Tony Zeoli http://netmix.com/2008/09/08/mark-levin-show-lie-about-obama-selective-service-registration/comment-page-1/#comment-11316 Tony Zeoli Fri, 12 Sep 2008 03:32:40 +0000 http://netmix.com/?p=1194#comment-11316 In the interview with George Stephanopolous, Obama said, \...when I graduated from high school.\ Mark subsequently said, \people should just tell the truth...,\ which implies that Obama was not telling the truth. But, that could also be attributed to Mark thinking that Obama should have \told the truth\ about why he didn't enter into the service. Mark Levin said, \you're right, that is a flat out lie.\ So, yes, he did say that Obama lied and then said \that's simply not true.\ Before fact checking, Mark Levin called Obama a liar. The audio actually proves it. So, even though I appreciate you going to great lengths to write your comment, the audio proves that he did call Obama a liar in this case. He should be held accountable for perpetuating something that he did not fact check before he called Obama a liar. His web site, which I've posted, also says that Obama's statement is \not true.\ In the interview with George Stephanopolous, Obama said, \…when I graduated from high school.\ Mark subsequently said, \people should just tell the truth…,\ which implies that Obama was not telling the truth. But, that could also be attributed to Mark thinking that Obama should have \told the truth\ about why he didn’t enter into the service. Mark Levin said, \you’re right, that is a flat out lie.\ So, yes, he did say that Obama lied and then said \that’s simply not true.\ Before fact checking, Mark Levin called Obama a liar. The audio actually proves it. So, even though I appreciate you going to great lengths to write your comment, the audio proves that he did call Obama a liar in this case. He should be held accountable for perpetuating something that he did not fact check before he called Obama a liar. His web site, which I’ve posted, also says that Obama’s statement is \not true.\

]]> By: betbret http://netmix.com/2008/09/08/mark-levin-show-lie-about-obama-selective-service-registration/comment-page-1/#comment-11311 betbret Thu, 11 Sep 2008 13:42:02 +0000 http://netmix.com/?p=1194#comment-11311 First, thank you for bringing this up. I have heard statements about this made before, but never got any conclusion. Reading your post brought me to look around and see what I could find regarding Senator Obama's registration with the Selective Service. The issue about his registration was resolved by pajamasmedia.com. Mr. Obama's effective registration date was Sept. 4, 1980 and his registration number is 61-1125539-1. The primary problem, in this election, is that too many statements (from and by both sides) are being taken out of context...and the only real people getting hurt by it are the American citizens. The audio from the Sept. 8, 2008 show is currently available streaming on Mark Levin's website, which I listened to upon your raising this issue. Mr. Levin played an audio clip from Stephanopoulos' interview on Sept. 7, where Mr. Obama was asked about whether he had ever thought about joining the military. Mr. Obama answered that he had to register with the Selective Service (SSS) when he graduated high school in 1979, but that he did not join the military because at the time we were not involved in any active military conflict. Mr. Levin's statements (at that time) were solely to the point that if Mr. Obama had wanted to serve in the military, then he would have. A caller then brought up the issue about registration with the SSS having been suspended during that time and reinstated in 1980. The point that was subsequently being made by the next caller (which was the only caller to comment upon the issue) and Mr. Levin was that Mr. Obama did not register with the SSS in 1979 (as he had stated in the interview) because nobody could. Though many of his remarks seem to have quite an incendiary tone and subsequent effect, I believe that it was only Mr. Obama's statement that he had to register in 1979, which was being taken into consideration and the truthfulness or lack of truthfulness in his statement. In the interview, Mr. Obama made a simple misstatement. Furthermore, it was simply a small, insignificant statement in a much larger and more important point being made by Mr. Obama. I think that we would both agree that in this age, when everyone's opinion can so easily be disseminated throughout the world, we need to take the time and make sure that there is accuracy in our claims. The problem here is that you are guilty of the same thing you accusing Mr. Levin of. If you would like to go back and listen to the show online, the conversation begins at 56:42 (just trying to save you some time of having to listen to that first almost 57 minutes). I only heard arguments about the dates when registration with the SSS was mandatory. It is a complete non-issue. You will be happy to know that the facts about Mr. Obama's registration were posted on KABC's website, in the comments under Mr. Levin's bio on 09/09/2008. I just ask that before any of us tries to discredit anyone and say that they are spreading absolute lies and false information or call for their dismissal, we need to make sure that we do our own research also. No matter how much we may disagree with someone, we cannot let our emotions get the best of us before we know the facts. Thank you again for your discourse and for your time, -bret First, thank you for bringing this up. I have heard statements about this made before, but never got any conclusion. Reading your post brought me to look around and see what I could find regarding Senator Obama’s registration with the Selective Service.
The issue about his registration was resolved by pajamasmedia.com. Mr. Obama’s effective registration date was Sept. 4, 1980 and his registration number is 61-1125539-1.
The primary problem, in this election, is that too many statements (from and by both sides) are being taken out of context…and the only real people getting hurt by it are the American citizens.
The audio from the Sept. 8, 2008 show is currently available streaming on Mark Levin’s website, which I listened to upon your raising this issue.
Mr. Levin played an audio clip from Stephanopoulos’ interview on Sept. 7, where Mr. Obama was asked about whether he had ever thought about joining the military. Mr. Obama answered that he had to register with the Selective Service (SSS) when he graduated high school in 1979, but that he did not join the military because at the time we were not involved in any active military conflict. Mr. Levin’s statements (at that time) were solely to the point that if Mr. Obama had wanted to serve in the military, then he would have. A caller then brought up the issue about registration with the SSS having been suspended during that time and reinstated in 1980. The point that was subsequently being made by the next caller (which was the only caller to comment upon the issue) and Mr. Levin was that Mr. Obama did not register with the SSS in 1979 (as he had stated in the interview) because nobody could. Though many of his remarks seem to have quite an incendiary tone and subsequent effect, I believe that it was only Mr. Obama’s statement that he had to register in 1979, which was being taken into consideration and the truthfulness or lack of truthfulness in his statement.
In the interview, Mr. Obama made a simple misstatement. Furthermore, it was simply a small, insignificant statement in a much larger and more important point being made by Mr. Obama.
I think that we would both agree that in this age, when everyone’s opinion can so easily be disseminated throughout the world, we need to take the time and make sure that there is accuracy in our claims.
The problem here is that you are guilty of the same thing you accusing Mr. Levin of.
If you would like to go back and listen to the show online, the conversation begins at 56:42 (just trying to save you some time of having to listen to that first almost 57 minutes). I only heard arguments about the dates when registration with the SSS was mandatory. It is a complete non-issue. You will be happy to know that the facts about Mr. Obama’s registration were posted on KABC’s website, in the comments under Mr. Levin’s bio on 09/09/2008.
I just ask that before any of us tries to discredit anyone and say that they are spreading absolute lies and false information or call for their dismissal, we need to make sure that we do our own research also. No matter how much we may disagree with someone, we cannot let our emotions get the best of us before we know the facts.
Thank you again for your discourse and for your time,
-bret

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