One of these things is not like the other

The media’s favorite strategy in trying desperately to overcome false accusations of being “liberal” is to practice false equivalency, comparing two things and pretending they’re both extreme, even when one clearly isn’t. For example, suggesting that climate change denial is as valid as recognizing global warming and branding both sides as equally dogmatic and inflexible. The problem is that one position is demonstrably false and the other true. The biggest arena for false equivalency is, of course, politics where every outrageous statement by a far-right conservative is “balanced” by a statement on the left that isn’t nearly as indefensible or outrageous. The media pretend it is, however, so they seem fair.

Let’s take a look at today’s Washington Post headline story, In Massachusetts Senate race, Warren and Brown take off the gloves, which starts off with the sentence, “The most closely watched Senate race in the country has taken a sharp turn off the high road.” Uh-oh. Here comes the mud!

So how do they follow that up?

Brown is suggesting that the woman who made a national reputation as a fierce advocate for the middle class and consumers is a phony. … His new television ad highlights the controversy over Warren’s unproved claim that she is of Native American heritage. It also raises the possibility — also unproved, and denied by those involved in hiring her — that she claimed minority status for professional advancement.

 

Okay, this is definitely a negative approach. Brown is directly attacking Warren’s character through unproven accusations unrelated to any actual issues of concern to the country.
 

So what did Warren do to drag this campaign into the negative?

Warren, meanwhile, is urging Massachusetts voters to look beyond their affection for Brown to consider the votes he has cast and the national consequences of an election that could help return the Senate to Republican control.

Oh, that’s definitely – wait, what? In what way is that negative? Considering the votes Brown has cast and the consequences of returning control of the Senate to the Republicans are EXACTLY the types of things voters should consider. Unlike Brown, Warren didn’t attack him personally or call into question his character. She asked people to look at his positions on the issues.

False equivalency.

Here’s the worst the Post can come up with from Prof. Warren:

“But in a fundraising e-mail sent after his new ad appeared on Monday, she was blunter: “We know where Scott Brown stands — and it’s not with the people of Massachusetts. It’s with big money and his Republican buddies.”

Again, not a personal attack but an attack (and a mild one) on his record. She’s saying that he votes with big money interests and other Republicans, which he does. Oh, how negative!
 

Yes, the “liberal” media is really in the tank for Democrats. ::rolls eyes::