Lies, damned lies and Barack Obama

I'll confess: I did not watch the Saddleback Faith Forum extravaganza, in which Obama, by all accounts, fared poorly. What concerns me is not the number of errrs and uhhhs but the frequency and nature of the fibbing. Some claim that Obama slipped a lie into every answer. Did he?

To judge from the transcript and blog accounts, the answer is no. Still there were some very worrisome fibs.

1. The war. Obama claimed that opposing the Iraq War resolution was the most wrenching decision of his life because he was, at the time, a candidate for the Senate. In fact, he was a candidate for the Illinois State Senate, representing a district in which a pro-war stance would have proven an impossible sell.

During his actual campaign for the federal office, all of his primary challengers took far more visible anti-war stands. Obama mentioned the war as little as possible. He did not criticize the decision to go to war during his national address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. (And before some dunderhead out there says it -- because some dunderhead out there always says it -- Obama was not protecting John Kerry, who offered strong criticism of the decision to invade during his acceptance speech.)

In his autobiography, Obama admits that he reconsidered his opposition to the invasion as he watched the "shock and awe" campaign.

2. Late-term abortions. Obama said that he favored reducing late-term abortions as long as there was no threat to the mother's health. But during his time in the Illinois State Senate, Obama established a record of voting against Born Alive Infant’s Protection Act. During the interview, he misrepresented his own position on that Act, as his campaign later had to admit.

3. Number of abortions. Obama stated that the number of abortions has not gone down during the Bush presidency. This statement is incorrect.

According to this chart, the number of reported abortions was 1,359,437 in 1992, the last year of the Bush I presidency. The numbers steadily went down during the Clinton administration: 885,207 in 1998, 864,078 in 1999 and 861,343 in 2000. Here are the Bush II numbers: 853911 in 2001, 854382 in 2002, 850230 in 2003 and 839226 in 2004 (the last year for which we have reliable data).

When you consider the increase in population, it is clear that abortion has continued to decline under Bush II, although the rate of decline is not so impressive as it was under Bill Clinton.

Yes, I favor a woman's right to choose. But I also favor accuracy in statements by presidential candidates. A decline is not an increase and a decline is not stasis -- even if the rate of decline has slowed.

4. Gay marriage. Obama offered this definition of marriage: "I believe that marriage is the union between a man and a woman." No: Sex is the union of man and woman. Marriage is a legal and religious institution.

Obama now says that he views marriage as a strictly heterosexual affair and favors civil unions. Nevertheless, he also thinks that all states should recognize gay marriages which occur in states that have legalized same. This is a nuanced position, essentially no different from John Kerry's in 2004.

Alas, his new "hets only" marriage stance conflicts with the position he espoused just two months ago:

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, who previously said the issue of gay marriage should be left up to each state, has announced his opposition to a California ballot measure that would ban same-sex marriages.

In a letter to the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club read Sunday at the group’s annual Pride Breakfast in San Francisco, the Illinois senator said he supports extending “fully equal rights and benefits to same-sex couples under both state and federal law.”

5. Clarence Thomas. On this occasion, Obama told a truth which inadvertently gave the lie to his own candidacy.

"I would not have nominated Clarence Thomas. I don't think that he, I don't think that he was a strong enough jurist or legal thinker at the time for that elevation."

In other words, experience counts. I agree. But I didn't expect to hear Barack Obama make that argument. Of all people...!

6. Campaign Finance Reform. Obama bragged that he worked with John McCain on this issue. In fact, McCain continues to receive public financing route; Obama outraged many supporters when he decided not to do so.

7. Persecution. When asked about increasing religious persecution in many parts of the world, Obama answered:

"Well, I think that the first thing we have to do is to bear witness and speak out and not pretend that it is not taking place."

True enough. But: When has Obama ever spoken out on the subject previously?

Neither lie nor truth: If you didn't see the event, check out Obama's answer on whether faith-based organizations should receive federal money if they hire only within the faith. He never answered the question!