Just a quick hitter to note that Alexander Lane at CQ sets the record straight on the McCain/Palin "socialism" smear in a front-page post of something originally published at Politifact on October 24:
Sorting Out the Truth on McCain’s "Socialism" Allegations
Sen. John McCain ’s campaign has seized on Sen. Barack Obama ’s offhand remark that he wants to "spread the wealth around" to claim that Obama is a socialist.
Even in the context of a heated presidential campaign, that’s a remarkably incendiary accusation. It’s become a standard part of the McCain campaign rhetoric, uttered by surrogates and candidates alike.
...
She (Palin) has repeated the line in Nevada, New Mexico, Colorado and most recently in Leesburg, Va., on Oct. 27, 2008. It consistently evokes boos and jeers from a crowd protective of the American system of government.
But is Palin stoking their anger honestly?
Well, I think we know the answer, but Lane makes it clear...
(more)
After detailing the context of Obama's remark to Sam (Joe) Wurzelbacher that McCain and Palin have used to make their "socialism" charge, Lane lays out the facts:
Few serious policy makers — including McCain — consider progressive taxation socialist. In fact, on the Oct. 26, 2008 edition of NBC’s Meet the Press, McCain stood by a comment he made in 2000 that "there’s nothing wrong with paying somewhat more" in taxes when you "reach a certain level of comfort."
"You put into different, different categories of wealthier people paying, paying higher taxes into different brackets," McCain told host Tom Brokaw, as if to say progressive taxes are a no-brainer.
Lane concludes:
So no, Obama’s tax increase on those making more than $250,000 would not represent a transformation of the U.S. system of government. His desire to "spread the wealth" through progressive taxation makes him no less a capitalist than McCain, or Lincoln. Palin’s allegation that Obama wants to "experiment with socialism" seems designed less to inform than to inflame. We rated her remarks "Pants on Fire" wrong.
Think asshats like Mark Halperin or the jamokes at Politico would report on this debunking? Of course not! They simply repeat the inane charges as part of their "reporting," facts be damned.
Interesting, then, that Jonathan Martin at Politico still hasn't apologized for reporting the bogus "B-carved-into-the-face" attack as "fact" based solely on a single source of Matt Drudge.
I know the "socialist" charge has been rebutted in the past few days, but has anyone found a mainstream media source debunking this garbage publicly?
I know, I know... Don't hold your breath.