From an ABC news article:
Sen. John Kyl, R-Ariz., repeated a Republican argument today that abortions are “well over 90 percent of what Planned Parenthood does.” He later clarified that the statistic, which is inaccurate, was “not intended to be a factual statement.”
Well, good. We all know what’s going on, and it’s about time we stopped pretending anyone in power ever intentionally tells the truth about anything.
Remember Senator Kyl’s “clarification” next time Fox & Friends panelists say women can get pap smears at Walgreens, or a Face the Nation guest proclaims Social Security is bankrupt.
News channels should put “Not intended to be a factual statement” on a chyron and run it across the bottom of the screen whenever any politician, lobbyist, spokesperson, or pundit opens his or her lie hole.
Update (later, same day): Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert both had a lot of fun with Kyl’s statement on their shows tonight. I particularly liked Colbert’s reaction, which was something on the order of “how liberating!” And then he went on to say that Senator Kyl has had sex with all his first cousins, that this wasn’t an allegation but a fact, and (slight pause) that the bit about it being a fact was not intended to be a factual statement. Priceless.
So, it was intended to be a lie? Why don’t they just say that first and get it over with?
Now that I think about it, isn’t it sort of similar to QKHadDfII pledging a cease-fire? Not intended to be a factual statement?
Senator John Kyl … the last honest politician!