Without refuting it, AP, Bloomberg report Palin accusation that Obama "wants to raise" taxes

Summary: In reports on Gov. Sarah Palin's acceptance speech at the RNC, the AP and Bloomberg both reported her accusation that Sen. Barack Obama "wants to raise taxes," without noting that, in fact, Obama has proposed cutting taxes for low- and middle-income families and raising them only on households earning more than $250,000 per year.

On September 4, both the Associated Press and Bloomberg uncritically reported Gov. Sarah Palin's assertion in her September 3 acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota, that Sen. Barack Obama wants to raise taxes. Both articles quoted Palin's assertion that "taxes are too high. [Obama] wants to raise them." Neither noted that, in fact, Obama has proposed cutting taxes for low- and middle-income families and raising taxes only on households earning more than $250,000 per year. Nor did either note that McCain's own chief economic adviser, Douglas Holtz-Eakin, has reportedly said it is inaccurate to say that "Barack Obama raises taxes," as Media Matters for America has repeatedly noted.

The Tax Policy Center has analyzed Obama's and Sen. John McCain's tax proposals and concluded that "Obama would give larger tax cuts to low- and moderate-income households and pay some of the cost by raising taxes on high-income taxpayers. In contrast, McCain would cut taxes across the board and give the biggest cuts to the highest-income households."

From the September 4 AP article:

The No. 2 on the GOP ticket clearly impressed the party faithful Wednesday as she smoothly moved from lavishing praise on McCain -- "a true profile in courage" who has "determination, resolve, and sheer guts" -- to throwing punches at Democratic rival Barack Obama.

"Victory in Iraq is finally in sight. He wants to forfeit," Palin said in her vice presidential acceptance speech. "Government is too big. He wants to grow it. Congress spends too much. He promises more. Taxes are too high. He wants to raise them."

Even as controversy swirled around the Alaska governor, there was little doubt that loyalists loved this mother of five, churchgoer, abortion opponent and moose hunter. They erupted at every mention of her name before she took the stage. And they gave her a thunderous welcome when she emerged.

From the September 4 Bloomberg article:

The next presidential administration will have to grapple with challenges such as taxes, reining in federal spending and the loss of manufacturing jobs abroad.

"Taxes are too high," Palin said in her acceptance speech last night at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota, and Democratic nominee Barack Obama "wants to raise them."

—M.A.