Chicago Sun-Times uncritically reported McCain attack on Obama over liberal rating, but not McCain's non-rating because of missed votes

Summary: The Chicago Sun-Times uncritically reported Sen. John McCain's assertion that Sen. Barack Obama is "the most liberal Democrat in the United States Senate." However, the Sun-Times made no mention of the fact that the National Journal, which ranked Obama "the most liberal senator in 2007," said that McCain "did not vote frequently enough in 2007 to draw a composite score."

In a February 21 Chicago Sun-Times article on Sen. John McCain -- headlined "McCain attacks Obama here: Calls him 'most liberal' in Senate during visit" -- political reporter Abdon M. Pallasch uncritically reported McCain's assertion that Sen. Barack Obama is "the most liberal Democrat in the United States Senate." Pallasch wrote, "Twice during a 12-minute news conference at the Aurora Municipal Airport, McCain called Obama the most liberal senator in the U.S. Senate." Pallasch quoted McCain as saying, "There will be ample time to outline the stark differences between the most liberal Democrat in the United States Senate, according to the National Journal, and myself, who is a proud Republican conservative." However, Pallasch made no mention of the fact that the National Journal, which ranked Obama "the most liberal senator in 2007," said that McCain "did not vote frequently enough in 2007 to draw a composite score."

As Media Matters for America has previously documented, among the votes Obama took that purportedly earned him National Journal's "most liberal senator in 2007" label were those to implement the 9-11 Commission's homeland security recommendations, provide more children with health insurance, expand federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research, and maintain a federal minimum wage.

From the February 21 Chicago Sun-Times article:

Twice during a 12-minute news conference at the Aurora Municipal Airport, McCain called Obama the most liberal senator in the U.S. Senate.

"There will be ample time to outline the stark differences between the most liberal Democrat in the United States Senate, according to the National Journal, and myself, who is a proud Republican conservative," McCain said.

In his speech after winning the Wisconsin primary Tuesday night, McCain called Obama "an inexperienced candidate" who would exercise "confused leadership."

—L.K.A.