Of all the things I have seen from the campaign trail, perhaps the most bizarre is the legal disclaimer posted by 8th Congressional district challenger Dr. Paul Perry, a Democrat, on his campaign Web site, www.dr-paulperry.com. During their first debate, Republican incumbent John Hostettler blasted Perry for the page -- which proclaimed Perry was not responsible for information contained within his own campaign site!\n Immediately, the legal notice, posted by aide Carter Wells, warned: "Do not access our pages if you do not agree to all the following terms." Perry's campaign continued, "The Web pages are provided 'as is' and no representation or warranty of any kind, either express or implied, is or has been made to the completeness, accuracy or reliability of the information in the Web pages ..." \nThe lunacy didn't end there: "The (Perry campaign) shall not under any circumstances be liable for any direct, incidental, consequential, secondary or damages or lost profits whether resulting from the use or inability to use the Web pages."\nApparently, voters need to be wary of entering into "contracts" or "obligations" with their own Congressman-wannabe. But hey, Perry's disclaimer is actually a good idea -- for a man who stretches the truth like Al Gore.\nPerry has recently been raising money from trial lawyers who traditionally don't like such detailed agreements (while doctors and businessmen do). Perry's campaign imploded with the posting of the page and Hostettler walloped him. The credibility of his candidacy, like his now defunct legal notice, has become a sad joke. \nIn case you're wondering, the Perry campaign removed the page.\n \nA sucker every nanosecond\nJust when you believe the media are improving their image, some reporter does something very dumb -- something dumber (and much less forgivable) than exaggerating a resume or forgetting who rules Taiwan. During the second debate between Senate hopefuls Rick Lazio and Hillary R. Clinton, debate moderator Marcia Kramer asked the two candidates what they thought of a new nickel tax on e-mails Congress was considering in bill "602P." Clinton and Lazio, unfazed by the question, actually answered. (Both opposed the "bill.")\nIt's hard to say who looks more foolish. Lazio should know that Senate bills begin with "S" and House bills begin with "HR." Hillary and the Clinton administration should know the U.S. Postal Service sent out an advisory detailing the hoax in May of 1999.\nThe e-mail tax bill doesn't exist. It is a long-time Internet hoax that proves a sucker is now born every nanosecond. What's even more infuriating is the reporter who posed the question is now -- get this -- explaining that the question had been e-mailed to the debate panel which gladly accepted it.
Eddie Haskell on Speed and Winnebago Liberals\nAl Gore's presidential campaign may be in free-fall. The Vice President just can't stop exaggerating. He's like Eddie Haskell on speed. During his debate with Governor Bush, Gore told a whopper about accompanying Federal Emergency Management Agency director James Lee Witt to Texas. But the biggest whopper came in his closing remarks.\nGore, known for his "embellishments," described a woman who had traveled all the way from Iowa to attend the Boston debate. Gore told the story of United Auto Workers retiree Winifred Skinner, who had complained to Gore that to pay for prescription drugs, she has to collect recyclable cans. Gore, in his closing remarks, noted she had driven all the way to Boston -- in her Winnebago. This must be the new version of the type of Democrat we saw so much of in the 1980s: "limousine liberals." What shall we call them now? How about "partisan, Winnebago-driving tellers of tall tales?"\nJim is gladly accepting better suggestions at jastinso@indiana.edu.
