Walrus v. Mouse

The media's attempts to sound objective while fact-checking the debates are almost cute. They're like trying to report on a see-saw with a walrus on one side and a mouse on the other, and make it sound like the whole thing is balanced. Here's ABC News:

Kerry sharply criticized Bush on port security inspections of ship cargo, saying "95 percent come in today uninspected. That's not good enough."

Kerry's claim ignores that the manifests of all U.S.-bound cargo are screened before they reach American ports and all high-risk cargo is identified. U.S. officials then physically inspect the high-risk cargo which accounts for about 5 percent of the overall total.

Oh! So as long as the terrorists put their bombs on the manifest, that'll be fine, then.

Kerry says the see-saw is tipping heavily to the walrus's side. But Kerry's claim ignores that there is a mouse on the other side of the see-saw.

Honestly, do they read this stuff before they post it?