Political Ad Goes Under Truth Test

By Dan Bewley and Terry Hood, News On 6

TULSA, OK -- Another political ad is going under our Truth Test. This time it's Andrew Rice's latest spot comparing Senator Jim Inhofe to Lemmings.

State Senator Andrew Rice says decisions made by incumbent U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe mimic that of a small rodent that lives in the Arctic.

"Washington politicians are a lot like lemmings."

The latest swing for a seat in the U.S. Senate comes from challenger Andrew Rice. The current state senator accuses the man he's trying to replace, Senator Jim Inhofe, of blindly following President Bush.

"Jim Inhofe stubbornly votes with George Bush and his party over 90% of the time."

The facts, that's true. Since 2001, Senator Inhofe has voted with President Bush an average of 92% of the time.

The ad goes on to say that Senator Inhofe is a friend to the oil industry and supports companies that ship jobs out of the country.

"...tax breaks for big oil and for companies that ship jobs overseas."

The facts, the ad is correct about the votes cited as the source.  Senator Inhofe voted for both the 2003 and 2005 Energy Bills that included tax breaks for the oil and gas industry.

He also voted against an amendment that would remove tax incentive for companies that move jobs overseas.

Inhofe's campaign says the amendment would have meant a tax increase if passed.

"...and against body armor for our troops."

That's another claim that Senator Inhofe voted against a billion-dollar proposal that would have provided protective equipment for U.S. troops.

It's true, Senator Inhofe did vote against the amendment, but his campaign says it was because the bill also included plans to remove money to help with Iraqi reconstruction.

Andrew Rice's campaign says none of the claims in the ad are disputed by Senator Inhofe and each one is evidence, they say, that the Senator has lost touch with the best interest of Oklahomans.

By the way, according to the Smithsonian, it's actually a myth that lemmings will commit mass suicide and jump off a cliff.