Unreal. Just unreal.

This morning, I'm listening to WPLN 90.3, Nashville's public padio station, and Morning Edition is running a segment about voter reaction to the negative RNC-sponsored advertisements aimed at sliming Harold Ford Jr. and his record.

Ken Mehlman was up first, and he explained at length about the law regarding "independent expenditures" in campaigns. Now, although the words "REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE" are all over the disclaimer at the end of this ad, we are supposed to believe that this ad was produced behind an independent expenditure Chinese wall. Never mind that the RNC never names the independent entity who produced and paid for this piece of gutter trash.

Although that ad has been pulled, there is another coming down the line.

This one claims that Congressman Ford wants children to take the morning-after pill.

NPR correspondent Susan Stamberg spoke to the Nashville Tennessean political editor, Jennifer Peebles.

And here's where unreality sets in.

She said that she has heard both sides of this story -- that Corker's campaign is claiming that Ford is in favor of dispensing abortifacient drugs to kids, and Ford says he didn't. Peebles' response: "…it's up to the voters to decide who's right and who's wrong."

Fact-checking the candidates? Giving voters solid information on which to base decisions?

I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE NEWSPAPER'S JOB!

But apparently, no. If you follow this logic, according to the political editor of The Tennessean, if Bob Corker wins the election, his ads must have been telling the truth.

The Tennessean -- "We present the news. The facts are up to you."

Your 4th estate, ladies & gentlemen.

(link...)

Audio may be available of this later.

UPDATE: Even more unreality. NPR's online broadcast of Jennifer Peebles' statement has been flushed down the memory hole. The end of the interview was cut short for the online segment. What was on the radio this morning does not match what is on NPR's website.

Anyone happen to get a recording of this morning's NPR broadcast?

UPDATE #2: Aha. An intact quote from this morning's broadcast:

STAMBERG: I understand that the second ad implies that Harold Ford supports the notion of morning after pills for school children.

Ms. PEEBLES: Yes, ma’am. It does. People in Congress, of course, vote on just about every issue. And there was a vote that he took on a bill where he says he absolutely did not vote in favor of the so-called morning after pill, and the Republicans claim he did. I guess the voters have to decide who’s right and who’s wrong.

STAMBERG: Jennifer Peebles, political editor of The Tennessean in Nashville. Thanks a lot.

Curiouser and curiouser. Of course, NPR no longer has an ombudsman, so I'll have to take my chances with the listener comments section on their website.