Not a question of giving the man credit, it's just that it's really nobody else's business whether he was saying things that weren't true, even if that was intentional.   

Any blame for this should rest squarely on McCain and his team, and on no one else. McCain is in a different position from Joe - he does an obligation to tell the truth, and can rightly be blamed when he distorts the truth, as has happened in this case

Maybe initially it was a matter of failure to do basic homework and checking the facts before putting the spotlight on this man, and using him as a weapon against Obama. Subsequently, as the true facts have emerged, it has become a matter of distortion verging on lies. Not unusual in politicians, but always something for which they should be made to pay a price. And the same should apply to the parts of tey media which have colluded in this.

But it seems to me that going on about Joe's misstatement of his financial situation in his conversation with Obama is aiming at completely the wrong target.