Republican presidential candidate John McCain cites three absurd-sounding examples of pork-barrel spending in a recent ad. But he appears to have chosen these three because they’re easy to mock, not because he had significant involvement in removing them from the budget.
Maybe It’s a Trend
Last month we were happy to note the launch of PolitiFact.com, a joint project of the St. Petersburg Times of Florida and Congressional Quarterly of Washington, D.C. Today we welcome The Washington Post‘s new feature, “The Fact Checker,” written by veteran journalist Michael Dobbs with the assistance of chief researcher Alice Crites.
The first four Fact Checker articles find fault with statements by Republican presidential candidates Fred Thompson and Sam Brownback,
We have company!
We’re often asked if there are other sites like ours, trying in a nonpartisan way to help voters sort out fact from fiction. Now, there is.
The St. Petersburg Times of Florida and Congressional Quarterly of Washington, D.C. announced a new Web site called PolitiFact.com. The official launch date is Tuesday, Sept. 4th, but the site has been available to the public for several days.
The new site does something we don’t. It offers a “truth-o-meter”
Giuliani’s Tax Puffery
A new radio ad boasts that Rudy Giuliani “cut or eliminated 23 taxes” while mayor of New York City. We find that to be an overstatement.
When Democrats Attack
Gauging by the attack ads flowing from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the party’s House contenders are running against Exxon, Pfizer and Bush. The ads tie Republican House candidates to unpopular industries and an unpopular President. Some of these ads are exaggerations.
A ‘Drug Deal’ Gone Bad
The DCCC’s evidence that Florida Republican Clay Shaw took part in a “drug deal” when he voted for the Medicare Prescription Drug Plan is flimsy at best.
Tugging At Heartstrings With Loose Facts
Democrat Chris Murphy’s ad falsely implies that incumbent Republican Rep. Nancy Johnson failed to respond to a local resident’s pleas for help with her son’s medical problems.
Accusations Without Evidence and Moldy Bunk in Virginia
An ad sponsored by Republican Sen. George Allen’s campaign features an undocumented accusation against Democratic challenger Jim Webb.
Osama Bin Missing: Who’s Tried Hardest to Tackle Top Terrorist?
Former President Bill Clinton took on critics who have questioned why he didn’t do more during his time in the White House to eliminate Osama bin Laden.
Phoning It In: Attack in Indiana by New, Well-Funded Conservative Group
Conservative group’s automated calls tar House candidate with voting to let unsavory material be sold to kids.