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FactChecking Debate No. 1

September 27, 2008

Summary
McCain and Obama contradicted each other repeatedly during their first debate, and each volunteered some factual misstatements as well. Here’s how we sort them out:

Obama said McCain adviser Henry Kissinger backs talks with Iran “without preconditions,” but McCain disputed that. In fact, Kissinger did recently call for “high level” talks with Iran starting at the secretary of state level and said, “I do not believe that we can make conditions.” After the debate the McCain campaign issued a statement quoting Kissinger as saying he didn’t favor presidential talks with Iran.

About that live debate coverage…

September 27, 2008

You might have noticed that there wasn’t so much of it. Technical problems kept us offline for most of the night. We apologize for that.
The good news? You can read our full debate wrap-up over at our main site.

Chummy with Chavez?

September 26, 2008

If it’s loud, profanity-laced, anti-American vitriol from a foreign leader you’re looking for, Hugo Chavez is your man. And a new McCain-Palin ad, running in Florida, tries to make it appear that Obama would begin cuddling up to the Venezuelan leader first thing after testing out his Oval Office desk chair. According to the McCain-Palin campaign, the ad is running in Florida. Here it is in English, but there’s a Spanish version as well.

The facts cited by the announcer in this ad are all correct.

Obama’s Trade Trickery

September 26, 2008

Summary
An Obama-Biden ad ties McCain to the closing of a plant in Pennsylvania. Its assertions are misleading and false:

The ad says McCain "sold … out" workers whose factory closed. But there was nothing McCain, or anyone could have done. The factory was making parts for televisions that are becoming obsolete. The company in question has called the ad "misleading."
It implies jobs were sent to China by saying that workers were paid to "disassemble the plant and ship the equipment to China"

McCain: $3 million to study the DNA of bears?

September 26, 2008

We’ve heard that one before.
McCain’s been playing it for laughs since 2003. The study in question was done by the U.S. Geological Survey, and it relied in part on federal appropriations. Readers (and politicians) may disagree on whether a noninvasive study of grizzly bear population and habitat is a waste of money. McCain clearly thinks it is — but on the other hand, he never moved to get rid of the earmark. In fact, he voted for the bill that made appropriations for the study.

The Whoppers of 2008

September 25, 2008

Summary
Normally we post a “Whoppers” compilation the week before Election Day. This time we’ve already seen such a large number of twisted facts, misleading claims and outright falsehoods that we are doing that now.
It’s not just Sarah Palin’s claim about killing the bridge project that she had supported until it became a national laughingstock and Congress turned against it. That’s just the whopper that got the attention of many news organizations earlier this month.

It’s High Season

September 25, 2008

We have all kinds of new items on our main site, FactCheck.org.
Check out our article on a recent McCain-Palin ad that falsely asserts Sen. Barack Obama has been “mum on the market crisis.” He’s actually made several statements on it, including a speech with a six-point proposal a day before this ad was released.
Also, learn all about “predator control” (a.k.a. shooting wolves from airplanes). A Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund ad is correct in that Gov.

Jon Stewart: Joe Biden “Crazy Reckless?” Oops!

September 25, 2008

Comedian Jon Stewart had a nice riff going on “The Daily Show” Wednesday night (Sept. 24) until he scolded Joe Biden as being “crazy reckless” about his gun facts. But in this case, Biden knew what he was talking about, and Stewart didn’t. (You can view Stewart's comments on the Comedy Channel website, if you don't mind watching the commercial that precedes it.)
Stewart starts off making fun of Biden’s remark about FDR “going on television,”

The Whoppers of 2008

September 25, 2008

In an effort to preemptively fact-check what the candidates may say in the debates, we present: The Whoppers of 2008. So far, anyway. There are more than five weeks to go before Election Day.
McCain misrepresents Obama’s tax plan. Obama misleads seniors on McCain and Social Security. Other falsehoods involve veterans, energy, Iran, Iraq, health care and bridges to nowhere.
Check out the full story on FactCheck.org.

Credit Where it Isn’t Due

September 25, 2008

The McCain-Palin campaign is running a series of upbeat ads designed to appeal to workers in three states (Michigan, Ohio, and New Mexico – for some reason the New Mexico ad isn’t on McCain’s YouTube channel, but it sounds pretty much like the Ohio one). Sometimes even upbeat ads need a little tweaking.

Here’s the Michigan ad. In this one, McCain says that “John McCain and his congressional allies” have a plan for Michigan, including “loans to upgrade assembly lines.”