After writing the headline on this column, I realized "factchecking politics" sounds like it's about squabbles among the factcheckers at The New Yorker (hmm, is there a column possibility?). This is about the Annenberg Political Fact Check project that says its mission is "holding politicians accountable."
The site, available at FactCheck.org, is a must-read for anyone attempting to understand if what is being said during the current campaign is true. The news here is not that -- gasp! -- politicians of all stripes lie, but that now you know at least what some of those lies are.
According to the site, FactCheck.org is "a nonpartisan, nonprofit, consumer advocate for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics. We monitor the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews, and news releases. Our goal is to apply the best practices of both journalism and scholarship, and to increase public knowledge and understanding."
Here are just some of the latest errors, mistakes, lies, goofs, innacuracies, howlers, etc:
Treasury Tax Expert to Bush: Clinton's Increase WASN'T The BiggestStudy published by Bush's Treasury Department contradicts Bush's campaign.
Kerry's "Misery Index" Accentuates the NegativeKerry invents a new "Misery Index." The old one makes Bush's tenure look better than most.
Bush Ad Is "Troubling" IndeedThe President's ad recycles bogus claims, then tells only part of the story about Kerry's position on tax breaks for couples and children.
Outsourcing jobs: The PRESIDENT Said That?Kerry ad puts words in Bush's mouth that Bush never uttered.
Bush's Gas Attack: Does Good Policy Make Bad Politics?Kerry once voiced support for a 50-cent increase in the gasoline tax. Bush calls that "wacky," but Bush's chief economist praised the idea.
You can sign up to receive each new FactCheck by e-mail, by signing up at http://www.factcheck.org/Subscribe.aspx. I would suggest that every political reporter and her editor do so.
One way I'd improve the site is to have a list of "greatest hits" (or "worst hits"), so that a newcomer can quickly see some of the more outrageous lies in one place. It would be a good supplement to the chronological listings of the site.
WebTips Readers: Here's a way you can help fellow Poynter readers. If there's a FactCheck.org entry that you find particularly troubling, you can list it here and thus help build a list of the highlights -- er, lowlights. [Note: Poynter registration required.]
YOUR TURN: Send new site suggestions to poynter@sree.net.
Sree's Links:
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