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FactCheck Mailbag, Week of June 21-27

This week, readers sent us compliments about FactCheck.org and comments on a chain e-mail making claims about President Obama.
In the FactCheck Mailbag, we feature some of the e-mail we receive. Readers can send comments to editor@factcheck.org. Letters may be edited for length.

Huntsman, Lincoln and Hallmark

Jon Huntsman wrongly paraphrased Abraham Lincoln as saying: "[W]e are a great country because we are a good country." Lincoln assuredly never said that.
The expression is similar to a common political bromide that Ronald Reagan and others have attributed to Alexis de Tocqueville. But de Tocqueville didn't write those words, either.
Former Utah Gov. Huntsman made the slip-up at the announcement of his presidential candidacy in Liberty Park, N.J.

Huntsman, June 21: Our political debates today are corrosive and not reflective of the belief that Abe Lincoln espoused back in his day,

Durbin’s Debt Problem

Sen. Dick Durbin incorrectly claimed that the U.S. borrows money "primarily from China" to fund the federal government. China owns about 8 percent of the total U.S. debt.
The Illinois Democrat made the claim during a June 19 interview on NBC's "Meet the Press."

Durbin, June 19: Keep in mind, for every dollar we spend in Washington, we borrow 40 cents, primarily from China, our major competitor in the world.

Durbin is largely correct that the U.S.

FactCheck Mailbag, Week of June 14-20

This week, readers sent us comments about our criticisms of a Democratic robocall and claims that the GOP budget plan would "end" Medicare.
In the FactCheck Mailbag, we feature some of the e-mail we receive. Readers can send comments to editor@factcheck.org. Letters may be edited for length.

FactCheck Mailbag, Week of June 7-13

This week, readers sent us comments about Mitt Romney's misery index, Rep. Paul Ryan's Medicare plan, energy-efficient light bulbs and a time-saver request.
In the FactCheck Mailbag, we feature some of the e-mail we receive. Readers can send comments to editor@factcheck.org. Letters may be edited for length.

FactCheck Mailbag, Week of May 31-June 6

This week, readers sent us comments about the Republicans' Medicare proposal, gasoline prices, energy-efficient light bulbs, Mitt Romney and political ads in New York.
In the FactCheck Mailbag, we feature some of the e-mail we receive. Readers can send comments to editor@factcheck.org. Letters may be edited for length.

FactCheck Mailbag, Week of May 24-30

This week, readers sent us comments about our fact-checking of President Obama, ads from the League of Women Voters and the idea of taxing miles driven.
In the FactCheck Mailbag, we feature some of the e-mail we receive. Readers can send comments to editor@factcheck.org. Letters may be edited for length.

FactCheck Mailbag, Week of May 17-23

This week, readers sent us comments about a Medicare ad in a House race, the League of Women Voters' ads and Newt Gingrich.
In the FactCheck Mailbag, we feature some of the e-mail we receive. Readers can send comments to editor@factcheck.org. Letters may be edited for length.

FactCheck Mailbag, Week of May 10-16

This week, readers sent us comments about the League of Women Voters’ ads and Newt Gingrich.
In the FactCheck Mailbag, we feature some of the e-mail we receive. Readers can send comments to editor@factcheck.org. Letters may be edited for length.