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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

Person: Barack Obama

Obama’s Social Security Stumble

December 8, 2010

President Barack Obama rewrote the history of the Social Security system during a Dec. 7 press conference, claiming that only widows and orphans originally benefited from the program. Obama was defending a deal the administration reached recently with congressional Republicans to extend the Bush tax cuts for all Americans for another two years:

Obama, Dec. 7: And that means because it’s a big, diverse country and people have a lot of complicated positions, it means that in order to get stuff done,

Federal Pay, Tax Cuts and Jane Fonda

December 3, 2010

In episode 39 of our podcast, we look at misleading statements about the pay of federal workers versus private sector workers. Plus, we debunk a talking point about the Bush tax cuts and tell you the story of an old (and now reincarnated) chain e-mail about Jane Fonda.

For more on the stories discussed in this episode, see:
Are Federal Workers Overpaid?  Dec. 1
Tax Cuts and Americans: It’s Complicated  Nov. 20
Blame Jane Falsehoods  Nov.

Are Federal Workers Overpaid?

December 1, 2010

President Barack Obama’s recent announcement to freeze the pay of federal civilian workers did little to ice the debate over whether federal workers are overpaid or underpaid. … Both sides are armed with official government statistics, but neither side is right. …

The TSA ‘Strip Search’ That Wasn’t

November 23, 2010

Republican Rep. Jason Chaffetz of Utah tweeted Nov. 21 that an airport security officer strip-searched a young boy. Chaffetz linked to a YouTube video that showed a shirtless boy being searched at a Utah airport. But the lawmaker jumped to a false conclusion. Both the Transportation Security Administration and the person who videotaped the incident say the boy’s father removed his son’s shirt, not TSA officers.

Chaffetz’s mis-tweet is just one example of the recent outcry against the TSA’s new imaging machines and pat-down techniques.

Blame Jane Falsehoods

November 22, 2010

Q: Is President Obama honoring Jane Fonda as one of the women of the century?
A: No. That was done 11 years ago by Barbara Walters of ABC News.

The Truth About Health Insurance Premiums

November 19, 2010

Leading Republicans in Congress are blaming the new health care law for double-digit rate increases being sought by insurance companies in Washington state, New York and Connecticut. But insurance regulators, leading health care experts …

Obama, Pelosi, Pence and McConnell

November 12, 2010

In episode 37 of our podcast, we look at President Barack Obama’s hour-long interview on "60 Minutes," some misleading statements from congressional Republicans on the Sunday shows, and a whopper from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

 
For more on the stories discussed in this episode, see:
Obama on ’60 Minutes’  Nov. 9
Sunday Replay  Nov. 8
Pelosi Pablum on ‘Fiscal Discipline’  Nov. 10
 

Muslims Appointed to Homeland Security

November 10, 2010

Q: Has the Obama administration appointed two Muslims to serve in the Department of Homeland Security?

A: Yes, in 2009. One was a senior Justice Department aide during the Bush administration. Another is a former head of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee and was appointed as a civil-rights adviser.

Obama on ’60 Minutes’

November 9, 2010

In an hour-long, one-on-one interview after a self-described "shellacking" at the polls, President Barack Obama reflected on his first two years in office during an appearance on "60 Minutes." We found the president overstated his case on spending for veterans and the U.S. market share of electric car batteries. He also said U.S. workers are the world’s most productive, but that’s open to interpretation. He was correct, however, when he said the bank bailout will cost taxpayers less than the 1980s’

Offbeat Ads and the $200 Million Question

November 5, 2010

In episode 36 of our podcast, we give you a taste of some of the more bizarre and amusing ads from the midterm campaigns. Plus, we shoot down the absurd claim that President Obama’s trip to India will cost $200 million per day.

For more on the stories discussed in this episode, see:
The 2010 FactCheck Awards  Nov. 2
Trip to Mumbai Nov. 3