Almost all of the misinformation coming from politicians on the Sunday shows this week had to do with the expiring Bush tax cuts, which Congress is expected to vote on this week. Coming in second was the military’s "don’t ask, don’t tell" policy for gay servicemembers — we’ll post Tuesday on an exchange that took place on that topic on ABC’s "This Week."
Polling Problems
On CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Republican Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona gave a misleading description of public opinion on the Bush tax cuts.
Person: John Kerry
We’re in the Record
Saturday’s Senate debate on the health care bill included a few mentions of yours truly, FactCheck.org.
Our work was cited on Dec. 2 by Sen. John McCain, who quoted from our Oct. 20, 2008, article. Three days later our article made the Congressional Record yet again. This time, it was prompted by Sen. John Kerry who said this on the Senate floor, quoting from a Wall Street Journal news story from last year:
Kerry,
RNC Web Ad: Are Democrats Waving White Flag In Iraq?
Controversial ad implies Dean, Boxer & Kerry advocate “retreat and defeat.” We supply background.
Kerry’s PAC Touts Health Insurance For All Kids
The ad is accurate. But it leaves out details on how Kerry would pay for his proposal, and what it might cost.
The Biography of a Bad Statistic
Abortions rising under Bush? Not true. How that false claim came to be – and lives on.
The Whoppers of 2004
Bush and Kerry repeat discredited claims in their final flurry of ads. Here’s our pre-election summary of the misinformation we found during the Bush-Kerry presidential campaign.
NRA Ad Falsely Accuses Kerry
It says he’s sponsoring a proposal to ban “every pump shotgun” and voted “to ban deer-hunting ammunition.” Don’t believe either claim.
Kerry and Bush Mislead Voters With Promises of Energy Independence
Summary
Both John Kerry and President Bush have promised voters that they will make America “energy independent.” But experts say both sides fall far short of what is necessary for energy independence in the next few decades.
Kerry focuses on conservation efforts, but most agree his plan is little more than an outline. Bush supports expanded drilling in Alaska to increase domestic oil supply, but the US has only about 3 percent of the world’s oil reserves.
Would Kerry Throw Us To The Wolves?
A misleading Bush ad criticizes Kerry for proposing to cut intelligence spending — a decade ago, by 4%, when some Republicans also proposed cuts.
An Avalanche of Misinformation
With election day approaching the tempo of ads is increasing, but not the level of factual accuracy. Both sides are making false or misleading claims in their ads.