FactCheck.org analysis of 2004 presidential debates


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EXPLANATORY NOTE by OnTheIssues.org:

FactCheck.org analyses the veracity of statements made during political races. OnTheIssues.org summarizes two sets of analyses:
1. From debates and public speeches
2. From TV & radio advertisements

Following is the self-description of how FactCheck.org works:

[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.

The Annenberg Political Fact Check is a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. The APPC was established by publisher and philanthropist Walter Annenberg in 1994 to create a community of scholars within the University of Pennsylvania that would address public policy issues at the local, state, and federal levels.

The APPC accepts NO funding from business corporations, labor unions, political parties, lobbying organizations or individuals. It is funded primarily by the Annenberg Foundation.

-- Jesse Gordon, jesse@OnTheIssues.org, November 2004

OnTheIssues.org excerpts:  (click on issues for details)

Abortion     John Kerry: FactCheck: Yes, Kerry did vote against Laci Peterson law.

Budget & Economy     John Kerry: FactCheck: Kerry has $900B in proposals, but not as taxes.     John Kerry: FactCheck: Bush spent $236B surplus, not $5.6T surplus.     George W. Bush: Fact Check: Deficit didn’t exist at end of Clinton term.     Joseph Lieberman: Fact Check: Implies economy not growing-really it grew 8.2%.

Civil Rights     John Kerry: FactCheck: Kerry would change Patriot Act, as Bush claims.     John Kerry: FactCheck: Bush DID meet with Congressional Black Caucus.

Corporations     Dick Cheney: FactCheck: Yes, Cheney has received $2M from Halliburton.     Dick Cheney: FactCheck: Yes, Halliburton got $7B in no-bid Iraq contracts.     George W. Bush: FactCheck: Bush indeed is half-owner of timber company.     George W. Bush: FactCheck: Kerry plan affects 471,000 companies, not 900,000.     Dick Cheney: FactCheck: Cheney profited from Halliburton’s past actions.     Dick Cheney: FactCheck: Kerry plan affects 471,000 companies, not 900,000.     John Edwards: FactCheck: Halliburton fined for actions while Cheney CEO.

Education     John Kerry: FactCheck: Bush increased Pell Grants, but not as promised.     John Kerry: FactCheck: Bush never promised to fully fund NCLB.     John Edwards: FactCheck: NCLB might be under-funded, but it grew 58%.     George W. Bush: Fact Check: NCLB increased school funding, but shy by $5.4B.

Energy & Oil     John Kerry: FactCheck: No, Kerry never voted for a 50-cent gas tax hike.

Environment     John Kerry: Fact Check: Contaminated home uses city water, not bottled.

Free Trade     George W. Bush: Fact Check: Free trade tempered by steel protectionism.

Government Reform     John Kerry: FactCheck: Yes, Kerry was absent from Senate 76% in 2003.     George W. Bush: FactCheck: Kerry authored 7 bills, not 5 that Bush claims.     John Kerry: FactCheck: Kerry passed more than 5 bills, but less than 56.     Dick Gephardt: Fact Check: Would ban lobbyist donations, but took $4.4 M.

Health Care     George W. Bush: FactCheck: Bush opposed drug reimports, but so did Clinton.     George W. Bush: FactCheck: British blocked flu vaccine, not Bush.     John Kerry: FactCheck: Kerry’s plan covers 95% of Americans, not 100%.     George W. Bush: FactCheck: Only 19% of poor seniors use Drug Discount cards.     George W. Bush: FactCheck: Frivolous lawsuits do not cost government $28B.     George W. Bush: FactCheck: Kerry’s plan doesn’t put bureaucrats in control.     John Kerry: FactCheck: Bush’s plan yields $13B for big pharma, not $139B.     John Kerry: FactCheck: Kerry’s plan covers 92%, not 100% of Americans.     Dick Cheney: FactCheck: Claimed $15B for AIDS-actually $2B this year.     Dick Gephardt: Fact Check: Dean agreed with Clinton on cuts, not Gingrich.     Howard Dean: Fact Check: Dean agreed with Clinton on cuts, not Gingrich.

Homeland Security     John Kerry: FactCheck: No, Kerry voted FOR 16 out of 19 defense packages.     John Edwards: FactCheck: Bush didn’t lobby for pay cut, just let it expire.     George W. Bush: FactCheck: Bush initially opposed dept. of homeland security.

Jobs     George W. Bush: FactCheck: Bush lost 1.6M PRIVATE jobs, gained some in gov’t.     John Kerry: FactCheck: 0.6M jobs lost under Bush, not 1.6M.     Dick Cheney: FactCheck: Yes, 1.7M jobs added, but still net loss of 0.9M.     John Edwards: FactCheck: 1.6 million jobs lost ignores federal employment.     Carol Moseley-Braun: Fact Check: Claims Bush cost US 6M jobs - really only 3.2M.     Howard Dean: Fact Check: Claims Bush cost US 3M jobs - really only 2.7M.     Joseph Lieberman: Fact Check: Claims Bush cost US 3.5M jobs - really only 2.7M.

Principles & Values     John Kerry: FactCheck: No, Kerry is 11th most liberal, not 1st in Senate.     Dick Cheney: FactCheck: Cheney wrong that he had not met Edwards before.

Social Security     John Kerry: FactCheck: Kerry did tax some benefits, to fund Medicare.

Tax Reform     John Kerry: FactCheck: No, Kerry did not vote 350 times to raise taxes.     George W. Bush: FactCheck: Kerry voted to increase taxes 39 times, not 98.     George W. Bush: FactCheck: Most of Bush tax cut went to top 10%.     George W. Bush: FactCheck: Wealthy pay 63% of taxes, not 80%.     George W. Bush: Fact Check: Tax relief fueled spending, but not job growth.     Dennis Kucinich: Fact Check: Says $40K earners pay same as $400K -not really.     Howard Dean: Fact Check: Dean says 60% got $304-really 50% got over $470.     Howard Dean: Fact Check: Claims 60% got $325 tax cut-really 50% got $470.

War & Peace     George W. Bush: FactCheck: Yes, Bush gave 23 different rationales for war.     George W. Bush: FactCheck: Yes, troops had inadequate body armor.     George W. Bush: FactCheck: Bush DID say he was not concerned about Osama.     John Kerry: FactCheck: Shinseki retirement was pushed but not forced.     Dick Cheney: FactCheck: Oct. 2002 vote for appropriate force, not for war.     Dick Cheney: FactCheck: Iraqi portion of losses is 38%, not “almost 50%”.     Dick Cheney: FactCheck: Cheney DID suggest connection between Iraq & 9/11.     John Edwards: FactCheck: US portion of coalition losses is 88%, not 90%.     George W. Bush: FactCheck: Iraq reconstruction money is not flowing.     George W. Bush: FactCheck: “100,000 trained” are mostly 3-week police course.     George W. Bush: FactCheck: Kerry never claimed he’d withdraw in 6 months.     George W. Bush: FactCheck: new al Qaeda recruits reduce 75% capture figure.     John Kerry: FactCheck: US didn’t have bin Laden surrounded at Tora Bora.     John Kerry: FactCheck: Bush has spent $120B in Iraq, not $200B.     George W. Bush: Fact Check: No evidence of bio, chemical, or nuclear WMDs.     Howard Dean: Fact Check: Fighter jet escorts since 9/11-not 12/2004.

Click for quotations from other sources by: Carol Moseley-Braun Democrat Dennis Kucinich Ohio Democratic candidate for Governor Dick Cheney Former Republican Vice President Dick Gephardt Democrat George W. Bush Republican Howard Dean Democrat John Edwards Democrat John Kerry Cabinet Joseph Lieberman Democrat