2001-2009 campaign advertisements


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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.

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

Abortion     Mitt Romney: FactCheck: TV ad ignores recency of conversion to pro-life.

Budget & Economy     John McCain: AdWatch: Outrageous to spend $233M for bridge to nowhere.     John McCain: FactCheck:Bridge-to-Nowhere never built; would serve 200,000.     John McCain: FactCheck: Criticized “Woodstock museum,” but skipped vote.     Mitt Romney: AdWatch: Cap discretionary spending at inflation minus 1%.

Crime     Mike Huckabee: FactCheck: AR violent crime rate increased under Huckabee.     Rudy Giuliani: FactCheck: crime NOT at record high when Rudy took office.     Rudy Giuliani: FactCheck: Hired 3,660 new cops, but took credit for 12,000.

Drugs     Rudy Giuliani: AdWatch: Got tough on drugs like meth in Massachusetts.     Rudy Giuliani: FactCheck: Romney’s tough-on-drugs meth bill never passed.

Environment     John McCain: FactCheck: Criticized $3M “bear DNA” study, but voted for it.

Families & Children     Amy Klobuchar: 1996 AdWatch: my daughter endorses 48 hour stay for new moms.     Hillary Clinton: Struggling families are invisible to Bush administration.

Free Trade     Ron Paul: FactCheck: NAFTA Superhighway not a conspiracy; it’s I-35.     Hillary Clinton: AdWatch: Supported NAFTA in 1998; opposed CAFTA since 2005.

Government Reform     Hillary Clinton: FactCheck: Yes, more legislation & sponsorships than Obama.     Mitt Romney: FactCheck: Romney had 700 line-item vetoes, President cannot.

Health Care     Barack Obama: AdWatch: My plan costs $2,500 less per family than Clinton’s.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Unclear if Obama’s plan costs less than Clinton’s.     Hillary Clinton: AdWatch: My plan costs $1,700 less per person than Obama’s.     Hillary Clinton: FactCheck: “$1,700 less than Obama plan” misinterprets study.     Hillary Clinton: FactCheck: Yes, Hillary’s plan might include wage garnishing.     Barack Obama: AdWatch: punishing uninsured families doesn’t make sense.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Hillary’s plan does mandate; but so does Obama’s.     Barack Obama: Bring GOP & Dems together to make healthcare affordable.     Barack Obama: AdWatch: Pressure insurance & drug companies to change.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: OPPORTUNITY to insure all, but no GUARANTEE.     Barack Obama: AdWatch: Don’t make it illegal not to have health care.     John Edwards: AdWatch: Universal health care by July 2009.     John Edwards: FactCheck: President cannot remove Congress’ health care.     Rudy Giuliani: AdWatch:Cancer survival rate 82% in US; 44% in socialized UK.     Rudy Giuliani: FactCheck:Cancer survival rate 74% in UK; not 44% as claimed.

Homeland Security     Rudy Giuliani: AdWatch: “Ready” with executive experience in crises.     Hillary Clinton: AdWatch: Ensured health coverage for Guard & Reserve.     Hillary Clinton: FactCheck: Only BETTER health coverage for SOME Reservists.     Rudy Giuliani: AdWatch: Firefighters Union blames Giuliani for 9/11 deaths.     Rudy Giuliani: FactCheck: Radio failure PARTLY responsible for 9/11 deaths.

Immigration     Mike Huckabee: FactCheck: Yes, supported scholarships for AR illegal aliens.     Mitt Romney: AdWatch: Huckabee ok’ed tuition & scholarships for illegals.     Mitt Romney: FactCheck: Took hard-line on illegals, but only late in term.     Mitt Romney: AdWatch: No driver’s license & in-state tuition for illegals.     Mitt Romney: FactCheck: MA state cops never enforced immigration laws.     Mitt Romney: FactCheck: Took no action against 4 Mass. sanctuary cities.     Rudy Giuliani: AdWatch: New citizens must read, write, & speak English.     Rudy Giuliani: AdWatch: Deport convicted criminals who are illegal aliens.     Rudy Giuliani: FactCheck: English literacy already required for citizenship.

Jobs     Bill Richardson: AdWatch: Over 80,000 new jobs; NM 6th in nation.     Bill Richardson: FactCheck: NM gained 68,100 new jobs, not 80,000 as claimed.     Bill Richardson: FactCheck: NM ranks 17th in job growth; not 6th, as claimed.

Principles & Values     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Did not say “I will stand with the Muslims”.     Hillary Clinton: AdWatch: Clinton didn’t cause Peter Paul fraud investigation.     Hillary Clinton: AdWatch: “Hillary: The Movie” counts as campaign ad.     Rudy Giuliani: AdWatch: NYC was “most successful turn-around in 50 years”.     Mitt Romney: AdWatch: Stood up for conservatism in most liberal state.     Mitt Romney: FactCheck: VT would disagree that MA is most liberal state.     Sarah Palin: Endorsed by Sen. Ted Stevens.

Tax Reform     Ron Paul: AdWatch: Taxpayer’s best friend: never supported an increase.     Hillary Clinton: AdWatch: cut taxes for the middle class.     Mike Huckabee: AdWatch: Your worth is from God, not your checking account.     Mike Huckabee: FactCheck: 90 cuts + 23 tax increases: net $505M increase.     Mike Huckabee: AdWatch: Signed first-ever broad-based tax cut in Arkansas.     Mike Huckabee: FactCheck: Passed broad-based tax cut, but not “first ever”.     Rudy Giuliani: FactCheck: Cut NYC taxes by $5.4B, not $9B as claimed.     Rudy Giuliani: AdWatch: Cut or eliminated 23 NYC taxes; and created surplus.     Rudy Giuliani: FactCheck: Cut 14 NYC taxes, not 23 as claimed.

Technology     Mitt Romney: AdWatch: More change in next 10 years than in 10 centuries.     Mitt Romney: FactCheck: Ludicrous exaggeration to compare 10 centuries.

Click for quotations from other sources by: Amy Klobuchar Minnesota Democratic candidate for President; Minnesota Senator Barack Obama Democratic President (elected 2008) Bill Richardson New Mexico Former Democratic Governor (2002-2010) and Cabinet Sec'y Hillary Clinton Democratic Presidential candidate John Edwards Democrat John McCain Republican Mike Huckabee Arkansas Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney Massachusetts Former GOP Governor (2003-2006); Pres. candidate (2008) Ron Paul Republican (Libertarian 1988) Rudy Giuliani New York Former Mayor of NYC Sarah Palin Alaska Former Governor (resigned 2009); V.P. nominee (2008)