Fact Check: Candidate claims and analysis of their truth or falsity. Analysis by FactCheck.org, and CNN.

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     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Abortions HAVE gone down under Pres. Bush.     Chris Christie: FactCheck: No, Dems allow plenty of pro-life speakers.     Rick Santorum: FactCheck: No, female suicide & crime not worse under Roe.     Rick Santorum: FactCheck: Under 1/4 of pregnancies end in abortion, not 1/3.     Steve Daines: No exceptions for rape nor incest, but no criminalization.

Budget & Economy     Barack Obama: Voted against limiting credit to 30%, because 30% too high.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: National debt up from $6T to $10T under Bush.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Obama's estimate of $8T deficit is closer to $3T.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: $2.5T deficit reduction is a debatable estimate.     Bob McDonnell: FactCheck: No, Obama won't double debt; only 55% increase.     Bob McDonnell: FactCheck: Yes, federal debt is over $100,000 per household.     George W. Bush: Fact Check: Deficit didn't exist at end of Clinton term.     Hillary Clinton: Voted to limit credit card interest to 30%.     Hillary Clinton: FactCheck: Consistently against making bankruptcy stricter.     John McCain: FactCheck: Said--then denied--he needed economics education.     John McCain: FactCheck: Rescue package already has mortgage renegotiation.     John McCain: FactCheck: Obama's new programs cost $286B; McCain's $211B.     Joseph Lieberman: Fact Check: Implies economy not growing-really it grew 8.2%.     Paul Ryan: FactCheck:Stimulus spending created between 1.4M & 3.6M jobs.     Rand Paul: FactCheck: US borrowing $30,000 per second, not $50,000.     Steve Daines: Obama stimulus shipped American jobs to China.

Civil Rights     Terri Lynn Land: Equal pay good; but Paycheck Fairness Act bad.

Corporations     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Many steps until companies can bankroll elections.     Hillary Clinton: FactCheck: Pushed Wal-Mart for women managers & environment.     Mitt Romney: FactCheck: Closed $174M in corporate tax loopholes.     Republican Party: FactCheck: Obama didn't say "you didn't build that".     Sarah Palin: FactCheck: No, Obama's plan won't tax millions of businesses.

Education     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Race to the Top has only rewarded 12 states.     George W. Bush: Fact Check: NCLB increased school funding, but shy by $5.4B.     George W. Bush: FactCheck: Yes, NCLB has raised test scores.

Energy & Oil     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Self-contradictory on Bush’s clean-energy plan.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Both McCain & Obama plans kill oil tax loopholes.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: McCain rejected alternatives 11 times, not 23.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Reluctant on nuclear power in past; now favors it.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: US imports less oil today than in 2005.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Chevy Volt uses Korean battery, but Ford's don't.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: clean coal isn't ready; nuke waste is unresolved.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Oil dependence low; but gas prices highest ever.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Wind & solar doubled, but now only 1.4% of energy.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Yes, US reduced CO2 tonnage, but that's only 6%.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Yes, more domestic oil, but due to new technology.     Bill Richardson: FactCheck: No, NH gas prices are not highest ever.     Gary Peters: FactCheck: Mich. gets back more in gas tax than it collects.     Hillary Clinton: FactCheck: Oil & gas giveaways stripped from final 2005 Bill.     Hillary Clinton: FactCheck: Yes, FTC is investigating gas price manipulation.     John Edwards: FactCheck: Changed to anti-Yucca before forged documents.     John McCain: FactCheck: Voted against new investments in renewable energy.     John McCain: FactCheck: US sends $357B to hostile countries, not $700B.     John McCain: FactCheck: Obama not opposed to nuclear energy; just Yucca.     John McCain: FactCheck: No, Obama voted for $300M oil tax INCREASE.     Newt Gingrich: FactCheck: US has 110-year supply of gas, not 1,100 years.

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

Foreign Policy     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Campaign prevented committee meetings, not rules.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Kissinger opposes presidential meetings with Iran.     Hillary Clinton: FactCheck: Accomplished but exaggerated foreign experience.     Joe Biden: FactCheck: McCain did not refuse to sit down with Spain.     John McCain: FactCheck: Obama sought restraint in Georgia; so did Bush.

Free Trade     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Yes, exports up; but not enough to double by 2014.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Chinese tire import ban replaced by other imports.     George W. Bush: Fact Check: Free trade tempered by steel protectionism.     John Edward Walsh: Don't ship American jobs to China.     Steve Daines: Worked for 6 years bringing U.S. consumer products to China.     Tammy Baldwin: FactCheck: Tried but failed to require US-made ship engines.

Government Reform     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Yes, Obama cast 130 “present” votes in IL Senate.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Worked with McCain on ethics, but bill fell apart.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Yes, earmarks total $18B in this year’s budget.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Yes, set up first reverse-revolving door policy.     Elena Kagan: Commerce clause does not apply to non-economic activities.     George W. Bush: FactCheck: Earmark veto threat takes no effect until 2009.     John McCain: FactCheck: Claim of "24 years with no earmarks" mostly true.     John McCain: FactCheck: $35B in pork meant $484 per child, not $1000.     John McCain: FactCheck: Earmarks have gone down in last 5 years.     John McCain: FactCheck: Killed corrupt $6.8B contract, but reinstated it.     Paul Ryan: FactCheck: all-time high government was 1943, not 2009.     Rand Paul: FactCheck: No, Kagan never she'd regulate vegetable eating.

Gun Control     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Yes, Obama endorsed Illinois handgun ban.     Bernie Sanders: 2005: Allow suing gun manufacturers for negligence.

Health Care     Barack Obama: FactCheck: No, US costs are not twice as much as others.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Yes, Obama favored single-payer, despite denial.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: McCain’s plan taxes employees, not employers.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Exempts small business, but no $2,500/yr savings.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Healthcare costs cause one bankruptcy per minute.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Obama's estimate of $1T saved is closer to $132B.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: healthcare reform saves $2B to $10B, not $250B.     Bernie Sanders: FactCheck: US pays twice OECD average, but not every country.     George W. Bush: FactCheck: Tax deduction insures at most 9M, & not poorest.     Hillary Clinton: AdWatch: Got health insurance for six million kids.     Hillary Clinton: FactCheck: Yes, she deserves credit for SCHIP.     Howard Dean: Fact Check: Dean agreed with Clinton on cuts, not Gingrich.     John McCain: FactCheck: McCain's $5,000 health tax credit would be taxed.     John McCain: FactCheck: Obama's plan is voluntary for adults.     John McCain: FactCheck: Plan is $5,000 per family, not $5,000 per person.     Marco Rubio: FactCheck: ObamaCare is not now forcing loss of insurance.     Michele Bachmann: FactCheck: pre-ObamaCare system was 49th, not best in world.     Mitt Romney: FactCheck: Untrue that 47M uninsured want to "not play".     Paul Ryan: FactCheck: costs go up just a bit; jobs go down just a bit.     Paul Ryan: FactCheck: No evidence that healthcare reform explodes debt.     Pete Buttigieg: 2018: Medicare-for-All; 2020: only for those who want it.     Sarah Palin: FactCheck: Obama's plan does not remove private insurance.     Sarah Palin: FactCheck: McCain's plan costs $14B/year; not budget-neutral.     Tammy Baldwin: Supports single payer, public option, and Medicare for all.

Homeland Security     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Promised to repeal Patriot Act, then voted for it.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: F-22 Raptor costs $140M and has never been used.     Bernie Sanders: FactCheck: $1.8 trillion on all military, not just weapons.     George W. Bush: FactCheck: Wiretapping authority foiled no terrorist plots.     John McCain: FactCheck: Pushed for immediate withdrawal from Somalia.     John McCain: FactCheck: Voted against Lebanon deployment, but post-hoc.     Ron Paul: FactCheck: US spends $572B on foreign operations, not $1T.     Rudy Giuliani: FactCheck: Claimed Clinton cut army by 25%; actually was 16%.

Immigration     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Fewer border crossings mostly due to economy.     John McCain: FactCheck: Yes, he has used the word "amnesty" in the past.     Mitt Romney: FactCheck: Yes, his ads DID accuse McCain of "amnesty".

Jobs     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Economic plan may create only 2.2M jobs, not 3.5M.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Obama's estimate of 2M jobs saved is closer to 1M.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Jobs increasing, but still lower than in 2008.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Yes, 500K manufacturing jobs since 2010, but...     Bernie Sanders: FactCheck: Unemployment under Trump is lowest in decades.     Donald Trump: FactCheck: Unemployment under Trump is lowest in decades.     George W. Bush: FactCheck: Yes, 52 months of job growth, but at lower wages.     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.     Michele Bachmann: FactCheck: bailout cost $25B, not $700B; and no IRS police.     Mike Pence: Indiana's unemployment rate was cut in half since 2013.     Mitt Romney: FactCheck: No, fewer US unemployed than Canadians employed.     Mitt Romney: FactCheck: No, more jobs lost under Bush than under Obama.     Mitt Romney: FactCheck: Briefly supported tying minimum wage to inflation.     Rudy Giuliani: FactCheck: Cut unemployment substantially, but not in half.     Tommy Thompson: FactCheck: Unemployment down while governor, but not 2.1%.

Principles & Values     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Obama praised GOP for having ideas, not GOP ideas.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Took Rezko’s donations, but never represented him.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Ranked most liberal in Senate, based on 99 votes.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: William Ayres never killed anyone with bombs.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Yes, refused to wear a flag pin, last year.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Obama treats Secret Service members with respect.     Bob McDonnell: FactCheck: No, Thomas Jefferson was a Democrat.     Dennis Kucinich: Excluded from debate by Nevada Supreme Court ruling.     Hillary Clinton: FactCheck: Obama, Bill, & Hillary all praised Ronald Reagan.     Hillary Clinton: FactCheck: Ranked 16th most liberal in Senate.     John McCain: FactCheck: Won NH & SC via independents, but lost GOP vote.     Tammy Baldwin: FactCheck: Only 3 bills out of 105 sponsorships became law.

Social Security     Fred Thompson: FactCheck: Slower growth of benefits for future retirees.     Hillary Clinton: FactCheck: No, teachers & police won't pay if cap over $102K.     John Edward Walsh: Consider privatization for new employees entering workforce.     Joni Ernst: Something like personal savings accounts for younger workers.     Steve Daines: AdWatch: Accuses opponent of considering privatization.

Tax Reform     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Voted for non-binding tax increase on $42K income.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Tax cut only helps 75% or workers, not 95%.     Donald Trump: OpEd AdWatch: Trump more liberal on taxes than Democrats.     Donald Trump: FactCheck: Proposed 14% tax on wealthy in 2000, but not now.     Donald Trump: No net increase in taxes, but increases on wealthy.     Elizabeth Warren: FactCheck: "2% wealth tax" is 6% on wealthiest billionaires.     George W. Bush: Fact Check: Tax relief fueled spending, but not job growth.     George W. Bush: FactCheck: Expiring tax cuts typically cost $828, not $1,800.     Howard Dean: Fact Check: Claims 60% got $325 tax cut-really 50% got $470.     Joe Biden: FactCheck: McCain did not vote with Obama on tax increase.     John McCain: FactCheck: Against Bush tax cuts in 2003; for them in 2006.     John McCain: FactCheck: $7,000-per-child tax EXEMPTION, not tax CREDIT.     John McCain: FactCheck: Obama voted for taxes 76 times, not 94 times.     Mike Huckabee: FactCheck: To be revenue-neutral, FairTax raises some taxes.     Mike Huckabee: FactCheck: FairTax does not bring underground into economy.     Mitt Romney: FactCheck: Never opposed 2003 Bush cuts, but never supported.     Rudy Giuliani: FactCheck: Claimed 34% NYC hotel tax cut; actual cut was 14%.     Sarah Palin: FactCheck: Undoing Bush tax cut only hits families over $83K.     Tommy Thompson: FactCheck: Tax cuts would save top 1% $87,000 each.

Technology     Barack Obama: FactCheck: High-speed rail for 80% possible; but not soon.     Donald Trump: FactCheck: 24% of our bridges are in trouble, not 59%.     Heritage Foundation: FHA highway funds are skewed because strings are attached.     Rand Paul: FactCheck: Free "Obama phones" actually started in 1984.

War & Peace     Barack Obama: FactCheck: No, violence in Iraq is LOWER than 2 years ago.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Overstated displaced Iraqis; actually 4.2 million.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Opposes surge--hasn’t produced political solution.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Pakistan has lost 1,200 troops fighting Al Qaeda.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Kissinger says Iran meet ok; but only lower level.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Iraq has at most $59B surplus, not $79B surplus.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Promised 16-month exit; now 16-month reduction.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Iraqis have $29B surplus, not $79B.     George W. Bush: Fact Check: No evidence of bio, chemical, or nuclear WMDs.     George W. Bush: FactCheck: Troop drawdown of 20,000 still above pre-surge.     Joe Biden: FactCheck: removed troops from Iraq, but they went back.     John McCain: FactCheck: Yes, criticized Rumsfeld, but not before invasion.     John McCain: FactCheck: Bush vetoed troop bill that Obama voted against.     John McCain: FactCheck: Admiral did not call Obama's plan dangerous.     John McCain: FactCheck: Obama did declare Republican Guard terrorists.     Mike Huckabee: FactCheck: Correct that Romney did support timed withdrawal.     Sarah Palin: FactCheck: No, we're not back to pre-surge troop levels.     Sarah Palin: FactCheck: No, Afghan general did not say a surge would work.     Tom Steyer: Obama got Iran to give up its nuclear ambitions.

Welfare & Poverty     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Cannot limit refinancing to responsible borrowers.     Tommy Thompson: Converted welfare into work-required benefit.

Click for quotations from other sources by: Barack Obama Illinois Democratic President Bernie Sanders Democratic Presidential candidate Bill Richardson New Mexico Former Democratic Governor (2002-2010) and Cabinet Sec'y Bob McDonnell Virginia Republican Governor Chris Christie New Jersey N.J. Governor; Republican Presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich Ohio Democratic candidate for Governor Donald Trump Republican Presidential incumbent Elena Kagan Democratic Appointee to Supreme Court Elizabeth Warren Massachusetts Senator Fred Thompson Republican Gary Peters Democratic Jr Senator Michigan George W. Bush Republican Heritage Foundation Hillary Clinton Democratic Presidential candidate Howard Dean Democrat Joe Biden Democratic President; former V.P.; former Senator John Edward Walsh Democratic Senate Challenger Montana John Edwards Democrat John Kerry Cabinet Climate Envoy John McCain Republican Joni Ernst Republican Jr Senator Iowa Joseph Lieberman Democrat Marco Rubio FL Senator; Republican Presidential candidate Michele Bachmann Republican Mike Huckabee Arkansas Republican Presidential candidate Mike Pence Indiana Former Republican Vice President (withdrew Oct.2023) Mitt Romney Massachusetts Former GOP Governor (2003-2006); Pres. candidate (2008) Newt Gingrich Republican Paul Ryan Republican Pete Buttigieg Indiana DOT Secretary Rand Paul Republican 2016 Primary Challenger Republican Party Rick Santorum Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul Republican (Libertarian 1988) Rudy Giuliani New York Former Mayor of NYC Sarah Palin Alaska Former Governor (resigned 2009); V.P. nominee (2008) Steve Daines Republican Jr Senator Montana Tammy Baldwin Democratic Jr Senator Wisconsin Terri Lynn Land Republican Challenger Michigan Tom Steyer Possible Democratic candidate for President from California Tommy Thompson Cabinet-2005