Fact Checking the Debate

by Mike Krumboltz

Last night's debate provided viewers the chance to see the two presidential candidates talk turkey on a variety of issues. It also gave voters the opportunity to see if Senators Obama and McCain knew the difference between fact and fiction. A slew of sources within the Buzz examine whether what each candidate said was actually, well, true.

Associated Press
The AP offers in-depth analysis on statements from each candidate. Their findings are that (surprise!) both Obama and McCain stretched the truth at times. For example, Senator Obama's line that his Republican rival wants to give "oil companies another $4 billion" in tax breaks may have been misleading. Meanwhile, Senator McCain's accusation that Senator Obama voted to cut funding to the troops was a bit vague. The Democrat opposed the bill in question because it did not contain "language calling for a troop withdrawl." He did support "another bill that had such language — and money for the troops."

USA Today
The colorful newspaper investigated the candidates' claims and concluded that both senators know how to spin. Obama asserted that the current economic fiasco was caused by President Bush's policies, which were supported by Senator McCain. In reality, McCain voted against "two of the most important parts of President Bush's policy — the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts."

But, according to USA Today, McCain also stretched the truth when he accused Obama of asking for $932 million in earmarked and pork-barrel spending. In reality Obama, like most lawmakers, obtained only a small fraction of what he requested. Side note: Many viewers seemed confused by this Beltway lingo. Searches on "what are earmarks" and "what is a pork barrel" both skyrocketed.

The New York Times
The "Paper of Record" kept its own scorecard. McCain said Obama voted "to increase taxes on people who make as low as $42,000 a year." The Times reports that, according to the nonpartisan FactCheck.org, the claim is "simply false. However, when it comes to how much the United States owes China, Senator McCain said the amount is $500 billion. Senator Obama claimed it's actually a trillion bucks. McCain was correct on this one.

CNN
The news outlet's Political Ticker breaks down the statements made by the candidates during the debate and while out on the campaign trail. Check out their analysis and see for yourself what you've probably suspected all along: A politican's version of "fact" is probably very different than yours.