The 11 Worst Fact-Checks By Facebook's New Fact-Checkers
The problem is that these fact-checkers — PolitiFact, FactCheck.org, Snopes, Associated Press and ABC News — are all slanted to the left and have a bad habit of inserting their progressive opinions into "fact-checks" instead of simply being objective.
Here are 11 of the worst "fact-checks" by the five Facebook fact-checkers.
The problem is that these fact-checkers — PolitiFact, FactCheck.org, Snopes, Associated Press and ABC News — are all slanted to the left and have a bad habit of inserting their progressive opinions into "fact-checks" instead of simply being objective.
Here are 11 of the worst "fact-checks" by the five Facebook fact-checkers.
1. PolitiFact has tried to claim that President Barack Obama never went on an apology tour. PolitiFact did this multiple times when Mitt Romney was hammering Obama over the apology tour. In their initial 2010 fact-check, PolitiFact's ruling was lengthy to the point where they even quoted multiple experts on what exactly the word apology means and compared Obama's statements to apologies made by Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.
"Yes, there is criticism in some of his speeches, but it's typically leavened by praise for the United States and its ideals, and often he mentions other countries and how they have erred as well," PolitiFact wrote. "There's not a full-throated, sincere apology in the bunch. And so we rate Romney's statement False."
The one thing missing from PolitiFact's post: the actual definition of the term "apology" from a dictionary, which is "an admission of error or discourtesy accompanied by an expression of regret."
Here are five statements Obama made during the apology tour:
While it's true that Obama is not explicitly saying he's sorry for America's actions, he was making these statements as if he was talking to a priest during a confession–he laid out what he thought America's sins and that the country should do better. Obama was indirectly saying "I'm sorry." PolitiFact's ruling should have been "True."
"Yes, there is criticism in some of his speeches, but it's typically leavened by praise for the United States and its ideals, and often he mentions other countries and how they have erred as well," PolitiFact wrote. "There's not a full-throated, sincere apology in the bunch. And so we rate Romney's statement False."
The one thing missing from PolitiFact's post: the actual definition of the term "apology" from a dictionary, which is "an admission of error or discourtesy accompanied by an expression of regret."
Here are five statements Obama made during the apology tour:
- "In America, there's a failure to appreciate Europe’s leading role in the world. Instead of celebrating your dynamic union and seeking to partner with you to meet common challenges, there have been times where America has shown arrogance and been dismissive, even derisive."
- "Another issue that confronts all democracies as they move to the future is how we deal with the past. The United States is still working through some of our own darker periods in our history."
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While it's true that Obama is not explicitly saying he's sorry for America's actions, he was making these statements as if he was talking to a priest during a confession–he laid out what he thought America's sins and that the country should do better. Obama was indirectly saying "I'm sorry." PolitiFact's ruling should have been "True."
