PolitiFact has come under some withering [1] criticism [2] for its biases and foibles. But an enterprising friend of ours has decided criticisms aren’t enough. Hence the creation of a new website: PolitiFact Watcher [3].
One of my favorite entries [4] so far? The take down of PF’s “false” rating of a statement from Gov. McDonnell regarding the Obama administration’s weakening of welfare-to-work requirements:
PolitiFact quotes FactCheck as backup for their claim saying:
FactCheck.org examined that ad’s claim that the adminstration’s decision would “gut welfare reform by dropping work requirements.” It concluded, “The plan does neither of those things.”
PolitiFact counts on their readers simply taking their word for it.
Here is what FactCheck actually said:
Work requirements are not simply being “dropped.” States may now change the requirements — revising, adding or eliminating them…
Eliminating the work requirements. Somehow that escaped PolitiFact’s close “scrutiny” of the facts.
The Obama rule allows states to eliminate the work requirement. Period.
Bob McDonnell is correct.
Simply delicious.