Fact Checking During Election Season

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The debates have started, the gloves are off and the next nine months are going to see a flurry of accusations, promises and rhetoric. I’m a political junkie, so I’m ready to grab some popcorn and enjoy the show!

But for the average American citizen, election season – especially for something as pivotal as a presidential election – is something to be dreaded, not enjoyed. How do you determine which candidate deserves your vote?

Listen Carefully for Policy Information

The candidates in a presidential election have prepared and practiced for any public appearance. Their staff consists of speech writers, debate experts, public opinion pollsters, legal advisors, policy advisors and many more. Their proposed answers to any questions have been screened and debated by their own staff members, and most likely have been presented to a small focus group for initial reactions. Every word in a prepared speech has been analyzed. Debates are a little more lively because candidates are often responding to accusations from another candidate (known politely as rebuttal), but rest assured that each candidate was provided a list of all questions long before the debate commenced.

What this means for the viewer is that it is important to listen carefully as the candidates present themselves. Buried within each debate answer or portion of the speech is a nugget that will reveal information about the candidate’s beliefs, prior policy decisions and legislative priorities.

Pay Attention to the Post-Debate Spin

My favorite part of any debate is the post-debate spin. I flip back and forth between the major news networks. Each network tends to have its own political leanings, but the anchors generally do a good job of bringing on both Republican and Democrat commentators who put their own spin on what was said. However, this is where I typically get my first indication of which part of a speech or debate answer might not have the power of the truth behind it.

I also find the poll/crowd reactions to be very interesting. Often, the networks will be monitoring the reactions of a group of people to the debate rhetoric. That could be a telephone poll, post-debate interviews or a captive audience whose reactions are monitored through dials that can be manipulated based on their positive or negative reaction to various portions of a speech. Other people’s reactions will not help you determine what is factual, but will help you understand which portions of a candidate’s speech were calculated to provoke an emotional response.

Check the Facts Yourself

I’m a huge fan of FactCheck.org. A self-proclaimed consumer advocacy site, FactCheck analyzes the debate rhetoric, television commercials, campaign literature and more, comparing the claims with actual records. The site also provides its sources, so you can read more or do some fact checking of your own.

Also, most major newspapers, television stations with programs dedicated to political analysis and political websites will have fact checking reports of their own. I like the Washington Post’s Fact Checker, but PolitiFact.com from the Tampa Bay Times also is fun. Read or watch them all, if you’re so inclined. An informed voter is a wise voter.

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4. Election Burnout
5. Presidential Election Round-Up, or What Women Really Think About Sarah Palin