FACT-CHECKING OBAMA/BIDEN AT THE DEMOCRAT CONVENTION

The fact checkers at Annenberg analyzed Obama and Biden's speeches at the Democrat Convention--go there to see the complete analysis.  I guess I expected more of the President and was most disappointed on his total misquotes of Romney on Iraq and bin Laden.

President Obama boasted that his plan would cut the deficit by $4 trillion over 10 years, citing “independent experts.” But one such analyst called a key element of the plan a “gimmick.”

Vice President Biden quoted GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney as saying “it’s not worth moving heaven and earth” to catch Osama bin Laden. Actually, Romney said he’d target more than just “one person.”

The president said U.S. automakers are “back on top of the world.” Nope. GM has slipped back to No. 2 and is headed for third place in global sales this year, behind Toyota and Volkswagen.

Biden said “the experts” concluded Romney’s corporate tax plan would create 800,000 jobs in other countries. One expert said that. She also said the number depends on the details, and foreign jobs could grow without costing U.S. jobs.

Obama quoted Romney as saying it was “tragic” to “end the war in Iraq.” What Romney was criticizing was the pace of Obama’s troop withdrawal, not ending a war.

Biden claimed Romney “believes it’s OK to raise taxes on middle classes by $2,000.” Romney actually promises to lower middle-class taxes.

Biden said Romney and running mate Paul Ryan “are not for preserving Medicare at all.” Actually, the plan they endorse would offer traditional Medicare as one option among many.

Obama said his tax plan would restore “the same rate we had when Bill Clinton was president” for upper-income taxpayers. Not quite. New taxes to finance the health care law also kick in next year, further burdening those same taxpayers.

It is interesting that Annenberg had trouble fact-checking Bill Clinton's speech, because he gave so many statistics to run down!

By the way here is the critique of Romney's convention speech. One difference I saw is that he did not purposely misquote Obama (as Obama does him).  Romney is taken to task for "exaggeration and puffery."