Politifact Check: The Tampa Debate

Politifact.com is a self proclaimed non-partisan fact checking operation. They rate statements made by public officials ranging from truthful to pants on fire. Although they were awarded the Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting in 2009, they are not universally accepted as unbiased. Their intention to separate fact from fiction is taken in the general spirit to enlighten the voter.

Gingrich’s claim; “that Freddie Mac, credit unions are ‘government-sponsored enterprises.’

According to the politifact ruling;

Newt’s claim is baseless in both the creation and operation of Credit Unions as a comparison to the GSE Freddie Mac. Government Sponsored Entities exist, through a Congressionally passed specific law and are listed as a Federal Budget item. Neither Credit Unions nor Electric Cooperatives share those distinctions.

Politifact Therefore Rates the Gingrich claim as: A ‘Pants on Fire’ statement…

Santorum’s claim; "What threatens the tourist industry in Florida, as we've seen, is a very bad economy, and a very bad economy that became a bad economy why?" he said. "Because of a huge spike in oil prices in the summer of 2008."

According to the Politifact ruling;

Although oil prices subsequently drove up costs, it is the collapse in Housing and the Banking sector which created the high unemployment condition of which Floridians are still mired within.

Politifact Therefore Rates the Santorum claim as: A ‘Mostly False’ statement…

Gingrich’s claim;"When I was speaker, we had four consecutive balanced budgets, the only time in your lifetime… that we've had four consecutive balanced budget"

According to the Politifact ruling;

Gingrich was Speaker of the House from January 1995-1999. Fiscal year 1996 had a deficit of $107 Billion and 1997 $22 Billion. The surplus was in surplus from 1998 – 2001.

Politifact Therefore Rates the Gingrich claim as: A ‘False’ statement…