PolitiFact.com
Statements about Terrorism
Dennis Kucinich

Dennis Kucinich

Half-True

Approval from secret federal court replaces traditional warrant

"What we have done with the PATRIOT Act, we've given the government enormous powers. We've given the government the right to reach deeply into people's private lives, into their business affairs, without a court order."

Tim Pawlenty

Tim Pawlenty

True

It's a deliberate, reasoned choice

President Obama has "stopped using the phrase 'war on terror.' "

John Cornyn

John Cornyn

Half-True

Yes, but more occurred in other areas of country

Says that during the first 19 months of the Obama administration, the U.S. detained people from nations designated as state sponsors of terrorism on the southwestern border.

Michael McCaul

Michael McCaul

True

Baby-doll connection

Says a Lubbock terror suspect’s alleged plan "to use baby dolls to conceal chemical explosives" is similar to a 1995 plot "to blow up 12 jumbo jets over the Pacific Ocean."

Glenn Beck

Glenn Beck

False

Quoting a member; spokesmen said otherwise

The Muslim Brotherhood has "openly stated they want to declare war on Israel."

Glenn Beck

Glenn Beck

Half-True

Roots yes, but now rivals

Many of the 9/11 conspirators came from the Muslim Brotherhood, including Osama bin Laden, Ayman Zawahiri and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.

Allen West

Allen West

Half-True

Did West mean that the U.S. blew off meeting with Israel or blew off Israel's solutions?

The U.S. "had the opportunity with Israel coming and talking to us about improving our security screening procedures, and we turned them down."  

Kendrick Meek

Kendrick Meek

Pants on Fire!

Meek admits he was wrong in mid-debate stumble

"The Taliban has been there for years and years, I mean, hundreds of thousands of years."

Ann Coulter

Ann Coulter

Half-True

She's right, but its relevance is less clear

"There have been more terrorist attacks on U.S. soil by ... Muslims in Obama's first 18 months in office than in the six years under Bush after he invaded Iraq."

Michael J. Gardiner

Michael J. Gardiner

False

Not even double

"It costs us, logistically, three times more to fight in Afghanistan than it does in any other place."

Debbie Riddle

Debbie Riddle

False

More than half, but less than 81 percent

"Over 81 percent of the babies that are born at LBJ Hospital right here in Houston are born of women who are not here legally."

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

True

Trip was scheduled before media frenzy, but U.S. is indeed paying

"U.S. taxpayers are being forced to fund Feisal Abdul Rauf’s trip to the Middle East."

Jerry Patterson

Jerry Patterson

False

Lots of "terror" references in secretary's record

"We have a director of homeland security who cannot use and will not use the term 'terrorist attack' but instead substitutes 'man-made disaster.' "

Carly Fiorina

Carly Fiorina

Pants on Fire!

No, Boxer's not more worried about thunderstorms

"Barbara Boxer's worried about the weather" instead of terrorism as the biggest threat to national security.

Joe Lieberman

Joe Lieberman

Mostly True

There's strong, but not universal, support in the law

The president can "authorize the killing of a U.S. citizen who fights for a foreign terrorist organization."

Rudy Giuliani

Rudy Giuliani

Half-True

It lasted 50 minutes, and ended so surgeons could start operating

Says federal law enforcement officers cut off questioning of the Christmas Day underwear bomber by giving him a Miranda warning after 30 minutes of questioning.

Michael Bloomberg

Michael Bloomberg

True

Being a suspected terrorist not an automatic disqualifier for gun purchases

"We can prevent terror suspects from boarding an airplane, but the FBI doesn't have the power to block them from buying dynamite or an AK-47."

Mitt Romney

Mitt Romney

False

Not a sincere apology in the bunch

Several times, Obama "has apologized for what he deems to be American arrogance, dismissiveness, and derision; for dictating solutions, for acting unilaterally ... ."

Joe Biden

Joe Biden

True

Two have been released to foreign countries

"There have been three people tried and convicted by the last administration in military courts. Two are walking the street right now."

Dick Cheney

Dick Cheney

Half-True

Obama used the words, but did he mean what Cheney thinks?

President Barack Obama's "initial response when we heard about the Christmas underwear bomber" was to say that "this was the act of an isolated extremist."

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