The Truth-O-Meter on Romney

By Angie Drobnic Holan
Published on Thursday, August 28th, 2008 at 9:46 p.m.

Related rulings:

"Now, I also support the Bush tax cuts. Sen. McCain voted against them originally. He now believes they should be made permanent. I'm glad he agrees they should be made permanent."

Mitt Romney, Thursday, January 24th, 2008.

Ruling: True | Details

"I don't have lobbyists running my campaign."

Mitt Romney, Thursday, January 17th, 2008.

Ruling: False | Details

"I don't describe your plan as amnesty in my ad. I don't call it amnesty."

Mitt Romney, Saturday, January 5th, 2008.

Ruling: Pants on Fire! | Details

"I just talked about guns. I told you what my position was, and what I did as governor, the fact that I received the endorsement of the NRA."

Mitt Romney, Sunday, December 16th, 2007.

Ruling: False | Details

"We had a No Child Left Behind — a similar piece of legislation in our state a number of years ago, well before the federal law. And it's had a big impact here. It's improved schools."

Mitt Romney, Friday, September 14th, 2007.

Ruling: True | Details

"Took on the Olympics and turned them around"

Mitt Romney, Wednesday, September 26th, 2007.

Ruling: Mostly True | Details

"Senator McCain voted against the Bush tax cuts. Now he's for them."

Mitt Romney, Thursday, April 26th, 2007.

Ruling: True | Details

"(McCain) said he was opposed to overturning Roe v. Wade. Now he's for overturning Roe v. Wade."

Mitt Romney, Thursday, April 26th, 2007.

Ruling: Half-True | Details

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A familiar face returns: John McCain has selected former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney for the vice presidential spot on the Republican ticket.

We evaluated many of Romney's statements during the Republican primary in 2007 and earlier this year.

Romney seemed to enjoy sparring with his fellow contenders; perhaps that means his debate with Democratic veep Joe Biden later this year will be a lively exchange.

Meanwhile, let's look at highlights from our Truth-o-Meter rulings about Romney:

• Romney touted his business background and his government resume in seeking the nomination. We ruled it Mostly True that he turned around the Olympics in Salt Lake City. We ruled it True that he was an innovator who helped revive major companies. And we ruled it True that legislation in Massachusetts helped revitalize schools there .

• Romney changed his position on abortion, favoring abortion rights as a governor, but then opposing abortion rights when he ran for president. He defended the change by pointing out that other candidates changed positions on things as well. He said John McCain was once opposed to the Supreme Court decision Roe vs. Wade , a claim we found only Half True. He also said McCain changed his position on the Bush tax cuts , a claim we found True.

• Sometimes Romney made untrue statements about his own campaign. He said his campaign was not run by lobbyists , a claim we found False. He said he was endorsed by the National Rifle Association , which was also False. Finally, he said he never called McCain's immigration legislation "amnesty," even though he did that in a television attack ad against McCain. We rated that statement Pants on Fire!