The Poynter Institute

English Español

Get PolitiFact in your inbox.

'Obama phones'? No, they've been around for years

National

The latest chain e-mail makes claims about free cell phones for welfare recipients.

By Catharine Richert October 28, 2009

The latest chain e-mail to land in our in box says a new program gives free phones to welfare recipients . But we found the e-mail was glossing over some key details — such as the fact that the program has been around for many years. We rated the claim Barely True.

See item for sources.

stated on May 5, 2010 in a broadcast of the Ed Show:

"Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu received almost $1.8 million from BP over the last decade."

pants-fire

pants-fire

stated on May 4, 2010 in an interview on CNN:

"In the last 10 years we've only had 7,000 barrels of oil spilled in the Gulf ... not counting hurricanes. This well is spewing that amount every day and a half."

mostly-true

mostly-true

stated on May 11, 2010 in a speech on the Senate floor:

On Sandra Day O'Connor: "I think one reason she was a good judge is she had no judicial experience" before she joined the Supreme Court.

false

false

stated on April 28, 2010 in an interview on the Fox Business Network:

"Up until two weeks ago, John McCain was a leading proponent of amnesty. Now with me challenging him, suddenly he has changed."

pants-fire

pants-fire

Katrina vanden Heuvel

stated on May 2, 2010 in a roundtable discussion on ABC's 'This Week':

"At the moment, energy companies spend 0.25 percent on R&D."

true

true

stated on April 21, 2010 in an interview on MSNBC's Daily Rundown:

"Congress can tell [the Supreme Court] which cases they ought to hear. We have that authority."

true

true

stated on April 25, 2010 in a panel discussion on ABC This Week:

"What the Arizona law does is make a state crime out of something that already is... a federal crime."

mostly-true

mostly-true

stated on April 25, 2010 in an interview on ABC's This Week:

The Banking Committee voted a 1,336-page bill "out of committee in 21 minutes with no amendments, with the understanding that before the bill came to the floor, we would reach this bipartisan agreement."

mostly-true

mostly-true

House Natural Resources Committee Republicans

stated on April 5, 2010 in a news release posted on his website.:

"Obama did not open new lands to offshore drilling – all of these areas were already open for drilling once Congress and President Bush lifted the moratorium in 2008. Instead, President Obama yesterday announced what areas he would CLOSE to offshore drilling."

barely-true

barely-true

stated on March 31, 2010 in a speech to the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs:

In 2004, "20 percent of U.S. households were getting about 75 percent of their income from the federal government. ... Another 20 percent were receiving almost 40 percent."

barely-true

barely-true

stated on March 25, 2010 in a letter to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner:

"The bill reported out of committee sets up a $50 billion slush fund that, while intended for resolving failing firms, is available for virtually any purpose that the treasury secretary sees fit."

false

false

Stephen Colbert

stated on April 12, 2010 in an interview on Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report":

John Paul Stevens is the only Protestant on the U.S. Supreme Court.

true

true

stated on March 31, 2010 in an announcement at Andrews Air Force Base :

On oil drilling

no-flip

no-flip

stated on March 24, 2010 in an appearance on the Fox News show "On the Record" with Greta Van Susteren:

"The average student will be spending $1,700 to $1,800 more during the life of their loan because of this surcharge."

false

false

stated on March 28, 2010 in a U.S. Senate primary debate on FOX News Sunday:

"The average cost for health insurance in Florida went from about $600 a month for an individual to about $150 a month."

false

false

National Center for Public Policy Research .
stated on April 5, 2024 in Proxy statement:

"Kohl’s has contributed $1,000,000 to the (Black Lives Matter) movement and related causes since 2020."

By Ricardo Torres • April 19, 2024
Facebook posts
stated on April 15, 2024 in a Facebook post:

The government owes you $8,832 and a $2,000 spending card.

By Jeff Cercone • April 18, 2024
Facebook posts
stated on April 6, 2024 in a Facebook reel:

There are no real pictures of satellites on Google Images because outer space is not real.

By Sofia Ahmed • April 18, 2024
Joe Biden
stated on April 9, 2024 in an interview with Univision:

Starting in 2025 "no matter what your total bills are for prescription drugs,” Medicare Part D users will never pay “more than $2,000 a year, because some of these cancer drugs are 10(,000 to) 15,000 bucks a year.”

By Amy Sherman • April 18, 2024
Facebook posts
stated on April 12, 2024 in a video:

Filmmaker Mike deGruy died for "exposing the truth."

By Kwasi Gyamfi Asiedu • April 17, 2024
Facebook posts
stated on April 12, 2024 in a post on Facebook:

“Taylor Swift is doing satanic rituals during her shows.”

By Madison Czopek • April 17, 2024
Viral image
stated on April 13, 2024 in a Facebook post:

Video shows Kelly Clarkson divulging her “weight loss tips.”

By Ciara O'Rourke • April 17, 2024
Facebook posts
stated on April 14, 2024 in a Facebook post:

Document shows “Stormy Daniels exonerated Trump herself!”

By Sara Swann • April 17, 2024
Instagram posts
stated on April 14, 2024 in an Instagram post:

Videos show “how they celebrated the CERN opening.”

By Loreben Tuquero • April 17, 2024
Facebook posts
stated on April 14, 2024 in a post:

“Venus Williams forfeits match against trans woman,” saying, “I’m not playing a man.”

By Grace Abels • April 17, 2024