CNN's Truth Squad fact-checked some of the claims made by President Barack Obama in the State of the Union address and Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels in the Republican rebuttal. We'll take a look at some of the claims and share if they were accurate.
Did public dollars unearth new energy resources?
President Barack Obama made a pitch for continued federal support of energy research.
The statement: "The development of natural gas will create jobs and power trucks and factories that are cleaner and cheaper, proving that we don't have to choose between our environment and our economy. And by the way, it was public research dollars, over the course of 30 years, that helped develop the technologies to extract all this natural gas out of shale rock - reminding us that government support is critical in helping businesses get new energy ideas off the ground."
The verdict: True, but incomplete
Obama touts job creation record
President Barack Obama discussed job numbers before and after he took office during Tuesday night's State of the Union address.
The statement: "In the six months before I took office, we lost nearly 4 million jobs. And we lost another 4 million before our policies were in full effect. Those are the facts. But so are these. In the last 22 months, businesses have created more than 3 million jobs. Last year, they created the most jobs since 2005."
The verdict: True
GOP shines light on unemployment
Republicans focused on the Obama administration's job record during their rebuttal to Tuesday night's State of the Union address.
The statement: "The percentage of Americans with a job is at the lowest in decades," said Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, in the Republican rebuttal to President Barack Obama's State of the Union address.
The verdict: True
Steve Jobs' jobs vs. Obama's jobs
In a rebuttal to the State of the Union address, Republicans gave the late Steve Jobs credit for creating more jobs than the stimulus bill Tuesday.
The statement: "Contrary to the president's constant disparagement of people in business, it's one of the noblest of human pursuits. The late Steve Jobs - what a fitting name he had - created more of them than all those stimulus dollars the president borrowed and blew." –Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, in the Republican rebuttal to President Barack Obama's State of the Union address.
The verdict: False
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The nation's deficit is, in my opinion, the biggest challange that we have to deal with; yet, the President barely address it. his speech was nothing more but an attempt to buy votes...spend, spend, and spend.
Yeah I was wondering why the GOP does not let him pass anything?
The stimulus may have created more jobs but it cost us $800 Billion. How much did Apple Computer cost us? Zero. In fact it increased government revenue by creating tens of thousands of tax-paying jobs.
Gov. Perry used the stimulus money to pay off his debt in Texas.
No one has mentioned President Obama want to use money from unemployment to train people or his education reform.
Apparently you have no idea where Apple's manufacturing is done. All in China...Check Foxconn for a job?
without government investment in research and technology (not to mention subsidies for companies) the internet and computers, much less apple itself, don't exist. An excellent attempt though.
I saw Mr. Cantor on this morning, he did not answer one question the reporter asked him. The GOP is so out of touch and in it for their own agenda.(making money while in office) Cantor had portfolios that if America tanked he make money. The GOP are scared they will loose lobbying, be taxed like they should and no more inside trading. We need to get people in office that will help President Obama do what is right for the country not a select few who use our gov. and make laws to fill their pockets.
This is one of the few times I have ever seen republicans speechless. What could they say ? The president did a great job of telling the truth, and there was nothing they could do to dispute it. All they did was fall back on their mantra of, "The president is trying to present class warfare". Sorry republicans, that story has gotten too old.
I SEE NOW REAL REPUBLICANS ARE ON HERE NOW. THIS BLOG HAS SUNK TO THEIR DISGUSTING LEVEL (PEEONG ON PEOPLE, LYING, SPOUTING GLOOM AND DOOM WHILE LOOKING OUT THEIR WINDOW FOR THE SO CALLED" LEFT WING HORDES" DECEND ON THEM AND DESTROY THEIR PHONY SO CALLED "FAMILY CHRISTIAN VALUES"). REPUBLICANS ARE JUST A SCARED, BOURING, HATE FILLED GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO ARE UNWILLING TO COMPERMISE WITH ANYONE AND ARE FEARFUL OF CHANGE!
You are a brainwashed, ignorant, moron. No party is out to get us all or destroy our country, they are both just banners people run under to represent their general leaning on a conservative-liberal spectrum. Red nor blue are superior to one another, their just colors.
You left out some zingers that Obama BS'd on. But no surprise. Obama stated he has added less red tape than Bush. Verdict: False Obamacare will add more Red Tape to business that anything Bush did but it is just not in effect now but will soon be.
Name something in The Patients Health Care Act that would cause red tape?
He won't be able to... it's easier to lie and never respond than to be held accountable and present facts. The Health care act alleviated lots of red tape and made it easier for record transactions to be processed and gave incentives for digitizing file cabinets. To a republican, that must be aweful to hear... progress and positive change.
Scottish mAma: If you do a search for it, tons of material will pop up on it. heres one..... Obamacare creates a new administrative burden for Arkansas small business by
requiring them to track payments for services and tangible goods, and to
individuals and corporations, an expansion of current reporting requirements.
Considering the lack of cooperation the president has had these last three years,I feel he has done very well. With the republicans stated number one priority being to remove Obama from office, That pretty much says it all. If they had been putting as much energy into trying to do something for the economy and less into trying to make the president look bad our outlook would probably be a lot better by now.
Every president has to deal with the members of the other party hoping to beat them out in the next election and make them look bad. Most of them don't cry about and use it as an excuse to not do anything though.
Congress holds the purse strings and you need money to dig out.
If money is the issue, then why not just cut spending and reallocate funds... you know, like he promised to do?
You are absolutely right! What will it take for everyone else to see that the President is actually trying!? He has said time and time again, he is willing to work with GOP to solve the problems everyone is responsible for. GOP wastes no time in declaring war against the President. I'd like to see any Republican president get anything done with majority democrats in Congress whose soul purpose is to get rid of the Republican president.
Pres Obama did a great job with his speech. The problem in America is the partisan divide. The President has to find a way to establish some overlap between the parties so we can finally get things done. Partisan politics is destroying America and it will be Obama's big challenge in his next term to bring both parties together.
No one has spoke about his idea to give the business' that stay in America a tax breaks?
How about tax cuts for business'?
Why is Obama finally acting like a president? Where was he this whole time while America slowl slid down hill?? Perhaps on another vacation. He's no better than the GOP...in fact, he just may be one!
Marcia, that has got to be one of the stupidest statements ever.
He was in the senate when it slid down hill. That is why he ran for office, to help us get back up.
Marcia, did you just get here? I've been here the last 3 years and I'm completely capable of proving that Obama has been active and, at minimum, effective as president. Shall we dance?
This event should have been called "The State of the UNIONS & Goverment Workers Address." It was heavy on manufacturing, teachers, and expanding government jobs. The hidden premise was that Americans have become so stupid that they now need government to be given a "fair shot."
Actually he said if you cannot teach get out of the kitchen. No he said the government needs to give us a fair shot and stop making legislature that lines the pocket of themselves.
Because it is up to the congress and senate to write bills and congress holds the purse strings.
So, government jobs are only for stupid people? Is that what you're saying? Have you actually tried to get a government job lately?
Someday it may payoff. What do we do right now? If only we were there seems to be what you are saying. We are not there yet. Do we have the $$ in a stalled economy when we are 15 trillion in the hole??? 46 trillion for Medicare!!!!
Chase: I think the President was referring to the middle class that needs the gov to give a fair shot. Please don't conflate my words.
How about Immigration reform?
Fact checking is a wonderful thing. That's why real journalists (as opposed to I-Reporters) do it. In this case, the checking shows that President Obama told the truth and the GOP, as is their usual modus operandi in recent years, lied. What surprise. Given just that, who would you vote for as President in November?
Thank you!! It bothers me SO much that the GOP has to outright lie to their base in order to get them fired up, but all it takes is the truth on the President's part. The first place I go when anything is said by either side is to the fact checking... both sides lie or twist the truth, but dominantly one side more often than the other. It's sick.
The milk joke was not funny in the least.
Agreed, did you see his wife's reaction...she was also non0impressed!
If the GOP is on here give some facts. What did he say that they think he lied? Don't misquote I do check it.