Fact-checking the first presidential debate

President Barack Obama, right, shakes hands with Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney after the first presidential debate at the University of Denver, Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2012, in Denver.

/ AP Photo/David Goldman

In the first presidential debate of the general election campaign, President Obama and Mitt Romney went head-to-head over issues ranging from health care, to job creation, to tax cuts. Below, CBSNews.com looks into the facts behind those charges.

Jobs

ROMNEY: "We've got 23 million people out of work or stopped looking for work in this country."

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 12.8 million unemployed Americans as of July.

However, if you add up the number of Americans looking for more work, one gets to Romney's figure. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that there were 8.2 million Americans in July who were working part-time "because their hours had been cut back or because they were unable to find a full-time job."

Additionally, there were 2.5 million people who were "marginally attached to the labor force." The Bureau explains, "These individuals were not in the labor force, wanted and were available for work, and had looked for a job sometime in the prior 12 months. They were not counted as unemployed because they had not searched for work in the 4 weeks preceding the survey."

This adds up to more than 23 million, figure the Romney campaign has highlighted repeatedly.

OBAMA: "Over the last 30 months, we've seen 5 million jobs in the private sector created."

The Bureau of Labor Statistics recently announced that private sector job growth likely grew by 453,000 more jobs than previously announced between March 2011 to March 2012 time period - which puts total private sector job growth over the last 30 months at 5.1 million, verifying Mr. Obama's charge. That figure does not take into account the approximately 676,000 public sector job losses that have occurred during the president's term, however, and doesn't include the massive private sector job losses at the beginning of his term. Still, many argue that the president can't be held responsible for those early losses, which were not a result of policies he had implemented.

Issues 2012: In Depth
Debate: Romney scores against cautious Obama
Economy in focus during Obama, Romney showdown
Poll: Uncommitted voters say Romney wins debate

Cost of Living

ROMNEY: "The people who are having the hard time right now are middle-income Americans. Under the president's policies, middle-income Americans have been buried. They're just being crushed. Middle- income Americans have seen their income come down by $4,300. This is a -- this is a tax in and of itself. I'll call it the economy tax. It's been crushing. At the same time, gasoline prices have doubled under the president. Electric rates are up. Food prices are up. Health care costs have gone up by $2,500 a family. Middle-income families are being crushed."

According to a May study by Sentier Research, an Annapolis-based research firm, real median American income in March was down by $4,300 since January 2009, when President Obama took office. But his statement that gas prices "have doubled under the president" is misleading. The average current gas price is $3.78, slightly more than twice the average gas price the week that the president took office in January. But that figure - an average of $1.85 on January 19, 2009, according to Consumer Reports -- was exceptionally low due to the economic crisis, when prices fell as a result of low demand. According to the American Automobile Association, the average national gas price was just 16 cents lower than it is now -- $3.62 -- on October 1, 2008.

According to a Consumer Price Index report from August, the food index rose 2 percent in a twelve month period, which can likely be attributed in part to the cost of living. Some have also pointed to the recent drought -- which according to the New York Times affected 88 percent of the corn crop -- as part of the reason for rising costs. As for electric prices, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the average U.S. residential electricity cost is up 48 cents per kilowatt per hour since 2010.

On Romney's charge that "Health care costs have gone up by $2,500 a family," according to a 2012 survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation analyzing employee health benefits, Romney is approximately correct: Since Obama took office, the average annual premium for family coverage through an employer has risen from $13,375 in 2009 to $15,745 in 2012, an increase of $2,370 over the past four years.

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[SarahDMutt]

"That's why I put out a five-point plan that gets America 12 million new jobs." -- Mitt Romney, 2nd Debate, 10/16/12

"Now let me mention one other thing, and that is, self-deportation says let it - let people make their own choice. What I was saying is, we're not going to round up 12 million people, undocumented, illegals, and take them out of the nation. Instead, let - make - people make their own choice." -- Mitt Romney, 2nd Debate, 10/16/12

Mitt Romney is going to 'create' 12 million new jobs by 'self-deporting' 12 million undocumented aliens.

Your new Romney-job is menial labor.

[K3244]

I've been voting in presidential elections for some 40 years. I have seen truly great statesmen (Bill Clinton, George HW Bush) and I've seen crooks (Dick Nixon).

I'm a health professional (MD) who deals with people day in and day out and I pride myself in being able to read who they truly are and what their goals may be. The way I see it, Obama has set the standard for this campaign. Romney and Ryan either copy his plans and deny any affiliation OR (more commonly) fabricate some non-specific plan that they cannot or will not supply the details for. Peace through Strength? What time period are they guys from.


It's simple - FACT CHECK R&R and then make your choice.

Sorry to invoke religion into politics but G-d help us all if Batman and Robin are elected

[K3244]

I've been voting in presidential elections for some 40 years. I have seen truly great statesmen (Bill Clinton, George HW Bush) and I've seen crooks (Dick Nixon).

I'm a health professional (MD) who deals with people day in and day out and I pride myself in being able to read who they truly are and what their goals may be. The way I see it, Obama has set the standard for this campaign. Romney and Ryan either copy his plans and deny any affiliation OR (more commonly) fabricate some non-specific plan that they cannot or will not supply the details for. Peace through Strength? What time period are they guys from.


It's simple - FACT CHECK R&R and then make your choice.

Sorry to invoke religion into politics but G-d help us all if Batman and Robin are elected

[attygilbert]

The constant interruptions, the smiling, laughing, and other antics of Vice President was embarrassing and unprofessional. Also, I would warn the American public to be leery of any politician (or moderator) who seek to win a debate by seeking to interrupt constantly. If Vice President conducts himself with others in this way, it is very clear why this President has made no attempt to wisely work with Congress on both sides of the aisle in doing what is best for all Americans, of every race, creed, and national origin. Congressman Ryan was respectful and intelligent. Quite frankly, I feel very sorry for the Moderator. If this was a debate, Vice President would have been admonished several times. This election will determine the fate of his nation. Read Dr. Thomas Sowell's books, an African American economist, who has exposed the dangerous economic circumstances this President has caused. I pray every American will truly get the facts. I have seen misinformation by some fact-testers so be weary.

[rksharma-2009]

Let me explain Romney's lies:

5 trillion dollars tax cuts that he said that he never claimed:
3+ trillion dollars tax cuts by making Bush tax cuts permanent
1.2+ trillion dollars tax cuts by reducing the tax rate by 20%
800+ billion dollars tax cuts by eliminating estate tax, plus other tax cuts that Romney has been talking about.

Here is Romney one big lie that he repeated at least 6 times during the debate

He said that the president is cutting Medicare by 716 billion dollars is another big fat lie that he repeated many times. 716 billion dollars are saving created by making the medicare more efficient. Obama administration has already proven that there is a huge fraud in medicare that can be eliminated. During Obama administration, we have already saved over 50 billion dollars by capturing fraud. So these savings are believable.

This is another lie that Romney repeated several times.

Obama Care as Romney described will cost jobs and more debt. Romney for one should have known that when he implemented similar model in Massachusetts, the state saved money and healthcare improved. A recent survey in Massachusetts has shown that 73% people in Massachusetts like Romney Care. Similarly it has been projected that Obama Care plan will save 300 billion dollars and will improve the quality of health care.

This is another lie that Romney knowingly kept on repeating. If this statement was made by someone else who did not know how this kind of plan will save money, then we would accepted that person's ignorance and inability to understand this new policy. Romney who suddenly is big fan of Romney care, is surprisingly anti Obama care, which happens to be the same.

Another big lie.

Romney said that he wants to invest in teachers. This is news to all of us. This is not what he has been saying. In fact during primaries, Texas governor wanted to eliminate 3 departments, and education was one of these departments. Romney never said that he won't cut education. In fact he is on the record that no more teachers are needed. He in fact was anti teachers unions action in Chicago and if he had the power, he would have crushed that movement. Now having created a new hole of 8 trillion dollars, where do you think Romney will get the money to pay for these programs. He won't. Every republican candidates who have come in power since Regan, promised to cut taxes, and reduce debt. Yes they all did cut taxes, but they created more and more debt. They never cut debt. It was only Clinton who had put us on the path of paying off the debt. Now Obama is working in that direction. However, during his time problems are much bigger and lot more patience is needed.

So when Romney says that he is going to reduce debt after 8 trillion dollars of a new hole, it is big fat lie.

[mrdisney50]

Exactly Great Post

[Rod_Smith]

Did you actually read the article you're commenting on? You can call the 716 billion savings or whatever you want, but when it's removed from the program's budget, it's a cut. Unlike the budget, where if you propose a 5% growth rate instead of a 7% growth rate, it's considered a "draconian" cut to spending.

[alimech42]

According to some - Fact Check: Romney Told 27 Myths in 38 Minutes During the Debate. Isn't that a record?

[Rod_Smith]

Could be; a record for the worst, and most partisan, job of "fact-checking" ever.

[Eco99]

SO Rod is your position that it is not a lie but Romney coming more to the center from his previous spot on the right for the last year of compaigning?

The one truth is, Mitt can probably keep all his promises because he has taken so many opposing positions on most of the big issues how can't he be right you would just have to find the right video.

[alphaa10000]

THE ROMNEY RECORD-- A PROBLEM WITH FACTS

GOP bozos have a problem with facts, however complex or simple. If they don't like the facts from polls, it must be (1) a pollster conspiracy to defraud the public and/or (2) the polling method is incorrect.

Never mind that the pollsters, before calling, have no idea which party each poll respondent favors. Never mind that the pollsters have nothing to gain by being inaccurate, but a great deal to lose if they are found off the mark, after the election.

A familiar pattern emerges with this latest wave of GOP poll denial-- have unwelcome poll results become another "inconvenient" truth? Exactly the same logic was used by GOP pundits to reject global warming-- ie. CO2 remediation would cost "too much", therefore, the science must be faulty and/or fraudulent.

Typically, when faced with such inconvenient facts, the GOP indulges in "backwards reasoning" from a desired outcome toward a set of data that supports it-- even if the data do not yet exist. The GOP waffles, then insists the data does exist, but has not been found or has
been deliberately concealed.

Shades of Cheney, "The absence of proof is not proof of absence." Shades of Bush, who insisted Saddam had WMDs, even if David Kay (Bush's man overseeing the American search for weapons) could find no evidence-- not a shred-- and returned to Bush empty-handed..

Despite all the years of GOP accusations of bad faith, double-dealing and deceit on the part of others, the GOP once again ends up with signature hypocrisy all over its collective face--

(1) the Romney campaign won't release Romney tax returns beyond 2011 (Obama and Biden have released 12 years)

(2) Ryan proposes a budget which will not work unless Ryan supplies some billions and billions of dollars of revenue leakage-- which, of course, he refuses to specify

(3) the GOP simply knows there is widespread voter fraud in the land, although extremely few cases have been found-- even when Bush and the GOP had control of the DOJ, and were able to "find" whatever evidence they pleased.

(4) the GOP simply knows Romney is a "job creator"-- even if the evidence shows he was a leveraged buy-out artist, who

-- borrowed huge sums of money on taxpayer-backed federal loan guarantees (this from an opponent of government in the marketplace)

-- paid no interest on his loans because of a loophole in the law designed to benefit mortgage-paying American families, not massive loans in the millions used to buy control of targeted companies, all guaranteed at taxpayer expense

-- paid himself huge sums for "services", fees impossible to pay without overloading targeted companies with debt

-- leaving the companies to fail

-- killing thousands of US jobs

-- and demanding the federal regulators write down the principal of the loan, or Romney (the extortioner at heart) will pull his option to pay himself whatever he pleased, and destroy the company's remaining financial reserves.

His LBO tactics are all "legal and fair", assured Romney-- as if to answer the concern that a legal action is not always just. For a definition of justice, ask the investors whose assets were plundered, or the American workers (with mortgages and bills to pay) without their jobs.

* For those who have not read of Romney's LBO scheme and how he played it--
"Greed and Debt: The True Story of Mitt Romney and Bain Capital", by Matt Taibbi--

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/greed-and-debt-the-true-story-of-mitt-romney-and-bain-capital-20120829

[alphaa10000]

ROMNEY AND RYAN-- CAN A FISCAL HISTORY BE IMMORAL ?

Romney said he is concerned about the "moral choice" of imposing a deficit on our grandchildren.

Now reflect-- Romney's GOP actually built that deficit to $11.7 trillion during eight deficit years of Bush2. Before that, Bush1 and Reagan were the chief deficit contributors.

Now reflect-- GOP policies of deregulation created-- in the words of John McCain in 2008-- a "casino" on Wall Street. Not only did that "lessez faire" market deliver a scandalous crash, it cratered the economy, killing more than 10 million American jobs. That tremendously reduced revenue, and pushed the deficit higher.

Now reflect-- Romney and Ryan want not only to keep Bush tax cuts for the wealthy and for corporations, but give them another $5 trillion of tax breaks, reducing revenue still further and pushing the deficit higher.

See-- http://zfacts.com/p/gross-national-debt.html

So, if a deficit is a moral choice, where have been the voices of Romney and Ryan for nearly a decade?

Today, Romney and Ryan want to leave the shrinking, overburdened middle class with even more of the deficit. If you ask about making cuts on the GOP corporate/fatcat side, Romney and Ryan will not touch the defense budget-- at $1 trillion (including black operations spending), the largest in the world. Likewise, massive tax subsidies to the oil, coal and gas industries are not taxed (as though they barely make ends meet?).

Now reflect-- Romney and Ryan want to drop the capital gains tax even further, which allows the already well-off to be even wealthier. Guess who makes up the difference?

Now reflect-- Every tax break dollar that goes to the so-called "Job Creators" must be made up by somebody in the middle class who may not be able to find a job, and faces foreclosure to one of the Wall Street banks his tax dollars bailed out in 2007-2008. If you find that ironic,

Now reflect-- Where have the so-called "Job Creators" been? If they actually created jobs, we would not have high unemployment. So much for their absent patriotism, and abysmal sense of responsibility for the national recession their selfish lessez faire policies helped create.

[randysanders]

Ranting elected politicians uttering blatant lies in conversations and nonsensical statements. R.e.p.u.b.l.c.a.n.s.

[Eco99]

I like it!!

[randysanders]

It's most curious that no one is questioning Romney on his history at Bain acquisitions and the loss of jobs from his "harvesting". Why hasn't anyone called Romney on his denial of loss of revenue under ryans budget plan.

Some republican websites have been threaenting that the stock market will again crash and the jobs will become scarce if Obama is reelected.

I watched the debate last night and Obama's words and body language was confident and honest. Romney lied about supporting Ryans budget plan and his body language was indicative he was hiding something.

Since Romney is the Republicans choice for a leader I decided to have an acronym for the political parties.


Ranting elected politicians uttering blatant lies in conversations and nonsensical statements.
Republicans


Devoted, educated members of civil reality and truthful statespersons.
Democrats.