Candidate Truth Analysis Oct. 29

A leader should speak the truth. Different people may define truth differently. However, some statements can be factually verified[1].

Here is a summary of verified statements[2] made by the Barak Obama-Joe Biden and John McCain-Sarah Palin tickets during the presidential campaign through October 29, 2008:

Both candidate tickets tell the truth much less often and spread falsehoods much more often than they should, but Obama-Biden have told the truth more often than McCain-Palin[3]. Obama-Biden typical statements[4] range from True to Barely True[5]; McCain-Palin typical statements range from Mostly True to False[6]. Obama-Biden statements have been True 47% more often than McCain-Palin statements[7]. McCain-Palin have told 9 Lies[8], Obama-Biden have told 2 Lies. The full data is shown in the attached graph.

Both candidate tickets have been attacked[9]. However, Obama-Biden have been attacked with less truthfulness than has McCain-Palin[10].

The truthfulness of a leader is vital. A leader be can untruthful because of lying, which is a character or ethical issue. Another reason is ignorance, a competence issue. Whatever the case, Obama-Biden are more factually accurate than McCain-Palin to this point. Furthermore, the attacks on Obama-Biden have been less fair than those undergone by McCain-Palin. In short, Obama-Biden are more truthful than McCain-Palin, and McCain-Palin and his supporters have been less truthful about Obama-Biden.


[1] Data from PolitiFact.com (http:--www.politifact.com-truth-o-meter-). Politifact.com is a joint project of the St. Petersburg Times and the Congressional Quarterly, and is the 2008 recipient of the Knight-Batten Award for Special Distinction.

[2] Politifact has verified 170 Obama-Biden statements and 173 McCain-Palin statements.

[3] p = .002, Cohen’s d = .34 (a small-moderate difference).

[4] Scale: True = 5, Mostly True = 4, Half True = 3, Barely True = 2, False = 1, Lie = 0.

[5] Obama-Biden average = 3.36, standard deviation = 1.46, standard deviation range = 4.83 – 1.90.

[6] McCain-Palin average = 2.84, standard deviation = 1.57, standard deviation range = 4.42 – 1.27.

[7] Obama-Biden True statements = 53, McCain-Palin True statements = 36.

[8] Politifact.com label is “Pants on Fire”.

[9] Obama-Biden have been attacked 143 times, McCain-Palin 112 times.

[10] Anti-Obama attacks truthfulness average = 2.00, anti-McCain attacks truthfulness average = 3.12; p < .000, eta = .33 (a moderate difference).