PolitiFact's incredibly thin credibility

Sure, PolitiFact occasionally delivers some good information. But an abundance of problems keep PolitiFact from obtaining substantial credibility among conservatives, and liberal/progressive confidence in PolitiFact is on the wane for a variety of reasons.

One just can't ignore the evidence repeatedly. Things are amiss at PolitiFact. How can a fact checker make errors like the one we're about to examine? It just doesn't make any sense.

Yesterday's item on a Rick Santorum claim contained a reference to Lou Dobbs. Here's what it looked like at first:

A reader noticed that the reference to Lou Dobbs was dated and posted a message to PolitiFact's Facebook page. Dobbs works for Fox Business Network these days. Before long "PolitiFact" (often Angie Drobnic Holan) responded:


For those of us who follow PolitiFact closely enough to know its policy statements, the above message served as an indication that a correction notice might now accompany the story.  After all, the Principles of PolitiFact and the Truth-O-Meter clearly states:

When we find we've made a mistake, we correct the mistake.

• In the case of a factual error, an editor's note will be added and labeled "CORRECTION" explaining how the article has been changed.
• In the case of clarifications or updates, an editor's note will be added and labeled "UPDATE" explaining how the article has been changed.
• If the mistake is significant, we will reconvene the three-editor panel. If there is a new ruling, we will rewrite the item and put the correction at the top indicating how it's been changed.

As of this writing no editor's note appears with the original story.  There is no admission of error and no notice that a correction was made after the item was published.

Is it a small thing?  I suppose so, in a way.  I often fix typographical errors without giving readers a correction notice.  However, I am committed to always providing a notice of any change that significantly affects the information in the post.  A misspelled name qualifies.  And certainly if I misidentified Lou Dobbs' employer I'd attach a correction notice.

But here's the thing:  I don't even have an expressed corrections policy.  I do corrections of fact because it's the right thing to do even though the transparency hurts sometimes.  It does serve as a fine motivation for reporting accurately on the first try.

The solution to PolitiFact's problem is very simple.  If the corrections policy calls for a correction notice via an editor's note upon finding a mistake then post one.

Otherwise change the policy so that it describes the actual practice.

Perhaps those who run PolitiFact have made the determination that adding a correction notice every time serves to undermine its credibility.

But the failure to follow a statement of principles isn't acceptable for a fact checking operation.  Is it?  By rights, the failure to follow principles deals the harder blow to PolitiFact's credibility.


Mar. 1, 2012:  Fox Business Network, not Fox Business Channel, as I initially put it.  No, I didn't make the mistake to make a point.