Some Interesting View Points of Honesty

In looking at PolitiFact, which is non-partisan, it checks out statements made to see if they are honest or dishonest. They have six categories that I have summarized into three.

The first are either totally true or mostly true statements. The person is speaking the truth or they may have one small insignificant piece of information of no consequences that throws off their total.

The second are half true or barely true statements. It is not a lie, but sometimes to make it true you have to take several pieces of information and stretch them in an unnatural way.

The third things stated that are totally false and, in their words, liar, liar, pants on fire lies. However one parses it, the person ought not to have said this as what they are saying is totally false.

It should be stated that PolitFact is non-partisan and unbiased. In each case they validate, beyond doubt, by proving the person to be right, half-right, or dead wrong.

I chose a wide range of people and there are people who are clearly more honest than others. Barack Obama is the President and Sarah Palin is one of the leading Republican spokespersons at this time.

John Boehner is the House Minority leader, and Nancy Pelosi is the Speaker of the House and interesting as are several other pundits and political leaders.

I have no editorial comment to make on anyone other than the fact that I was appalled at many of the percentage figures for dishonesty. The Ninth Commandment must not be in a lot of Bibles...


Barack Obama
Truthful 47.5% of the time.
Halfway 34.7% of the time.
Dishonest 17.7% of the time.

Sarah Palin
Truthful 37.5% of the time
Halfway 30.0% of the time
Dishonest 32.5% of the time.

John Boehner
Truthful 50.0% of the time.
Halfway 25.0% of the time.
Dishonest 25.0% of the time.

Nancy Pelosi
Truthful 20.0% of the time.
Halfway 60.0% of the time.
Dishonest 20.0% of the time.

Rush Limbaugh

Truthful 8.3% of the time.
Halfway 41.7% of the time.
Dishonest 50% of the time.

Keith Olbermann

Truthful 28.5% of the time.
Halfway 43% of the time.
Dishonest 28.5% of the time.

Glenn Beck

Truthful 12% of the time.
Halfway 44% of the time.
Dishonest 44% of the time.

John McCain

Truthful 39% of the time.
Halfway 34% of the time.
Dishonest 28% of the time.

Rachel Maddow (in fairness, only four comments, but not a good start)

Truthful 0
Halfway 50% of the time.
Dishonest 50% of the time.

Joe Biden

Truthful 40% of the time.
Halfway 39% of the time.
Dishonest 21% of the time.

Mitch McConnell

Truthful 40% of the time.
Halfway 30% of the time.
Dishonest 30% of the time.

Hillary Clinton

Truthful 46% of the time.
Halfway 43% of the time.
Dishonest 11% of the time.

Harry Reid

Truthful 17% of the time.
Halfway 50% of the time.
Dishonest 33% of the time.