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By Nisha | October 31, 2008
 We're down to the last week of campaigning and things have been getting intense. Unless you've been living under a rock, you've likely seen all kinds of TV appearances and all kinds of claims from both the Obama camp and the McCain camp as both head into the final sprint of the race. So how do you sort fact from fiction? That's what we're here for! Today we're checking up on Obama's much talked-about infomercial:
- One of our favorites was when Senator Claire McCaskill of Missouri said that Obama "changed the rules in Washington. Gone are the free gifts from lobbyists. Gone are the fancy airplane rides for nothing." Politifact checked it out and said that Obama has worked on ethics reform, but wasn't the sole, driving force. McCaskill's statement is HALF-TRUE.
- Obama said there are 47 million American citizens without health care coverage. This, according to Politifact, is TRUE.
- Obama said "For my energy plan, my economic plan, and the other proposals you’ll hear tonight, I’ve offered spending cuts above and beyond their cost." The programs he's offered could cost an estimated $220 billion. On the savings side, the Obama camp is looking at the phased withdrawal of troops in Iraq (could save $156 billion) but to count on those savings is shaky, at best. The campaign also expects savings from "reducing wasteful spending," but is short on details about how much money this will actually save. Politifact found this statement to be BARELY TRUE.
Also this week:
- Sarah Palin claimed that as President, Obama would "experiment with socialism" and wants to "spread the wealth." Palin cites an exchange between Obama and the now-famous Joe the Plumber, where Obama endorses progressive taxation. However, John McCain has also supported progressive taxes, which he talked about on "Meet The Press" last week. Currently, the highest tax bracket pays 36% in taxes; Obama's proposal would raise that to 39.6% -- just higher than during the Clinton administration, when it was 38%. Â So while Obama's highest rates would go up, his policy is not a departure from current tenants of American tax policy, and is certainly not socialist. Politifact rates this statement as PANTS ON FIRE on its truth-o-meter.
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