The Fact Checker (washingtonpost.com)

Overview & Context

The Fact Checker by The Washington Post, led by Glenn Kessler and team, is a premier political fact-checking column and digital database that evaluates statements from public figures using a Pinocchio rating scale—from one for minor falsehoods to “Bottomless Pinocchios” for repeated lies.

🕵️‍♂️ Key Features

• Originated in 2007 during the presidential campaign; relaunched in 2010 with Kessler at the helm after Michael Dobbs created its signature Pinocchio system.
• Offers continuous weekly updates, including Sunday print editions and digital posts, covering claims from both major-party figures.
• Boasts high-profile tracking efforts, such as documenting 30,573 false or misleading claims by President Trump over his term.
• Incorporates multimedia content—articles, video explainers, guides—and invites reader participation.

🎯 Purpose & Methodology

• Aims for nonpartisan accountability, tracing the truth behind political rhetoric.
• Uses an internationally recognized fact-checking framework (IFCN), with open corrections and rating transparency.
• Widely cited and recognized—weighs statements using clear criteria and has received multiple journalistic awards.

🌍 Broader Significance

• Plays a key role in safeguarding democratic discourse, exposing blatant falsehoods and countering disinformation.
• Serves educators, policymakers, journalists, and citizens seeking evidence-based clarity in public debate.
• Despite occasional critique (e.g., labeled “propaganda mill” by the New York Post), the Fact Checker continues to update and correct errors, reinforcing its commitment to factual accuracy.

📚 Citation

The Washington Post Fact Checker. (n.d.). The Fact Checker. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/fact-checker/
Summary generated by ChatGPT (GPT‑4).