Arguably the biggest insight, however, comes from looking at the individual Pinocchio categories. Republicans got nearly three times as many “four Pinocchio” ratings as Democrats (thirty-three versus twelve), according to our analysis. They were also overrepresented in the “three Pinocchio” category (forty-two versus thirty-one) and the “two Pinocchio” category (seventy-six versus fifty-five), the most frequent category used.
But, interestingly, this trend did not hold up in the “one Pinocchio” category, in which Democrats predominated (forty versus twenty-six). In other words, although the Post flagged Democrats for a lot of minor sins, the more egregious falsehoods were clustered among Republicans. (In checking one of President Obama’s statements, Kessler acknowledged it was such a minor infraction that it might deserve a “half-Pinocchio,” if there were such a thing.)
Wow that’s an idiotic system of rating lies. I mean I get that the story is that Republicans lie worse and more blatantly while Democrats lie more often but in much smaller degrees… but I just can’t get past how stupid “this statement was rated as 3 Pinocchios” sound.
I think you got it wrong, Joe.
Republicans lie more often and worse when they do, on average. Democrats lie less on average and only lie more in the smallest category.
