Washington Post Will No Longer Maintain Presidential Fact-Checking Database
The Washington Post is calling it quits on its presidential fact-checking database, one hundred days into President Joe Biden’s administration.
“Glenn Kessler, editor and chief writer of the Fact Checker, tweeted late Monday that the team would continue to fact-check President Biden ‘rigorously’ but would no longer maintain the database started under former President Trump,” the Washington Times reported Tuesday.
Kessler shared a link to the database, writing, “Here’s the Biden database — which we do not plan to extend beyond 100 days. I have learned my lesson”:
Here's the Biden database — which we do not plan to extend beyond 100 days. I have learned my lesson. https://t.co/qK42PRlnrS
— Glenn Kessler (@GlennKesslerWP) April 27, 2021
Kessler explained, “‘Learned my lesson’ means that who knows what the next four years will bring. We have fact-checked Biden rigorously and will continue to do so. Trump at 500 claims/100 days was manageable; 8,000+ was not.”
“Learned my lesson” means that who knows what the next four years will bring. We have fact-checked Biden rigorously and will continue to do so. Trump at 500 claims/100 days was manageable; 8,000+ was not.
— Glenn Kessler (@GlennKesslerWP) April 27, 2021
He also urged readers to let him know if his team missed something during the first 100 days, adding, “What we produced is more comprehensive than anything else out there.”
And if you think we missed something in our database of the first 100 days, send me a note and I will consider it. What we produced is more comprehensive than anything else out there.
— Glenn Kessler (@GlennKesslerWP) April 27, 2021
However, Kessler said his team will continue fact-checking but not keep a database.
“Maintaining the Trump database over four years required about 400 additional 8-hour days over four years beyond our regular jobs for three people. Biden is off to a relatively slow start but who knows what will happen. We will keep doing fact checks, just not a database,” he stated:
Maintaining the Trump database over four years required about 400 additional 8-hour days over four years beyond our regular jobs for three people. Biden is off to a relatively slow start but who knows what will happen. We will keep doing fact checks, just not a database.
— Glenn Kessler (@GlennKesslerWP) April 27, 2021
Breitbart News reported April 16 the Post continued giving former President Donald Trump “four Pinocchios” for challenging a partially discredited story from 2020 about Russia paying bounties to Taliban fighters to kill American soldiers in Afghanistan.
The article continued:
The story, first reported by the New York Times, became a staple of Democratic talking points against Trump. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris used it to argue throughout the campaign that Trump did not care about the welfare of the troops. However, the Biden administration admitted Thursday that U.S. intelligence only had “low to moderate” confidence that the story was true after all.
Following his announcement, Twitter users questioned Kessler’s decision and expressed their disagreement.
“Reporting lies by POTUS is one of journalism’s most important responsibilities. Are you saying you can’t maintain a simple database of lies? Too much bother?” one person replied.
“That lesson being: don’t even lightly criticize a Democrat. Just praise whatever they do. Don’t ask questions,” another said.
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