The methodology for doing the above stats: Went through PolitiFact (PF) ruling page by Person/Group and included those with 5 or more PF Truthometer rulings . True ratings= 100 points, Mostly True= 90, Half True= 80, Barely True= 70, False= 60, and Pants on Fire= 50. The number of points was then multipled by the number of rulings made for the category, the points added up, and then divided by the total number of rulings.
"People" or individuals (not groups/committees/associations or emails) were only included here , and nothing from PF's "Flip-o-meter." They are all current or former office-holders/strategists/consultants. The pundits (those who have radio/television shows and are considered more or less "entertainers") were separately scored.
I've done versions of these before under the Category "Politi-Score" but this is the first time I've published the complete Democrat versus Republican rulings. This is by no means scientific, but does indicate that, from all appearances, the Democrats on average are more "truthful" by 3.21 points (according to PolitiFact) than Republicans. Whether they are just more truthful or this is bias on the part of PF in making these rulings is probably dependent on the reader's political leanings (lol).
The overall average was 80.88, just above Half True. Half True is defined by PF as "the statement is accurate but leaves out important details or takes things out of context." So generally speaking, it would appear from this average that most politicians make accurate statements but leave out important details or take things out of context....well, duh!
It would also appear from the individual ruling categories, that while Democrats and Republicans are roughly even on the True side of the meter, there is a noticeably higher variance on the False end. Republicans get more than double the number of Pants on Fire rulings and 50 percent more False rulings. While the overall percentage difference is small, that trend on the ruling categories gives me pause. So I won't rule out that those who say PF is biased left are incorrect. In otherwords--it's possible.
The overall average was 80.88, just above Half True. Half True is defined by PF as "the statement is accurate but leaves out important details or takes things out of context." So generally speaking, it would appear from this average that most politicians make accurate statements but leave out important details or take things out of context....well, duh!
It would also appear from the individual ruling categories, that while Democrats and Republicans are roughly even on the True side of the meter, there is a noticeably higher variance on the False end. Republicans get more than double the number of Pants on Fire rulings and 50 percent more False rulings. While the overall percentage difference is small, that trend on the ruling categories gives me pause. So I won't rule out that those who say PF is biased left are incorrect. In otherwords--it's possible.
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