Fact Check: McCain, Obama Err, Stretch Truth

Sept. 27, 2008 — -- As Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Barack Obama, D-Ill., engaged in their first one-on-one presidential debate Friday evening, ABC News looked into their claims and found they were not always entirely accurate.

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Claim: Obama said he "pays for every dime" of his spending proposals.

Fact: The nonpartisan Tax Policy Center says that Obama's policies would increase the debt by $3.5 trillion over 10 years. The Tax Policy Center adds that McCain's policies would lead to an even bigger increase in the debt of $5.1 trillion.

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Claim: Obama said that McCain "wanted to give oil companies another $4 billion."

Fact: McCain's tax proposal would give tax breaks to all corporations, not just oil companies. His proposal seeks to lower the corporate tax rate 10 percent.

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Claim: Obama said "if you make less than $250,000 -- less than a quarter-million dollars a year -- then you will not see one dime's worth of tax increase."

Fact: Obama has called for higher taxes on income, capital gains and dividends for individuals making $200,000 per year. His tax plan imposes higher taxes on couples starting at $250,000 a year.

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Claim: McCain suggested Adm. Mike Mullen called Obama's Iraq withdrawal plan "dangerous." Obama said, "That's not the case."

Fact: On "Fox News Sunday," Mullen was asked by Chris Wallace if setting a timeline for withdrawal along the lines of Obama's plan "could be dangerous." Mullen told Chris Wallace, "I think the consequences could be very dangerous in that regard."

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Claim: McCain began tonight's debate by expressing his concerns for Ted Kennedy "who is now in the hospital."

Fact: While Ted Kennedy did go to the hospital briefly today for a minor seizure, the Kennedy family released a statement an hour before the debate began saying he was back at home, doing well and watching the debate.

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Claim: McCain said Gen. Dwight Eisenhower wrote a resignation letter the night before the Normandy invasion in World War II.

Fact: Eisenhower wrote a letter taking full responsibility for the consequences of the invasion, but did not write a letter of resignation, according to the National Archives. See the letter here.