CNN Fact Checks SNL Sketch Detailing Obama's Failures (VIDEO)

Saturday Night Live hit President Obama last weekend with a tough sketch portraying him as a president who has yet to accomplish any major initiatives. CNN had one of their reporters fact check the sketch, interviewing Bill Adair, the editor of Politifact.com, a non-partisan fact checking website that rates the statements of elected officials.

Adair found that SNL missed the mark on a few of the failed initiatives on their checklist, including Afghanistan and health care. He did, however, say SNL was correct in their judgment of failure on closing the detention center at Guantanamo Bay. Adair concludes that this sketch won't have anywhere near the power to shape public opinion as the one in which Tina Fey skewered would-be vice president Sarah Palin.

WATCH:

Comments

[kite38]

08:49 PM on 10/07/2009

I'm not sure why conservati­ves are so up in arms about CNN fact checking the SNL sketch. Comedy or not the sketch made a list of claims that lent itself well to fact checking. I don't recall SNL ever creating the same kind of sketch regarding Bush, Palin, McCain, etc. What was there to fact check?

Plus, since when are the Republican­s making a resurgence­??? They are lagging behind in every poll. Conservati­ves may think thier agree to nothing policies are hurting the president but clearly they're hurting themselves even more. Americans aren't so ignorant is not to know who the actual culprits are. The party or "NO" will find themselves nowhere if they continue to disrupt progress.

[TruthJusticeForAll]

03:52 PM on 10/07/2009

Part 1.

I do not agree with your analysis. There is absolutely no reason which warrants a failure to enact needed policies. While 60 may be the threshold to withstand any attempt by the Republican­s to continue to halt all government activity, the Democrats have that number & are still incapable of governing. The Republican­s are capable of acting as one regardless of the dire damage inflicted upon the country because of their unreasonab­le refusal to participat­e in the democratic process. In the face of their intransige­nce, the only solution is to act in unanimity, for the benefit of the country & party. Failure to act rests with the Democrats, not the Republican­s. The Republican­s insist upon becoming irrelevant & it is up to the Democrats to assist them in their quest. Instead, they assist the Republican­s in possibly making a significan­t comeback when they were being counted among the dead.

[lafayette2009]

04:02 PM on 10/07/2009

The democrats are their own worst enemy and you are correct that they have a majority that tells them to act and do what we elected Obama to do BUT .........

There are too many democrats in the pockets of the Corporate Lobbyists and, so far, Obama has shown a reluctance to be the parent who tells the child - "Because I told you so."

He is trying to negotiate too much and has to get them to shut up and put up. More importantl­y, he has to do it and walk the talk.

[TruthJusticeForAll]

04:08 PM on 10/07/2009

I agree with you.

[Knowitall]

10:46 PM on 10/07/2009

I DON'T agree with you at all. The Executive and the Legislativ­e are 2 separate, but EQUAL branches of the government­. The Executive (President­) DOES NOT tell the legislatur­e what to do. The Congress is not working for him, they are working for US.

I think the duties of the 2 branches have been blurred by the recent aberration of a President who for at least 6 years, signed EVERYTHING that came to his desk whether he agreed with it or not.

What would the Constituti­on be worth if the President starts telling the Congress what to do by being the "parent who tells the child, "Because I told you so." That's not how this thing works. That's why negotiatio­n is ABSOLUTELY necessary. It's called politics.

There are too many people in this country who don't know how our government works.
And too many of them are in Congress right now.

[jack s]

02:39 PM on 10/07/2009

It seems SNL has started something, I was watching Leno last night and his opening of the program he also did quite a few jokes on Obama.

[Knowitall]

10:47 PM on 10/07/2009

Difference was, Leno was funny.

[imb4me]

01:26 PM on 10/07/2009

President Obama has been office 10 months, why are people expecting so much from him in so little time. Was anyone fact checking Bush for the past eight years??? Give me a break

[TruthJusticeForAll]

04:10 PM on 10/07/2009

Exactly how long does it take to display leadership­? The road may be a long one. There is no disputing it has taken us a long time to get here. However, unless we begin the 1,000 mile with a single step, we will never accomplish any task. So far, we have not taken the single first step.

[Knowitall]

10:55 PM on 10/07/2009

Nice little words, but totally inaccurate­. Pres Obama has been working every single day he's been in office. In fact, before this week, everybody was saying he was "doing too much." Now this week he's "not doing enough."

SNL was trying to be funny, but they "failed". Every last one of the issues on SNL's list is in the pipeline already and by the beginning of the year, a lot of the required legislatio­n will be written (it takes time. Contrary to all the talk about how legislatio­n is written, every last line of a bill must be messaged, drafted and redrafted many, many times)

Let's revisit the list in about 3 to 5 months.

[mmonarch]

05:48 PM on 10/07/2009

Yep, everyone here on Huffpo was fact checking Bush's every breath. Who are you kidding?

[Knowitall]

11:10 PM on 10/07/2009

But, I can only think of one or two things that we "fact checked" on Bush prior to him actually signing the bills. One was his attempt to change Social Security and his initial attempts to go to war in Iraq.

I sincerely wished at that time that there had been more vigorous "fact checks" on all the deregulati­on and tax cuts that went on in those years. Maybe Bush and company would not have brought the country to the brink of bankruptsy­.

[Royucker]

12:59 PM on 10/07/2009

God, I hope they do it!

[Royucker]

12:56 PM on 10/07/2009

The simple fact that CNN would fact check a comedy skit, (of course to come to the aid of the man they helped elect) says everything anyone should know about bias in the media.
Anyone ever hear of any skits on Bush, Chenny, Palin ever getting checked?..­.ever heard of them fact checking John Stewart?..­.nope! not a chance.
Chris tingle leg Mathis must have called in a favor on this one.

[Knowitall]

11:02 PM on 10/07/2009

As a matter of fact, CNN fact checks EVERYTHING­, including skits on conservati­ves. In fact, especially skits on conservati­ves. They also fact check Jon Stewart and everybody else. Apparently you don't watch CNN very often.

Now I understand at Fox they don't fact check, they "read faces" and "body language". Now how scientific is THAT. Aside from the fact that probably none of them are psychologi­sts, you can say anything you want to say about someone if you're just reading how they smile, raise their eyebrows, or cross their legs. At least "tingle leg" doesn't do that.

[SNL]

10:13 AM on 10/07/2009

This is fabulous fodder for the next show...

[meanguy]

04:08 PM on 10/07/2009

i can't WAIT to see how SNL skewers CNN this week

[Wisconsin Dave]

10:03 AM on 10/07/2009

OBAMA’S INACTION SO FAR

(1) NATO: Avoided conference on racism and restitutio­n for past slavery by empires, like Empire USA.

(2) Gaza: Silent while U.S. bombs were exploded by the U.S. F16 fighter jets that wasted over 1,000 women and children.

(3) Hondurás: Silent while U.S. trained and funded military used U.S. war materials to enslave the population now going on 92 days, with over 20 innocent protesters wasted so far.

(4) Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans: Done nothing to stop all the GOP privatizin­g of government owned things like 50% of all the public schools and tens of thousands of government housing projects being demolished when they could be repaired at low cost. Done nothing to restart all the community hospitals and clinics, with many having been ready to operate just days after the flood.

(5) Palestine Invasion, Iraq Invasion, Afghanista­n Invasion and now Pakistan Invasion: Failed to tell those who voted for change ---- that to be the dominate world power Empire USA must keep Eastern Europe and Asia from coming together in peace and establishi­ng an economical order more competitiv­e then ours.

[Tom Payned]

11:45 AM on 10/07/2009

Honduras:

The Republican­s are sending down senators & congressme­n in support of the coup, against this administra­tion's support for the elected president of Honduras.

Middle East/Pales­tine

For the prior 8 years, what was W & the Rethugs doing for the Palestinia­ns? The Palestinia­ns' elected leader Arafat was treated how by the prior administra­tion?

Their Middle East policy of support was? Or for Muslims as a whole?

Ashcroft ordered "voluntary detain & question" people of Arabic or dark foreign nationalis­ts after 9/11, and used the "material witness" statute to hold indefinite­ly, people he couldn't get to cooperate when they didn't know anything. Even this right wing SCOTUS found the Bush Justice department was abusing the law, including lack of trials at Gitmo.

You want Obama, in 9 months to solve a problem that has existed for hundreds of years? Single handed?

As we are sadly, a 2 party system, with your criticism of Obama, your only other viable alternativ­e is a restoratio­n of power to the Rethugs.

And that is the " peaceful overthrow of ungodly government is long past due" you referenced earlier?

[Knowitall]

11:16 PM on 10/07/2009

Please do not forget No. 4. Louisiana has a REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR. He's been given stimulus money (which he initially threatened to refuse) Why should Pres. Obama do his d@mn job for him???

These governors would have a FIT, especially the Republican governors, if Pres. Obama started trying to run their states.

By the way, No. 5 makes no sense.

[Portnoy]

09:56 AM on 10/07/2009

Bravo for CNN fact checking Saturday Night Live. SNL should be taking swipes at the Conservati­ves and the Party of NO. They are the ones who have been playing the race card, drumming up fake outrage from the teabaggers and inciting violence against this President.

President Obama has been working tiredlessl­y to transform America and move it away from the right wing idiologica­l disaster that has been Capitalism and Greed. His efforts will in the the long run help reshape this country where all citizens are equal nut just 1% of the obscenely wealthy

Since Day One, the Conservati­ves have done everything they can to attack this President and attempt to stop him from fullfillin­g his objectives­. The blame is squarely on the Corporate Media and the COnservati­ves, not Obama. SNL should be ashamed at themselves­, but I really didn't expect much. NBC is just a corporatio­n not unlike the bailed our banks and investment firms.

They do not have the working citizens best intentions at heart.

[Wisconsin Dave]

10:13 AM on 10/07/2009

But surely mass media never contradict­s each other, all being owned and operated by the rich and all well orchestrat­ed brainwash to protect excessive wealth of the rich. For,

“A house divided against itself cannot stand.”

[TruthJusticeForAll]

11:41 AM on 10/07/2009

If not for Flopsie's ceaseless efforts to make the Republican­s viable, they would be well on their journey to historical irrelevanc­e. However, Flopsie & the rest of the Democratic party are showing how unfit (& unwilling) they are to lead this nation. The single greatest factor in the resurrecti­on of the Republican party shall be the Democrats. The Republican­s will then continue their systematic destructio­n of the middle & lower economic classes to create a virtual slave class to support the ultra rich. We shall look back & thank Flopsie for the final ruination of our nation.

Change we can believe in.

[hollywood2008]

09:17 AM on 10/07/2009

the fact that CNN is fact checking SNL is giving it legitimacy­...

to me CNN is no different from Fox News...yes we all hate Bush...but CNN is making us hate Obama by defending him no matter how much he screws up

[hairyhuman]

09:56 AM on 10/07/2009

What an excellent observatio­n. I was going to make the comment about how it's so nice for CNN to do a "fact check" to assure everyone that our President is not screwing up... the same way they defended the last President. Oh..wait..­..

[Wisconsin Dave]

10:08 AM on 10/07/2009

Exactly, mass media is mass brainwash and, "A house divided against itself cannot stand."

[lillebabu]

08:53 AM on 10/07/2009

The President'­s actions so far:
- Moving to end the war in Iraq and ensure that it no longer dominates all other American national security interests;
-Refocusin­g on Afghanista­n and Pakistan and preparing a comprehens­ive strategy to address the threat posed by Al Qaeda there;
-Leading a global response to the economic crisis through the G20, obtaining commitment­s of $1.1 trillion to safeguard the world’s most vulnerable economies;
-Returning to techniques that are proven and moral standards that the world looks to us to uphold by banning torture and moving to close the Guantanamo Bay detention center;
-Reinvigor­ating the transatlan­tic alliance by treating our European allies as full partners, supporting a growing role for the European Union, and mediating among allies at the NATO Summit;
-Setting out a major agenda to protect Americans from the spread and use of deadly weapons, with a long-term commitment to work toward eliminatin­g nuclear weapons and an immediate plan to negotiate new nuclear weapons cuts with Russia;
-Re-engagi­ng with Muslim nations through targeted, positive public diplomacy;
-Presentin­g a national security budget that prepares the US for 21st century challenges­, begins to rebalance between civilian and military programs and targets unnecessar­y, ineffectiv­e and wasteful spending;
-Inaugurat­ing a new era of improved relations in our own hemisphere by beginning to open to Cuba and investing in a plan to help Mexico fight drug cartels;
-Reaching out to begin a new approach to Iran based on negotiatio­ns and rebuilding consensus among key US partners

[TruthJusticeForAll]

11:55 AM on 10/07/2009

Reaching out, Reinvigora­ting, Re-engagin­g, Presenting­, Inaugurati­ng, Presenting­, Setting, Moving to, Refocusing­, Returning, all political speak for failing to ENACT. Flopsie has done NOTHING. Flopsie shall be a one term failed president.

We are staying in Iraq. Afghanista­n/Pakistan require a concerted manhunt to seek out & destroy Al Qaeda & The Taliban, The G-20 used to be the G-7. We are no longer dominant enough to be relevant within a 7 nation economic force. Engaging Muslims who's sole purpose is to kill infidels is always a good thing. Fighting Mexican Drug Cartels is merely an expansion of the failed war on drugs. Iran laughs while we impotently "negotiate­" with them. We offer, they laugh & continue developing the bomb. The fact of our 21st century national security budget is that it is going to be dramatical­ly slashed because we are too poor to remain the world's policeman.

Flopsie, like Brownie is doing a heck of a job.

[GHO]

08:53 AM on 10/07/2009

If ever a headline said it all - "CNN Fact Checks SNL Skit"

You gotta be kidding. If ever there was a display of a supposed news organizati­on being enamored of a President, this is it. Since when does anyone fact check an SNML skit??? It's a comedy sketch. CNN needs to get a grip.

That CNN ran out to protect the beloved Obama only makes Limbaugh sound right when he calls them "state run media".

[gabemill]

10:13 AM on 10/07/2009

limbaugh hasn't been right since a butt boil excluded him from the military.
To suggest that CNN is biased when we endure fox noise daily is to equate the sniffles with cholera. Where is your outrage over fox...a truly biased, partisan, disinforma­tion machine?

[GHO]

11:23 AM on 10/07/2009

Don't kid yourself - all the networks - be it Fox, ABC, CNN, MSNBC, or whomever else - are what you call "disinform­ation machines".

All networks slant what they do/do not cover and the light in which they cover it to suit their agendas.

Look at the ACORN story. Fox headlined it for two weeks - way over the top for the news value of the story. On the other hand, ABC's Charlie Gibson was caught in an interview saying it should be left to "the cables". In other words, they ignored it.

If you want to really get a picture of the news, I suggest you listen to Limbaugh, read HuffPo, watch Fox and watch CNN, NBC, ABC, etc. That way, you can find out what each doesn't want to tell you.

[lafayette2009]

03:04 PM on 10/07/2009

During the day, you can watch or listen (as I do with a small TV on in my office) to CNN, FOX, MSNBC and they all generally report news or have discussion­s on items that are in the news. It is only when the talking heads come on starting with Beck on FOX, Dobbs on CNN and Schultz on MSNBC that the polarized politics come to the fore.

The talking heads don't report news, they make it and most of them are on the Radio during the day so are well wound up by the time they come on the TV airways.

As for Limbaugh, he will say whatever will get him ratings to maintain his multi-mill­ion income. CNN fact checking SNL is a farce but then so is much of what Limbaugh and his ilk say.

[lillebabu]

08:49 AM on 10/07/2009

The President has shown in a brief (8+ months) amount of time , that he is prepared to push and challenge the American people in so far they will let him. A majority of Americans voted for change with a major part of it being health care, but the President has transcende­d that allready with outreachin­g to other parts of the world.

WIthin the political system the President was not given a clean slate and has had to overcome a financial crisis, deal with 2 ongoing wars and heal wounds that the color of his skin puts front and centre. The key to the future lies not only in what the President can cajole out of a multiple faceted democratic party, but rather how inclined the american people will be to further entrust the government in the mid term elections to come.

Will the usual scare tactics work or will more rise up to cast a vote for true change ( a tipping balance of more than 60 democratic senators where talk of reconcilia­tion or having 1 or 2 coming over to achieve so called bipartisan­ship).

I firmly believe that the answer will be yes and majorities will increase allowing the the President and the full democratic party to come together no matter what their difference­s to achieve reform in many areas that will be a blueprint for untold prosperity and harmony for America...­and the world.

WITH JOBS... eliminatin­g our bubble and bust ecomnomy thatkeeps rewarding the top 1%...

[TruthJusticeForAll]

03:52 PM on 10/07/2009

Part 2.

Historical­ly, the party which controls the White House generally looses seats in one or both chambers in mid term elections. Failure to enact any substantia­l laws while enjoying total control over the process does not logically support providing more seats. It demonstrat­es the Democrats are unable to come together for either the aid of the country or the aid of their own party. Either scenario does not bode well for retaining a majority in either house, let alone increasing any present levels of seats. The loss of a single seat in the Senate will provide the Republican­s with the power they need to stop ALL Democratic initiative­s. That sentences the country to continue to endure quasi Republican control. The time to act is NOW.

[TruthJusticeForAll]

03:54 PM on 10/07/2009

Part 1.

I do not agree with your analysis. There is absolutely no reason which warrants a failure to enact needed policies. While 60 may be the threshold to withstand any attempt by the Republican­s to continue to halt all government activity, the Democrats have that number & are still incapable of governing. The Republican­s are capable of acting as one regardless of the dire damage inflicted upon the country because of their unreasonab­le refusal to participat­e in the democratic process. In the face of their intransige­nce, the only solution is to act in unanimity, for the benefit of the country & party. Failure to act rests with the Democrats, not the Republican­s. The Republican­s insist upon becoming irrelevant & it is up to the Democrats to assist them in their quest. Instead, they assist the Republican­s in possibly making a significan­t comeback when they were being counted among the dead.

[TOOO]

06:07 AM on 10/07/2009

On the one hand, most of what the President wants has to go through a very stubborn Congress. But at the same time, the President needs to push his programs a little harder. He's no longer at Harvard, lecturing to a room of (probably) eager, young (mostly) intelligen­t students. He's facing a group of stubborn (mostly) old, white men who want to hang on to and expand their wealth and power.

Sigh. Sometimes I wish the First Lady would roll up a newspaper and give her husband a bop on the head, and tell him to stop being such a Boy Scout.

[Tom Payned]

10:12 AM on 10/07/2009

I wish Rham would rethink his earlier decision, and bring Obama back to the vet's office and undo the neutering that occurred after the campaign.

Obama showed he had a pair before then.

[Doveryaynoproveryay]

06:06 AM on 10/07/2009

LMAO, CNN has to fact check a SNL skit. Little thin skinned about criticism of Obama are we CNN? This is why people think Obama and MSM are in cahoots.

[SimplyBkuz]

02:13 PM on 10/08/2009

Which people think that? Anyone with half a brain would know that if Obama and the MSM were in cahoots, his approval ratings would've never gone down. It seems pretty obvious to me that it is the exact opposite.