Stand up for the facts!

Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy.
We need your help.

More Info

I would like to contribute

$

A budget proposal, but without numbers

By Angie Drobnic Holan
March 27, 2009

President Barack Obama told his Republican critics that if they don’t like his budget, they should propose their own. They did, but came under fire for a lack of specifics.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said the Republican plan didn’t include any numbers.

“I think if I intoned to you that I would produce a 20-page document that outlined my budget priorities, that it might actually contain a chart with some numbers. I don’t think that’s a whole lot to ask,” he said.

We looked into the matter and found that Gibbs is right. We rated his statement

True

.

And in case you missed it, read our previous coverage of Obama’s budget:

• Obama said at a prime-time news conference that his budget plan would halve the deficit in five years, a claim we found to be technically true, but also somewhat misleading because the initial number is so big. We gave it a

Mostly True

.

• Republican Sen. Judd Gregg claimed Obama’s budget would double the national debt in five years. We gave that one a

Mostly True.

• Obama claimed in a news conference that with his plans, nondefense discretionary spending — as a percentage of the gross national product — will fall to its lowest level since the 1960s.We rated this one a

Barely True

.

• Republican Rep. Cynthia Lummis said that under Obama’s proposal, families earning at least $250,000 a year would lose their mortgage and charitable deductions. We found this one to be so alarmist and misleading, it earned our lowest rating,

Pants on Fire

.

 

 

Our Sources

See individual promises for sources.

Browse the Truth-O-Meter

More by Angie Drobnic Holan
Mike Pence
stated on September 4, 2016 an interview on "Meet the Press":
Says Hillary Clinton "wants to increase Syrian refugees to this country by 550 percent."
True
Antonio Sabato Jr.
stated on July 19, 2016 an interview with ABC News:
Says President Barack Obama is "absolutely" a Muslim.
Charlie Crist
stated on March 3, 2014 in an interview on CNN:
On the economic stimulus.
Half Flip
Janet Napolitano
stated on August 27, 2013 a speech at the National Press Club:
The 2010 DREAM Act failed despite "strong bipartisan support."
Mostly False
Marco Rubio
stated on May 3, 2013 a position on legislation:
On an early date for Florida's presidential primary
Full Flop

A budget proposal, but without numbers





Donald Trump
stated on May 4, 2026 a White House event:








Donald Trump
stated on April 23, 2026 remarks at the White House:







Chris Wright
stated on April 19, 2026 an interview on CNN's "State of the Union":