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‘Obama phones’? No, they’ve been around for years

National
By Catharine Richert
October 28, 2009

The latest chain e-mail to land in our in box says

a new program gives free phones to welfare recipients

. But we found the e-mail was glossing over some key details — such as the fact that the program has been around for many years. We rated the claim Barely True.

Our Sources

See item for sources.

Browse the Truth-O-Meter

More by Catharine Richert
Ed Schultz
Ed Schultz
stated on May 5, 2010 a broadcast of the Ed Show:
"Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu received almost $1.8 million from BP over the last decade."
Pants on Fire!
By Catharine Richert • May 14, 2010
Mary Landrieu
Mary Landrieu
stated on May 4, 2010 an interview on CNN:
"In the last 10 years we've only had 7,000 barrels of oil spilled in the Gulf ... not counting hurricanes. This well is spewing that amount every day and a half."
Mostly True
By Catharine Richert • May 13, 2010
Harry Reid
Harry Reid
stated on May 11, 2010 a speech on the Senate floor:
On Sandra Day O'Connor: "I think one reason she was a good judge is she had no judicial experience" before she joined the Supreme Court.
False
By Catharine Richert • May 12, 2010
J.D. Hayworth
J.D. Hayworth
stated on April 28, 2010 an interview on the Fox Business Network:
"Up until two weeks ago, John McCain was a leading proponent of amnesty. Now with me challenging him, suddenly he has changed."
Pants on Fire!
By Catharine Richert • May 5, 2010
Katrina vanden Heuvel
Katrina vanden Heuvel
stated on May 2, 2010 a roundtable discussion on ABC's 'This Week':
"At the moment, energy companies spend 0.25 percent on R&D."
True
By Catharine Richert • May 3, 2010
Arlen Specter
Arlen Specter
stated on April 21, 2010 an interview on MSNBC's Daily Rundown:
 "Congress can tell [the Supreme Court] which cases they ought to hear. We have that authority."
True
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George Will
George Will
stated on April 25, 2010 a panel discussion on ABC This Week:
 "What the Arizona law does is make a state crime out of something that already is... a federal crime."
Mostly True
By Catharine Richert • April 28, 2010
Bob Corker
Bob Corker
stated on April 25, 2010 an interview on ABC's This Week:
The Banking Committee voted a 1,336-page bill "out of committee in 21 minutes with no amendments, with the understanding that before the bill came to the floor, we would reach this bipartisan agreement."
Mostly True
By Catharine Richert • April 25, 2010
House Natural Resources Committee Republicans
House Natural Resources Committee Republicans
stated on April 5, 2010 a news release posted on his website.:
"Obama did not open new lands to offshore drilling – all of these areas were already open for drilling once Congress and President Bush lifted the moratorium in 2008. Instead, President Obama yesterday announced what areas he would CLOSE to offshore drilling."
Mostly False
By Catharine Richert • April 23, 2010
Paul Ryan
Paul Ryan
stated on March 31, 2010 a speech to the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs:
In 2004, "20 percent of U.S. households were getting about 75 percent of their income from the federal government. ... Another 20 percent were receiving almost 40 percent."
Mostly False
By Catharine Richert • April 21, 2010
Richard Shelby
Richard Shelby
stated on March 25, 2010 a letter to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner:
"The bill reported out of committee sets up a $50 billion slush fund that, while intended for resolving failing firms, is available for virtually any purpose that the treasury secretary sees fit."
False
By Catharine Richert • April 16, 2010
Stephen Colbert
Stephen Colbert
stated on April 12, 2010 an interview on Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report":
John Paul Stevens is the only Protestant on the U.S. Supreme Court.
True
By Catharine Richert • April 14, 2010
Barack Obama
Barack Obama
stated on March 31, 2010 an announcement at Andrews Air Force Base :
On oil drilling
No Flip
By Catharine Richert • March 31, 2010
Lindsey Graham
Lindsey Graham
stated on March 24, 2010 an appearance on the Fox News show "On the Record" with Greta Van Susteren:
"The average student will be spending $1,700 to $1,800 more during the life of their loan because of this surcharge."
False
By Catharine Richert • March 30, 2010
Charlie Crist
Charlie Crist
stated on March 28, 2010 a U.S. Senate primary debate on FOX News Sunday:
"The average cost for health insurance in Florida went from about $600 a month for an individual to about $150 a month."
False
By Catharine Richert • March 29, 2010

‘Obama phones’? No, they’ve been around for years

Clear
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stated on una publicación en TikTok:
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Donald Trump
stated on on May 7, 2026 in remarks to reporters:
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stated on March 5, 2026 an op-ed:
Proposed data centers in New York state would use “approximately double the energy usage of all households in the state combined.”
Mostly False
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X posts
X posts
stated on May 6, 2026 a social media post:
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False
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Donald Trump
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False
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Sam Sutton
Sam Sutton
stated on March 11, 2026 a rally:
From January 2025 to January 2026, “hate crimes in New York City increased by 152%”
Mostly True
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Fentrice Driskell
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stated on April 29, 2026 an interview:
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Instagram posts
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stated on April 26, 2026 an X post:
“Secret Service remains unpaid” during the partial government shutdown.
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Pine Tree Results PAC
stated on April 26, 2026 an ad:
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Half-True
By Amy Sherman • April 29, 2026
Social Media
Social Media
stated on April 26, 2026 social media posts:
Video shows “unedited raw security footage” of the shooter at the April 25 White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.
False
By Maria Briceño • April 29, 2026
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
stated on April 23, 2026 remarks at the White House:
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Mostly True
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Ron DeSantis
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stated on April 27, 2026 an interview with Fox News Digital:
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Half-True
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Social Media
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Mostly False
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