Outside spending groups take to the airwaves

TV ads from outside spending groups are on the rise, and they’re keeping us busy fact-checking them.

An ad from Secure American Now claims President Barack Obama apologized and showed weakness on Iran. We looked at its statement, “For his first interview as president, Barack Obama chose Arab TV for an apology.”

We found the ad misrepresented Obama’s words, though it was correct that Obama gave his first interview to the Arab network Al Arabiya. We rated the statement Mostly False.

We also looked at an ad from American Committment, a conservative group that opposes the health care law. Its ad claimed that the health care law could cost up to $2 trillion, “double what we were promised.” We found the number was both cherry-picked and inflated, and was not a doubling of previous estimates. We rated that claim False.

The ad also said the law “imposes the largest tax increase in history on the middle class.” But that’s not so. Even if all of the taxes in the health care law fell on the middle class — which they don’t — the statement still wouldn’t be accurate. We rated the statement Pants on Fire!

We’re tracking TV ads and other campaign messaging via our Message Machine. Go there to see all latest our fact-checks.

Seen any ads that need fact-checking? Send them our way. A link is great, or just send us the best description of the ad you can. Our email is truthometer@politifact.com