We sent a correction request to PolitiFact on April 11, 2024. As it contained an error, we sent a follow-up message a few minutes later to acknowledge and correct the mistake. We include both messages here.
To: truthometer@politifact.com
Dear Truth-O-Meter,
PolitiFact Wisconsin published a fact check on April 1, 2024 ostensibly rating a pair of claims from Donald Trump.
One claim was that Trump won Wisconsin in 2024. But Biden won Wisconsin in 2024.
The other claim was that Trump did better in Wisconsin in 2020 than in 2016. The fact check calls that claim “unequivocally false” while subsequently noting that Trump received over 200,000 more votes in 2020 than in 2016.
It should be obvious that those numbers very poorly support the notion that it’s “unequivocally false” that Trump did better in Wisconsin in 2020 than in 2016, notwithstanding Trump’s loss in 2020. Getting over 200,000 more votes is doing better in a significant sense, and the fact check should have recognized that.
Assuming PolitiFact’s definitions of its “Truth-O-Meter” ratings mean something in terms of objectivity, Trump’s paired claim cannot receive lower than a “Mostly False” rating.
Zebra Fact Check looks forward to seeing PolitiFact correct the record fully and transparently.
We quickly noticed we had included the wrong date for the election year and sent a second email. The above URL leads to both messages.
To: truthometer@politifact.com
Oops, I made an error on the dates:One claim was that Trump won Wisconsin in 2024. But Biden won Wisconsin in 2024.
One claim was that Trump won Wisconsin in 2020. But Biden won Wisconsin in 2020.