The Washington Post announced it is discontinuing its presidential fact-check database—launched and religiously updated during former president Donald Trump’s presidency—just 100 days into President Joe Biden’s term.
In a tweet thread on Monday, fact-check editor Glenn Kessler declared that while he and his team plan to “rigorously” fact-check Biden, they will no longer maintain a database like they did under Trump.
Here’s the Biden database — which we do not plan to extend beyond 100 days. I have learned my lesson. https://t.co/qK42PRlnrS
— Glenn Kessler (@GlennKesslerWP) April 27, 2021
“Maintaining the Trump database over four years required about 400 additional 8-hour days over four years beyond our regular jobs for three people,” Kessler said.
“Biden is off to a relatively slow start but who knows what will happen,” he continued. “We will keep doing fact checks, just not a database.”
Conservatives immediately blasted the Washington Post for refusing to hold Biden to the same standard that it held Trump to.
The Biden presidency is over. Rest easy. https://t.co/rpamvR98DX
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) April 27, 2021
The best thing about this is the sheer brazenness of trying to spin blatant partisan favoritism as having “learned my lesson.” https://t.co/7shVPnQUEC
— Calvin Freiburger (@CalFreiburger) April 27, 2021
In his 100 day analysis of Biden’s “falsehoods,” Kessler claimed the new president has made 67 “false or misleading statements” compared to the 511 “falsehoods” he asserted that Trump made during his first 100 days.
However, Kessler noted, “Biden’s relatively limited number of falsehoods is a function, at least in part, of the fact that his public appearances consist mostly of prepared texts vetted by his staff. He devotes little time to social media, in contrast to his Twitter-obsessed predecessor, and rarely faces reporters or speaks off the cuff.”
