Issues are complicated. Politicians are not.

Some good recent posts from factcheck.org on the 2008 presidential campaign. Here are a few excerpts:

How Giuliani made falling adoptions seem to rise using cherry-picked statistics: "In an earlier article we criticized Rudy Giuliani for saying adoptions went up 65 to 70 percent when he was mayor, when in fact adoptions at the end of his tenure were only 17 percent higher than at the start, and falling. His campaign still insists his claim is justified and offers its own interpretation of the statistical record. In this article we offer the former mayor's rationale, along with why we believe it is a classic case of how candidates and public officials sometimes use data selectively to create a false impression."

The leading three Democratic presidential candidates wax optimistic about ethanol. We provide a reality check: "Gas prices have hit record highs this year as 2008 presidential candidates outline their hopes for renewable fuels. In this story, we take a look at the reality. We focus specifically on E85, a popular ethanol-gasoline fuel blend, and the top three Democratic candidates' statements about this fuel as they fight to win votes in Iowa. We find that there are many technological bridges left to be crossed before E85, or other renewable fuels, can fulfill the role these candidates envision for them — or can start saving individual consumers cash at the pump."

Sen. John McCain has said President Bush's tax cuts have increased federal revenues. But revenues would have been even higher without them: "Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain has said that the major tax cuts passed in 2001 and 2003 have "increased revenues." He also said that tax cuts in general increase revenues. That’s highly misleading."

Dems Debating, the Sequel: "Former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina talked about gas price manipulation by Big Oil where investigators have found none."

Third Time 'Round for GOP Hopefuls: "Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney committed the biggest factual fouls of the night, misleadingly asserting: That we went to war in Iraq because Saddam Hussein refused to allow weapons inspectors to come in; That there's an ocean of difference between his Massachusetts health plan and those "government takeover" plans of "every Democrat" running for president and; That Russia's income from oil exports is vastly larger than it actually is."