Plus, Jonah Goldberg on the challenge of defining ‘conservatism.’
The Dispatch→ The Mainstream of Yore
Sandcastles in the sand.
The Dispatch→ Before Trump Sought to Annex Canada, Washington Took the Expos
How baseball ‘reshored’ the team that became the Nationals 20 years ago.
The Dispatch→ Why You Shouldn’t Have Kids—And Why You Should Anyway
Having kids is difficult in ways easy to talk about and great in ways difficult to talk about.
The Dispatch→ Why Conservatives—and Everyone Else—Should Read Novels
The apex form of the English language has something to teach everyone.
FactCheck.org→ RFK Jr.’s Misleading Line on the Chickenpox Vaccine
Este artículo estará disponible en español en El Tiempo Latino. Speaking before Congress, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert. F. Kennedy Jr. misleadingly claimed that Europe doesn’t vaccinate children against chickenpox because a study
PolitiFact→ Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – HHS Secretary RFK Jr. tussled with Sen. Chris Murphy about measles vaccine safety. Who was right?
It’s “all true” that the measles vaccine wanes quickly, was never fully safety tested and contains fetal debris.
FactCheck.org→ Trump’s South Africa ‘Genocide’ Spin
Este artículo estará disponible en español en El Tiempo Latino. Asked by a reporter why he was welcoming white South Africans to the U.S. as refugees, President Donald Trump said there was “a genocide that’s taking place” again
The Dispatch→ Deals and Duds, All the Way Down
If it’s not a deal he made himself, Donald Trump doesn’t want it.
Internet Archive→ House Budget Committee Works on GOP Tax & Spending Bill : CSPAN2 : May 16, 2025 5:13pm-8:01pm EDT
The House Budget Committee failed to advance Republicans' tax and spending bill out of committee by a vote of 16-21. The legislation, which was branded by President Donald Trump and some Republicans as "one big, beautiful bill," focused on tax cuts, bo
PolitiFact→ James Comey posted the number ‘86’ in reference to Donald Trump. What’s the history of the term?
Ask PolitiFact: What does '86’ mean? Parsing Comey’s seashells
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Image Does NOT Prove Ukrainian Government Issued ‘Rules For Reporters’ Photographing Zelenskyy In Turkey In May 2025
Does a viral image confirm that the Ukrainian government issued new rules prohibiting taking pictures of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy from certain angles? No, that's not true: Talking to Lead Stories, a spokesperson for the Ukr
PolitiFact→ Bernie Sanders – Bernie Sanders says GOP bill would strip Medicaid, health care from 13.7 million. That’s too high.
“Republicans just unveiled their ‘big, beautiful bill,’ which will take Medicaid & health insurance away from 13.7 million Americans.”
PolitiFact→ Gavin Newsom – Newsom championed Medicaid for immigrants in California illegally. Now he wants to cut it back
On California offering affordable health care access for immigrants in the U.S. illegally.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: CNN Did NOT Air Graphic Claiming ‘Pakistan Strikes India’s Air Defense’
Did CNN broadcast a graphic touting Pakistan's supposed military success against India, including a caption that read "Pakistan Strikes India's Air Defense"? No, that's not true: A CNN spokesperson told Lead Stories it was a "fabricated i
PolitiFact→ Donald Trump – President Donald Trump said cargo slowdown at U.S. ports is a “good thing.” Economists say it’s not
Declining cargo traffic at U.S. ports “means we lose less money. … When you say it's slowed down, that's a good thing.”
Internet Archive→ America Reports : FOXNEWSW : May 16, 2025 11:00am-12:00pm PDT
A look at the latest news and headlines with Sandra Smith and John Roberts..This item belongs to: movies/TV-FOXNEWSW.This item has files of the following types: Captions Align JSON, Closed Caption Text, Item Tile, JSON, MPEG1, Metadata, SubRip, TV Clip
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Mexican Government Did NOT Gift House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries A ‘$1.2 million Apartment’ — Story Is Satire
Does House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries not want to discuss a $1.2 million luxury apartment the Mexican government gifted him in 2022? No, that's not true: The rumor was launched by a Facebook page that profits from political satire. T
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Stringy Strands In Ripe Tomatoes Do NOT Portend That ‘Something Weird Is Happening With American Food’ — Those Are Sprouting Seeds
Do white strands in the flesh of ripe tomatoes mean "Something weird is happening with American food"? No, that's not true: those are sprouting seeds. Gardening and farming experts at the University of Connecticut say the tomatoes are sti
Full Fact→ Fake CNN graphic comparing India and Pakistan’s conflict statistics circulates online
CNN says the image is fabricated.
Full Fact→ Image showing new Pope with rappers is altered
The picture is actually a composite, in which an image of the new Pope has been added to a photograph from 2020.
FactCheck.org→ Democrats Exaggerate Estimated Impact of GOP Bill on Uninsured
Este artículo estará disponible en español en El Tiempo Latino. A preliminary Congressional Budget Office analysis said that a Republican legislative proposal that makes changes to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act would leave “at least
Full Fact→ Spanish tax agency does not require advance notice of cash withdrawals
The country’s Ministry of Finance confirmed it does not request advance notice of withdrawals.
Health Feedback→ Candace Owens repeats unsubstantiated claim about HPV vaccine causing infertility
REVIEW On 9 May 2025, political commentator Candace Owens claimed on X that Gardasil harms female fertility. Her posts drew more than 1.6 million views and more than 24,000 likes. It’s not the first time Owens has cast doubt on vaccine safety. As
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: FAKE Video Shows Trump Calling East Palestine Train Derailment an ‘Environmental Terror Attack’
Did a video shared widely in May 2025 authentically show President Donald Trump describing the 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio as "the largest environmental terror attack in world history" and "an inside job"? No, that's not
Full Fact→ Net migration figures referenced on Today programme don’t account for newly announced restrictions
On Tuesday’s BBC Radio 4 Today programme it was claimed ONS figures suggest net migration could be “potentially above half a million a year”, even after new immigration restrictions announced by the government.
Full Fact→ Net migration figures referenced on Today programme don’t account for newly announced restrictions
On Tuesday’s BBC Radio 4 Today programme it was claimed ONS figures suggest net migration could be “potentially above half a million a year”, even after new immigration restrictions announced by the government.
Full Fact→ Clip of aftermath of Philadelphia plane crash widely shared as recent scenes in Pakistan
Some Facebook posts claim the clip shows scenes in Lahore, while another claims it’s Karachi, but the video predates the recent conflict between India and Pakistan.
Full Fact→ Clip of aftermath of Philadelphia plane crash widely shared as recent scenes in Pakistan
Some Facebook posts claim the clip shows scenes in Lahore, while another claims it’s Karachi, but the video predates the recent conflict between India and Pakistan.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: AI-Generated Image Shows Women And Children Crying On Demand For A Cameraman — Not Actual Palestinians In Gaza
Does an image authentically show (presumably) Palestinian women and children crying on demand for a cameraman wearing a green on white headband with Arabic lettering on it? No, that's not true: The scene, which also contained rubble and a
The Dispatch→ Spending Skirmishes
The ‘big, beautiful bill’ could end up being a bust.
The Dispatch→ Mr. Trump in the Middle East
As long as the checks clear.
The Dispatch→ How USAID Became a Humanitarian FedEx
The foreign aid agency forgot the “development” part of its mission.
The Dispatch→ Why I Was Wrong About Head Start
Alas, the pretense of knowledge.
The Dispatch→ ‘Deals Are Coming’
White House tells congressional Republicans tariffs aren’t permanent.
The Dispatch→ Axing the Property Tax, Explained
As home values have spiked, Florida and other states are weighing elimination of property taxes.
The Dispatch→ Trump’s Middle East Trip Calls Attention to His Personal Business Ties
The Trump Organization has deals with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Dollar General Did NOT Post Sign Saying Self-Checkout Is Closed ‘Due To N—–s’
Did a Dollar General Store post a sign saying a self-checkout station was closed "Due to Niggers"? No, that's not true: The actual sign shared on X by Jack Posobiec on May 15, 2025, read "Due to Dishonesty," but hours later another accoun
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: NO EVIDENCE Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Testified Rep. Hakeem Jeffries Attended ‘Communist Freak-Offs’
Is there evidence that music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs divulged, in testimony, that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries attended "Communist Party Freak Off" parties, as a social media post claimed? No, that's not true: The post appeared
PolitiFact→ France gave the US Statue of Liberty, Qatar offered Trump $400M plane. Experts say it’s not the same
Why Statue of Liberty, Qatar plane gifts are different