FactCheck.org Cheney & Edwards Mangle Facts: "The ad by the pro-Bush group Progress for America Voter Fund claims the economy was already in a recession when Bush took office, but the National Bureau of Economic Research (which dates business cycles) says the recession actually began in March 2001, after Bush took office in January.

The facts also get stretched when the ad claims '41 million seniors now have access to lower cost prescriptions (emphasis added).' Bush's new prescription drug benefit will cover seniors on Medicare for an extra premium of about $35 a month, but not until 2006. Even the currently available drug discount cards have been used much less than expected. Current enrollment is less than 5 million.
Analysis



There is a grain of truth to the two claims. But the ad misstates facts to puff up Bush's record both on the economy and Medicare.

PFA Voter Fund Ad

'Hand'

Announcer: Has any president been dealt a tougher hand? An economy already in recession. Expensive healthcare. September 11.

President Bush held us together and began to hunt down the terrorists. The Bush tax cuts helped jumpstart an economy in recession and create nearly 2 million new jobs. Thanks to Bush 41 million seniors now have access to lower cost prescriptions and George Bush has made America safer.

Progress for America Voter Fund is responsible for the content of this ad.

Already in Recession?

It's not quite true, as the ad claims, that Bush inherited 'an economy already in recession (emphasis added).' It would have been accurate to say Bush inherited 'an economy on the verge of recession.'

The National Bureau of Economic Research, a non-partisan group of mostly academic economists, set the start date of the recession as March 2001, weeks after Bush took office on Jan 20. The NBER defines a recession as 'a significant decline in economic activity spread across the economy, lasting more than a few months, normally visible in real GDP, real income, employment,"