Claims vs the truth in the VP debate

Palin claim: "As mayor, every year I was in office I did reduce taxes." Truth: While mayor, Palin increased the city of Wasilla's sales tax from 2 percent to 2.5 percent.

Palin claim: Obama "supported increasing taxes as late as last year for those families making only $42,000 a year." Truth: According to FactCheck.org, this is not true.

Palin claim: Her family has spent their lives "in the middle class of America." Truth: They own a lake home worth a half-million dollars with a float plane at the dock, two vacation homes, and last year declared an income of $230,000. The median income for Alaskans is $64,333 and $50,700 for the rest of working Americans, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Palin claim: Two years ago McCain pushed for reform of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Truth: In May 2006 he signed on to a bill introduced by another senator and issued a statement in support of the bill, but did nothing else to see that it passed. It didn't.

Biden claim: McCain has voted against alternative energy uses 20 times. Truth: It was only 11 times; the other bills involved the mandatory use of alternative energy sources.

Biden claim: McCain defied his Republican colleagues by opposing the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Truth: That treaty was defeated 51-48 in 1999 with the majority of the opposition coming from Republicans.

Biden claim: He and Obama support allowing bankruptcy judges to adjust mortgage principals. Truth: Obama said last week he opposed adding this provision to the bailout provision out of a fear it would defeat the legislation.

Palin claim: The American commander in Afghanistan supports the "surge" strategy employed in Iraq. Truth: On Wednesday, Army Gen. David D. McKiernan (whom Palin called McClellan) said: "Afghanistan is not Iraq. The word I don't use for Afghanistan is 'surge.' "

Palin claim: She asked the Alaska Legislature to pass a bill requiring a state investment organization to divest holdings it had in Sudan as a protest to conditions in Dafur. Truth: The bill was introduced by a Democrat and Palin has not publicly pushed for its passage.