> Now was there any reason to believe that something in that statement wasn't correct when he made it?
Yes, at the time Orszag made the statement many commentators (including the CNN link a few posts up) contested the CBO's projections and said they were manipulated, with a particular focus on the CLASS Act. Orszag doubled down just like Powell did before the UN, just like the yellowcake incident.
I happen to think this specific case is fairly cut and dried, but short of Orszag admitting to a "lie" it is impossible to know what was in his mind. (Though it should also be said that Politifact does not precisely distinguish between whether a statement is empirically false and whether the speaker is a 'liar with their pants on fire').
Anyway, this is one example that stuck in my head as a numerical one which was so important beforehand, and so checkable both at the time and today, that even partisans on opposite sides might meet up to compare notes afterwards.
Yes, at the time Orszag made the statement many commentators (including the CNN link a few posts up) contested the CBO's projections and said they were manipulated, with a particular focus on the CLASS Act. Orszag doubled down just like Powell did before the UN, just like the yellowcake incident.
I happen to think this specific case is fairly cut and dried, but short of Orszag admitting to a "lie" it is impossible to know what was in his mind. (Though it should also be said that Politifact does not precisely distinguish between whether a statement is empirically false and whether the speaker is a 'liar with their pants on fire').
Anyway, this is one example that stuck in my head as a numerical one which was so important beforehand, and so checkable both at the time and today, that even partisans on opposite sides might meet up to compare notes afterwards.