PoliGraph: Pawlenty misses on strike comment

Posted at 11:30 AM on July 7, 2010 by Catharine Richert (3 Comments)
Filed under: PoliGraph, Tim Pawlenty

During his recent travels around the country, Gov. Tim Pawlenty made a pit-stop in Tennessee to speak at the Republican Party's annual dinner.

In his June 25, speech, Pawlenty touted his efforts to reform "that entitlement perspective in Minnesota."

In Minnesota, he said, "the longest transit strike in the history of the United States of America shut down the bus system for 44 days because our bus drivers thought it was okay to work for just 15 years and then have the government pay for their health insurance for the rest of your life."

A quick Google search shows that the 2004 Metro Bus strike is hardly the longest in U.S. history.

The Evidence

Pawlenty cites this bit of Minnesota history often, according to Alex Conant, a spokesman for Pawlenty. In an e-mail, Conant wrote, "it turns out it was only the longest in the modern history, and there have been some that were longer."

Indeed, here are a few transit strikes that beat the 2004 Metro Bus shut-down:

• In 1983, workers for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority staged a 108-day strike.

• In 1967, Honolulu bus drivers stopped working for 68 days in an effort to get better pay.

• In 1958, Los Angeles bus drivers launched a strike that lasted 54 days.

The Verdict

Pawlenty's characterization of the 2004 Metro Bus strike is off by a long-shot. This claim is false.

Sources

Trains Magazine, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), by Matt Van Hattem, June 30, 2006

The Honolulu Star Bulletin, Longest stoppage halted buses for 68 days

The Los Angeles Times, Buses Put in Shape to Roll Again Today After End of Long Strike, accessed June 30, 2010.

Interview, Alex Conant, spokesman, Gov. Tim Pawlenty, July 1, 2010

More

The Humphrey Institute

About PoliGraph

Comments (3)

That's a really good job refuting that particular Pawlenty lie--

--but you guys are really going to have to start picking more serious statements to analyze if you want to get some applause and attention for this project.

The statement under analysis, involving researching the question "what's the longest transportation strike ever..." That's really something that a competent fact checker can find out in less than a day, right? And it's always interesting and useful to catch Pawlenty or any other politician misinforming the public about reality...

...but there are far, far more important änd current issues that politicians lie about...and catching TP on this "longest transit that happened many, many news cycles ago" lie is not the way to Pulitzer Prize land or even a broader readership.

Please write about issues and charges that go to the heart of the political debate and its tone. Please analyze the truth of a politician's claims about *those* issues or charges. I mean--you have a budget, right?

Posted by Bill Prendergast | July 7, 2010 2:20 PM

I sure hope this watchdog delves into the lies being thrown around in the Guvs race soon.

like certain people's budget "plans" or maybe the accusations about voting one way when you didn't.

Or maybe when someone says so and so is letting such and such off the hook, when that is a complete and total lie.

I'll be waiting with baited breath.

Posted by AAA | July 8, 2010 1:14 PM

I applaud the fact checking, but Pawlenty's claims about what the bus drivers wanted sounds false and if false, defamatory.

Posted by Eric Ferguson | July 10, 2010 12:58 PM

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