Obama

Did former President Barack Obama say that pedophiles deserve the "same rights'' as 2SLGBTQI+ people? No, that's not true: The tweet attributed to him that says, "Minor-attracted persons deserve human rights" is fabricated and was never posted by Obama. The article making the claim says his recent open letter about banning books was "specifically referring to sexually explicit books," though…

Does a video show President Joe Biden browsing and selecting books in a store's section called "Brain Exercises for Dementia"? No, that's not true: The video was altered to add a sign with those words on it. Biden was actually picking up children's books in 2012. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) on Instagram on July 16, 2023.…

Is a Twitter account under the name of Erica Marsh run by someone with that name who identifies themself as a "Proud Democrat: Former Field Organizer to elect President Biden. Volunteer for the Obama Foundation"? No, that's not true: There's no evidence to suggest that an Erica Marsh ever worked for the Biden for President campaign or Democratic National Committee.…

Did comedian Dave Chapelle promote an unnamed "health allowance" spending card program that is only available for a limited time? No, that's not true: The voice narrating this ad is not Dave Chapelle. He did not promote this program. The video clip of Chapelle over which fake audio was laid in this fake promo came from a May 7, 2021,…

Was the wife of a former Burisma co-owner found dead after she had offered to disclose the firm's secrets she had accessed as an accountant? No, that's not true: According to her attorney, the woman is alive and well as of June 19, 2023, and she didn't work as an accountant for the company in question. The story originated from…

Does this video show former President Barack Obama's son at a political rally in Kenya? No, that's not true: There is no evidence that Obama has a son. The original video was found on YouTube using the words, "barack obama look-alike." Obama's only children are his two daughters, Malia and Sasha, whom he shares with his wife, Michelle. The claim…

Did the mother of Michelle Obama, former first lady of the United States, leave her inheritance to a son named "Michael Robinson Obama," insinuating that "Michael" is Michelle Obama's real name? No, that's not true: The claim was made on a website that described itself as satirical. Although the claim originated on a now-defunct satirical website called Obama Watcher, it…

Is a vast military exercise called Jade Helm taking place in the United States in the summer of 2023? No, that's not true: A video about Jade Helm reused a 2015 news report. The story appeared in a video published on TikTok on May 17, 2023. A banner on the right side of the frame said: U.S. Military conducting suspect…

Did actor Tim Allen agree to film new episodes of Roseanne Barr's new show? No, that's not true: This claim was published on a self-described satirical website aimed at trolling conservatives. Lead Stories could find no credible news reports or public statements confirming that Barr has a new show titled, "Raising the Barr," nor that Allen committed to film seven…

Did the Democratic Party confirm that Michelle Obama will be its presidential nominee in 2024? No, that's not true: There are no news reports about the purported event, and, as of this writing, the former first lady is not an officially registered candidate. The claim appeared in a video on Instagram on May 9, 2023. It showed a woman referring…