President Barack Obama’s name appears twice on the ballot for Politifact’s 2014 “Lie of the Year” voting, the only person to receive the dubious dual honor.
Obama is up for contending that his “position hasn’t changed” on addressing immigration reform through executive action and for saying that his “JV” comment about Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) “wasn’t specifically referring to” Islamic State.
The president said on multiple occasions prior to this year that he didn’t possess the kingly powers necessary to unilaterally grant amnesty to undocumented immigrants. Despite that, he told an ABC News reporter, “Well, actually, my position hasn’t changed” just days before unveiling plan that deferred deportations of millions without an act of Congress.
He also made the “JV” remark in response to a reporter’s question about the capture of Fallujah in January — a capture that was made by Islamic State. “The analogy we use around here sometimes, and I think is accurate, is if a jayvee team puts on Lakers uniforms that doesn’t make them Kobe Bryant,” Obama told The New Yorker’s David Remnick. Despite that remark, he later told Chuck Todd, “Keep in mind I wasn’t specifically referring to (Islamic State).”
The president won Politifact’s 2013 “Lie of the Year” for the infamous and oft-said “if you like your health care plan, you can keep it” claim.
Other nominees for this year’s award include failed Senate candidate Alison Lundergan Grimes and House Speaker John Boehner. 10 separate comments are on the ballot.
A Politifact post Tuesday says that the winner will be announced “soon.”
