Urban Legends in Politics: Fact or Fiction?

The story of George Washington chopping down a cherry tree is a myth. It was first published in 1806, more than 20 years after Washington's death.

There is no evidence that Marie Antoinette ever said, "Let them eat cake." The phrase is often attributed to her, but it is more likely that it was said by a different person.

Napoleon Bonaparte was not very short. He was about 5'6" tall, which was average height for a man in his time.

Abraham Lincoln did not write the Gettysburg Address on the back of an envelope. He wrote it on several sheets of paper, and it was later transcribed onto an envelope.

There is evidence that JFK was assassinated by more than one gunman. The Warren Commission, which investigated the assassination, concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald was the lone gunman, but many people believe that there was a conspiracy to kill JFK.

Richard Nixon did say, "I am not a crook" during a press conference in 1973. The phrase became a symbol of his presidency and was often used against him during the Watergate scandal.

Bill Clinton did have an affair with Monica Lewinsky, a White House intern, in the late 1990s. The affair led to Clinton's impeachment by the House of Representatives, but he was acquitted by the Senate.

George W. Bush did not say, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." The phrase is often attributed to him, but it is actually a Chinese proverb.

Barack Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. The claim that he was born in Kenya is a false conspiracy theory.

Donald Trump did say, "Grab them by the pussy" in a 2005 recording. The recording was released during the 2016 presidential election and caused a major scandal.

Joe Biden did not say, "You ain't black." The phrase is often attributed to him, but it is actually a quote from a 1972 interview with Strom Thurmond.

Kamala Harris did say, "I am not a cop" during a 2020 presidential debate. The phrase became a symbol of her progressive stance on criminal justice reform.

Bernie Sanders has said that he is a socialist on multiple occasions. He is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America and has advocated for policies such as universal healthcare and free college tuition.

Elizabeth Warren has never said, "I am a capitalist to my bones." The phrase is often attributed to her, but it is actually a quote from a 2019 interview with The New York Times.

Donald Trump did say, "I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn't lose any voters" during a 2016 campaign rally. The phrase became a symbol of his controversial rhetoric.