How the analysis works

Each statement on file is scored from 0 to 10 for how far it strays from ordinary political speech. Everyday policy talk, slogans and partisan attacks score 0 or 1. The top of the scale is kept for statements that are physically impossible, plainly wrong on basic facts, or baffling on their face.

Categories

• Detached from reality
• Gets the facts wrong
• Contradicts their own record
• Baffling metaphor
• Ordinary, for everything else

The rules

1. The statement is judged, not the person. The same words get the same score whoever said them.
2. Every score is checked by an editor before it appears. Scores we don’t stand behind never go up.
3. Each scored statement links to the full entry, with its source, so you can judge it yourself.
4. Counts reflect what’s on file, not a survey of everything said. A party with more entries on file isn’t necessarily stranger; it may just be quoted more.

Think a score is wrong? Write to [email protected]. Changes are logged on the corrections page.