Election 2008: Claims Department

CLAIMS DEPARTMENT: LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR PRIMARY

SPONSOR

Walter Dalton campaign

WHAT THE AD SAYS

AUDIO: "People across North Carolina agree: Only one candidate has the experience to be lieutenant governor. Walter Dalton. Walter Dalton. Walter Dalton. Walter Dalton created thousands of new jobs. Walter Dalton helped establish the North Carolina cancer hospital. Walter Dalton capped the gas tax. Walter Dalton raised teacher pay. Walter Dalton made prescription drugs more affordable. He protected homes from foreclosure. Walter Dalton raised the minimum wage. Walter Dalton strengthened community colleges. Walter Dalton -- ready to be lieutenant governor."

IMAGES: Dalton's name on the screen with footage of North Carolinians from a variety of careers talking about Dalton or talking with him. Scenes show Dalton meeting with doctors, talking with seniors about prescription drugs, reading to a classroom of young children, chatting with a family in front of a house with a "for sale" sign. The commercial also shows generic scenes of a gas pump and community college.

WHAT THE RECORD SHOWS

The ad gives Dalton full credit for major legislative or policy changes that were the work of a multitude of leaders, often in two branches of government. Dalton undoubtedly played some role, if only in voting for many of these initiatives, but so did scores of other lawmakers. The commercial, with one exception, doesn't take the easiest step toward being more accurate -- adding a qualifier such as "helped" or "supported." Dalton, for example, did not single-handedly cap the gas tax. In fact, it was a Republican, Bill Graham, who led a grass-roots campaign to pressure the legislature to cap the tax. Graham is now running for governor.

The ad says Dalton made prescription drugs more affordable, but the money for prescription drug assistance in the Health & Wellness Trust Fund came from the national tobacco settlement that Gov. Mike Easley helped negotiate as attorney general. Easley then pushed prescription drug assistance as a priority in his 2000 campaign. Dalton supported additional funding, but so did dozens of other legislators in the Senate and House.

Dalton voted for the minimum wage increase, but he did not co-sponsor the legislation. Several other lawmakers have been leading the effort for that change for years.

IS THE AD ACCURATE?

The ad is a 30-second exaggeration.