Fact checkers need to check their facts

CBO Torpedoes Speaker's Debt Plan: PolitiFact analyzed former Gov. Tim Pawlenty's recent statements on the origins of homosexuality. Meet the Press host David Gregory had asked: 'Is being gay a choice?' Pawlenty began his response by saying, 'Well, the science in that regard is in dispute.' PolitiFact rated that lone sentence as 'false.' But the 'choice' question is meaningless unless you also define what you mean by 'gay.' Same-sex attraction is not a choice, but homosexual conduct and homosexual self-identification are choices. Pawlenty ignored the silly 'choice' question and answered the more relevant one--what causes homosexuality?--accurately. He went on to say, 'There's no scientific conclusion that [homosexuality is] genetic.' PolitiFact rated this statement 'mostly true'--but grudgingly.