Review
Wendell Potter's story not only initiated a strong, emotional response, but his words also reignited my passion for fact checking. I wasn't surprised to connect easily with the primary topic; as someone who does not receive health insurance through my employer, I know first-hand some of the challenges and flaws of American health care. Less expected were the memories the book kindled of my undergraduate days. I remember reading in my introductory public relations textbook about the importance of ethical behavior. And I remember wondering, even then, whether it was realistic to believe that most PR professionals would take such care and whether the Public Relations Society of America's standards were, in practice, more like suggestions. Reading Wendell Potter's story brought up many of these same questions.
Potter's career path is evidence of his talent. He was the...
Beyond the Book
Deadly Spin unravels misinformation surrounding the contentious topic of American health care. Considering that Wendell Potter has shown how difficult it is to uncover the truth about such a widely discussed issue as this, where can the average citizen turn to find unbiased facts? Some suggestions include:
PolitiFact
This website features the political fact-checking work of the reporters and editors of the
St. Petersburg Times. PolitiFact received a Pulitzer Prize in 2009. This site pays particular attention to the promises and policies of the President.
Factcheck
Launched in 2003, Factcheck is a project of the nonprofit Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania, and researches and documents the truth about...
