A fact checker hangs up his Pinocchios
Jul 31, 2025•9 min
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Episode description
"In an era where false claims are the norm, it's much easier to ignore the fact-checkers." Those are the final words of the final column of Glenn Kessler, who has been The Fact Checker at the Washington Post these last 14 years.
Kessler is one of many journalists making high-profile exits from the Post, some of whom cite the new direction the paper's leadership is taking as the reason they're leaving.
In an interview, Kessler reflects on the arc of the project, why he's leaving, and the value of fact checkers — even if politicians ignore them.
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Kessler is one of many journalists making high-profile exits from the Post, some of whom cite the new direction the paper's leadership is taking as the reason they're leaving.
In an interview, Kessler reflects on the arc of the project, why he's leaving, and the value of fact checkers — even if politicians ignore them.
For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
Email us at considerthis@npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
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