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Abdul Reminds Me of Obama – Former Obama Speechwriter

4 claims checked · Published August 2026 · Checked August 2026

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  1. Claim 1
    Accurate99% confidence▶ 0:51
    “since he's won the nomination”

    Abdul El-Sayed had won the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate.

    Abdul El-Sayed won Michigan’s Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate on August 5, 2026, after defeating Haley Stevens.

    Sources

  2. Claim 2
    Misleading50% confidence▶ 1:08
    “it was a significant asset for Obama in 2008 that he played a little college basketball.”

    Barack Obama played some basketball while attending college.

    Obama regularly played pickup basketball while attending Occidental College, so the broad idea that he played basketball during college is supported. However, “college basketball” commonly suggests organized collegiate play, and reporting found no tangible proof that he played for Occidental’s formal team.

    Omits: The statement omits that Obama’s basketball at Occidental was primarily pickup play; contemporary reporting found no tangible proof that he played for the formal college team.

    Checked twice, independently: the first pass returned Misleading and the second Accurate. Recorded as Misleading.

    Sources

    • 1Obama honed his skills at Occidental, on team or not

      SupportsOn his historic run to the White House, Barack Obama spent two years at Occidental College, the basketball-loving future president spending countless hours honing his game on the Eagle Rock campus when he wasn’t studying.

    • 2Obama honed his skills at Occidental, on team or not

      RefutesWhat his fellow ballers don’t seem to recall, however, is whether Obama played for the Tigers in a more formal capacity, as a former coach insists and the media have reported, and no tangible proof seems to exist that he did.

  3. Claim 3
    Unverifiable50% confidence▶ 1:29
    “We both played football and lacrosse.”

    Abdul El-Sayed and Jesse Watters both played football and lacrosse.

    Sources independently confirm that El-Sayed played football and lacrosse, but the available reliable sources do not establish that Jesse Watters also played both sports. The combined claim therefore cannot be fully confirmed.

    Checked twice, independently: the first pass returned Accurate and the second Unverifiable. Recorded as Unverifiable.

    Sources

  4. Claim 4
    Accurate99% confidence▶ 1:42
    “he's a Michigan kid”

    Abdul El-Sayed is from Michigan and grew up there.

    Independent biographical sources state that El-Sayed was born and raised in the Detroit area and was born and raised in Michigan.

    Sources

    • 1Get to know the candidates: Abdul El-Sayed

      SupportsBorn and raised in Michigan, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed says his bid for governor is about building a state where everyone has an equal shot at building their best, most dignified life.

    • 2Abdul M. El-Sayed

      SupportsBorn and raised in the Detroit area, he earned a B.S. degree (2007) with highest distinction in biology and political science and delivered the University of Michigan student commencement address.