Gretchen Carlson's “crack research” is a clunker

On Fox & Friends, co-host Gretchen Carlson claimed that through her “own crack research” on the cash for clunkers program, which included spending “a tremendous amount of time on this yesterday finding out information,” she determined that in “Minnesota, so far only two of these deals have actually been approved by the government.” However, several media outlets have reported that, according to a survey by the Minnesota Automobile Dealers Association, out of 7,500 consumers who participated in the program, approximately 2 percent of transactions have been approved.

From the August 4 edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends:

CARLSON: By the way, I did my own crack research yesterday, spent a tremendous amount of time on this yesterday finding out information. In my home state of Minnesota, so far only two of these deals have actually been approved --

DOOCY: That's all?

CARLSON: -- by the government.

DOOCY: Wow.

CARLSON: Two in the entire state of Minnesota. And then you wonder about whether or not these dealers feel like they're going to get their money from the government. Not so sure.

Minnesota media and NY Times: Cash for clunkers program has approved approximately 2 percent of transactions, not “only two”

NBC-affiliate KARE-11 in Minneapolis: "[T]wo percent of those transactions have been approved." “On Monday afternoon, the Minnesota Automobile Dealers Association released new numbers that suggest 7,500 Minnesota consumers have purchased a 'cash for clunkers' vehicle. Despite a computer system set up to streamline the application process and expedite payment, just two percent of those transactions have been approved, which is basically a government assurance that the program discount will be covered.” [kare11.com; 8/4/09]

Minnesota Public Radio: “2 percent of those transactions have received federal approval.” “A survey by the Minnesota Automobile Dealers Association says that about 7,500 Minnesotans have taken advantage of the program so far. But the survey also says only 2 percent of those transactions have received federal approval, and 8 percent have been rejected, presumably for technical reasons, though dealers are resubmitting them.” [Minnesota Public Radio; 8/3/09]

New York Times: "[L]ess than 2 percent of those transactions have gained final approval." “The clunkers deal has been a double-edged sword for Minnesota car dealers. About 7,500 consumers bought new cars under the incentive, but so far, less than 2 percent of those transactions have gained final approval, according to a new survey by the Minnesota Automobile Dealers Association.” [NY Times; 8/3/09]

From the August 4 edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends:

CARLSON: I'm not sure on its face that this program really is all that it was billed to be, because how much energy does it actually take --

STEVE DOOCY (co-host): It's a bailout.

CARLSON: Well, not only that, but I'm talking about the environmental aspects of it. I mean, how much do you really save in energy when you take a tremendous amount of energy to do what this video is showing you right here, which is destroy the car, which apparently didn't get that much better gas mileage than the one that was purchased.

DOOCY: That's a nice Volvo.

CARLSON: And then all those cars are going to go to a junkyard, so what does that do to the environment? Not to mention that now dealers have stopped offering this deal as of yesterday because the Senate decided not to pass, or take on that $2 billion infusion of money, so dealers are left on the hook -- “Hey, if I'm not going to get my $4,500 per car from the government, I'm not going to continue to do these sales.”

By the way, I did my own crack research yesterday, spent a tremendous amount of time on this yesterday finding out information. In my home state of Minnesota, so far only two of these deals have actually been approved --

DOOCY: That's all?

CARLSON: -- by the government.

DOOCY: Wow.

CARLSON: Two in the entire state of Minnesota. And then you wonder about whether or not these dealers feel like they're going to get their money from the government. Not so sure.