Watching the presidential and vice-presidential debates is an important part of becoming an informed voter. But spending 90 minutes in front of the television for the three presidential debates and the single vice-presidential debate is clearly not enough, considering the barrage of charges, claims, and counter-claims heard from the candidates.

Serious fact checking is required before conclusions can be drawn about the debates. Political ads are even more likely to be infused with distortions.

Once honest fact checking is begun, the first conclusion people will reach is that both presidential candidates and both candidates for vice president play fast and loose with the facts. Though that should not come as a surprise, it is still discouraging.

But railing against the fact that politicians say things that are not true and mischaracterize their opponents is like complaining that snow and ice come with the arrival of winter. A shameless aversion to the truth appears to be a natural phenomenon with most politicians.

So, if politicians and their campaigns will not be completely straight, voters have to do some research, and the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg School offers a useful service in its FactCheck.org Web site.

Evan a quick glance at the FactCheck.org Web site reveals a bi-partisan aversion for the truth.

A recent scanning of the FactCheck site revealed the following items:

GOP Web site uses misleading Kerry quote on Abortion.

ACLU ad on "Sneak-and-Peak" searches: Overblown

Misinforming voters from the stump: Bush and Kerry both pepper their standard political speeches with misleading claims.

Kerry exaggerates cost of war in Iraq

Cheney and Edwards mangle facts: Getting it wrong about combat pay, Halliburton and FactCheck.org.

Kerry ad falsely accuses Cheney on Halliburton.

Bush mischaracterizes Kerry's healthcare plan.

It should be no surprise that politicians will distort the facts to suit their point of view, but the bitter partisan nature of this year's presidential elections seems to be providing this phenomenon more fuel. Partisan viewers on both sides are unlikely to challenge statements from their side and highly likely to assume statements from the other side are all false.

The end result of this negative atmosphere is that no matter who is elected in November, about half the country will believe that the president taking office in January is a liar, who has made false claims, who cannot be trusted and will cause the country great harm. This sad reality is made worse by the fact that a large percentage of the population in this election cycle appears to be more strongly motivated by negatives - voting against the other guy as opposed for their guy.

Still, voters should try to sift through all the claims, counter-claims and charges to get close to the truth, which generally won't fit in a short sound bite.

It takes work, but resources like FactCheck.org make the job easier.