ClaimsPeople

Nate Silver

Nate Silver is an election forecaster and writer who founded FiveThirtyEight and now publishes the Silver Bulletin newsletter.

617 claims collected, 163 researched, 84 resolved. Report of 10 November 2026, method 0.1.0+28da144b.

Scores by kind of claim

Each kind of claim is scored on its own, out of 100: the share that held up, with the range it likely falls in. Fewer resolved claims give a wider range.

  • Factual claims

    Statements about the present or the past, checked against the record: did they hold up?

    82 76 88

    High confidence, 63 factual claims resolved. From 19 documents, 2012 to 2026; 19 documents sampled from 35 candidates found.

    Not scored: 42 unresolvable, 7 checkable only against their own records.

  • Predictions

    Statements about events outside the person's control, checked once they fell due: did they come true?

    61 47 75

    Medium confidence, 16 predictions resolved. From 8 documents, 2015 to 2025; 19 documents sampled from 35 candidates found.

    Not scored: 12 unresolvable. 10 more fall due later.

    Does not yet allow for how likely each prediction was when made.

  • Promises

    Commitments to the person's or organisation's own future action, with something to deliver: was it delivered?

    67 46 85

    Low confidence, 5 promises resolved. From 4 documents, 2022 to 2025; 19 documents sampled from 35 candidates found.

    Not scored: 7 unresolvable.

All types combined: 77 (likely 72 to 82, high confidence), from 84 claims: 63 factual claims, 16 predictions, 5 promises. It mixes kinds of claim in different proportions for different people, so compare people kind by kind.

Nate Silver's claims

617 claims, sorted by newest said. Choose a claim to read it in full.
VerdictKindSaidClaimTopic
Not checkable Not checkable 8 Oct 2024 The model’s hypothesis that the momentum had been shifting against Harris before the debate will never quite be appropriately tested, I… Not checkable · 8 Oct 2024
Not checkable Not checkable 8 Oct 2024 And polls simply aren’t accurate enough to provide for much more confidence than that. Not checkable · 8 Oct 2024
Not researched Factual 8 Oct 2024 Kamala Harris's polls declined after the 2024 Democratic convention, a period that is typically among a candidate's best for polling. Factual · 8 Oct 2024 Other
Not checkable Not checkable 8 Oct 2024 After she took over for Joe Biden and her polls immediately began rising, it seemed possible for a moment that Harris would ride her… Not checkable · 8 Oct 2024
Unresolvable Factual 8 Oct 2024 The Silver Bulletin win probabilities have moved even though the popular vote forecast has barely moved, because the translation from popular vote to Electoral College follows the baseball game principle. Factual · 8 Oct 2024 AI timelines and forecasting
Unresolvable Factual 8 Oct 2024 The Silver Bulletin popular vote forecast has barely moved, other than when RFK Jr. quit the race and both candidates gained ground. Factual · 8 Oct 2024 AI timelines and forecasting
Not researched Factual 8 Oct 2024 In an estimated NBA win probability chart, a team down 106-105 with two minutes left in the fourth quarter goes from 45 percent to 69 percent win probability if its player is fouled and makes both free throws. Factual · 8 Oct 2024 Science and research methods
Not checkable Not checkable 8 Oct 2024 Yes, if you think Harris is really a 55/45 favorite and prediction markets have it the other way, you have a profitable wager — but you’re… Not checkable · 8 Oct 2024
Unresolvable Factual 8 Oct 2024 After the debate, Harris re-established a consistent lead of about 3 points in national polls, leaving the Electoral College roughly 50/50 or maybe a slight Harris edge. Factual · 8 Oct 2024 Other
Not checkable Not checkable 8 Oct 2024 This is where the sports analogies fail too: in elections, the “final score” (the last polling average before Election Day) isn’t always… Not checkable · 8 Oct 2024
Mostly true Factual 8 Oct 2024 In baseball, single-run leads are relatively durable because runs tend to come in bunches and the default outcome is not to score at all. Factual · 8 Oct 2024 Science and research methods
Not checkable Not checkable 8 Oct 2024 Conversely, if the visiting team is already up by 5 runs, a leadoff home run hardly makes a difference: it’s already almost sure to win… Not checkable · 8 Oct 2024
Not checkable Not checkable 8 Oct 2024 If you look closely at our election forecasts, they follow this same principle. Not checkable · 8 Oct 2024
Not researched Factual 13 Aug 2024 Nate Silver runs a newsletter, and his election model serves as a product that encourages people to subscribe. Factual · 13 Aug 2024 Their own work or organisation
Not checkable Not checkable 13 Aug 2024 Oftentimes quitting a bad situation is the boldest course of action. Not checkable · 13 Aug 2024
Not checkable Not checkable 13 Aug 2024 I definitely would not put Sam Altman in that category, but you need people who have some ability to provide adult supervision. Not checkable · 13 Aug 2024
Not checkable Not checkable 13 Aug 2024 I'm trying to have a better attitude than I did I think when I wrote that in the book. Not checkable · 13 Aug 2024
Not researched Factual 13 Aug 2024 People in the United States are losing trust in political, media, scientific and business institutions. Factual · 13 Aug 2024 Philosophy, ethics and society
Not checkable Not checkable 13 Aug 2024 But I think most people would be better served by being willing to make changes in their life because it's just easier to say, "Well, this… Not checkable · 13 Aug 2024
Resolved true Factual 13 Aug 2024 Nate Silver has moved his election forecast model back to his Silver Bulletin newsletter, where the probabilities are technically paywalled. Factual · 13 Aug 2024 Their own work or organisation
Not checkable Not checkable 13 Aug 2024 Democrats I think have improved their chances of defeating Trump with Harris instead of Biden. Not checkable · 13 Aug 2024
Not checkable Not checkable 13 Aug 2024 I think it's kind of a cop-out to not try to learn how to use these technologies responsibly. Not checkable · 13 Aug 2024
Not checkable Not checkable 13 Aug 2024 I think they made the best decision under the circumstances. Not checkable · 13 Aug 2024
Not checkable Not checkable 13 Aug 2024 I think COVID accelerated a lot of things, including people feeling like they were left to their own devices a lot. Not checkable · 13 Aug 2024
Resolved true Factual 13 Aug 2024 Millions of people died worldwide in the COVID pandemic, and life was disrupted more than at any time since World War II. Factual · 13 Aug 2024 Biosecurity
Not checkable Not checkable 13 Aug 2024 I thought about not publishing a model this time, but I do think it provides useful information. Not checkable · 13 Aug 2024
Unresolvable Factual 13 Aug 2024 In 2024 Nate Silver is releasing a book, a newsletter and a podcast. Factual · 13 Aug 2024 Their own work or organisation
Not researched Factual 13 Aug 2024 People are usually happier after they make a major change in their lives. Factual · 13 Aug 2024 Philosophy, ethics and society
Unresolvable Factual 13 Aug 2024 Nate Silver interviewed OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in about August 2022, when OpenAI was internally developing ChatGPT 3.5 and GPT-4. Factual · 13 Aug 2024 Their own work or organisation
Not checkable Not checkable 13 Aug 2024 I think people are gradually coming to understand the probabilistic nature of forecasting a little bit better. Not checkable · 13 Aug 2024
Mostly true Factual 13 Aug 2024 Humans evolved over hundreds of thousands of years in an environment without abundance. Factual · 13 Aug 2024 Philosophy, ethics and society
Not checkable Not checkable 13 Aug 2024 I think Democrats would've been better off if Biden had chosen earlier not to run for another term Not checkable · 13 Aug 2024
Not checkable Not checkable 13 Aug 2024 I hadn't expected AI to become such a big conversation. Not checkable · 13 Aug 2024
Not checkable Not checkable 13 Aug 2024 part of the decision to release a model even though I know that sometimes people might misinterpret it is partly to kind of set myself up… Not checkable · 13 Aug 2024
Not checkable Not checkable 13 Aug 2024 there's less of a sense of inevitable doom than there has been in the past. Not checkable · 13 Aug 2024
Not checkable Not checkable 13 Aug 2024 she's extremely levelheaded and extremely cool under pressure. Not checkable · 13 Aug 2024
Not checkable Not checkable 13 Aug 2024 I think it's a very kind of constrained form of intelligence that we're talking about with AI. Not checkable · 13 Aug 2024
Not checkable Not checkable 13 Aug 2024 The inner workings are kind of a mystery. Not checkable · 13 Aug 2024
Not checkable Not checkable 13 Aug 2024 It's a little bit like a cycle where once every four years, like the World Cup or the Olympics or something, then I understand that every… Not checkable · 13 Aug 2024
Not researched Citation 13 Aug 2024 The person Silver referred to found that people whose coin flip came up "make a change" ended up happier on average. Citation · 13 Aug 2024 Science and research methods
Unresolvable Factual 13 Aug 2024 For most of human history people were trying to survive against violent predators and similar threats, and the average lifespan was 40 years. Factual · 13 Aug 2024 Philosophy, ethics and society
Not checkable Not checkable 13 Aug 2024 Oh, for sure it was more organic, I think. Not checkable · 13 Aug 2024
Mostly true Factual 13 Aug 2024 In August 2024, Silver suggested, as a rhetorical question, that AI still could not fold clothes or do laundry. Factual · 13 Aug 2024 AI capabilities
Not checkable Not checkable 13 Aug 2024 I just find that I get along really wonderfully with poker players for some reason. Not checkable · 13 Aug 2024
Not checkable Not checkable 13 Aug 2024 I think I've had a little bit more fun with it. Not checkable · 13 Aug 2024
Not checkable Not checkable 13 Aug 2024 I like the term neurodivergent more because it encompasses a wider spectrum Not checkable · 13 Aug 2024
Not checkable Not checkable 13 Aug 2024 One basic lesson in the book, in poker tournaments some decisions are thousands of times more important than others. Not checkable · 13 Aug 2024
Not checkable Not checkable 13 Aug 2024 The one constant is that I've spent a lot of time just writing over the past four years Not checkable · 13 Aug 2024
Not checkable Not checkable 13 Aug 2024 And so our instincts sometimes can be very risk-averse, especially if you're younger and have choices to make. Not checkable · 13 Aug 2024
Not checkable Not checkable 13 Aug 2024 It's the combination of being able to be really analytical and competitive. Not checkable · 13 Aug 2024
Not checkable Not checkable 13 Aug 2024 To be fair, yeah, probably November 8 or 9 or something like that. Not checkable · 13 Aug 2024
Not researched Factual 13 Aug 2024 Nate Silver said he spent three years reporting and writing his book. Factual · 13 Aug 2024 Their own work or organisation
Not researched Factual 13 Aug 2024 Nate Silver said Biden had fallen behind by about four points in his outlet's national polling average, and by maybe five or six points in states like Pennsylvania. Factual · 13 Aug 2024 AI timelines and forecasting
Mostly true Prediction 13 Aug 2024 Kamala Harris's bid is inherently difficult and a little bit of a long shot, but her chances of winning the 2024 presidential election are probably better than Joe Biden's were. Prediction · 13 Aug 2024 AI timelines and forecasting
Not checkable Not checkable 13 Aug 2024 I think I got very lucky to choose this topic. Not checkable · 13 Aug 2024
Not checkable Not checkable 13 Aug 2024 Clearly, people who are in the river are risk-taking, which violates some of the precepts about autism where people are seen as needing a… Not checkable · 13 Aug 2024
Not checkable Not checkable 13 Aug 2024 They work way better than people would've expected five or 10 years ago, and that's a little bit dangerous. Not checkable · 13 Aug 2024
Not checkable Not checkable 13 Aug 2024 I think these industries need to be regulated and monitored carefully. Not checkable · 13 Aug 2024
Not checkable Not checkable 13 Aug 2024 we kind of, I think, are forced now to confront risk and make decisions for ourselves without having a lot of handholding. Not checkable · 13 Aug 2024
Not checkable Not checkable 13 Aug 2024 People should be prepared for another 30 percent chance to happen at some point. Not checkable · 13 Aug 2024
Not checkable Not checkable 13 Aug 2024 You'll find people in the book, the kind of 10 percent of people, the Elon Musks of the world, or Sam Bankman-Fried, who take way too much… Not checkable · 13 Aug 2024
Not checkable Not checkable 13 Aug 2024 AI can solve math equations or do lots of things with language. Not checkable · 13 Aug 2024
Not checkable Not checkable 13 Aug 2024 So, I think it's too soon to permanently hit the pause button for things like that. Not checkable · 13 Aug 2024
Not checkable Not checkable 13 Aug 2024 Can you handle stress? Can you handle big moments? The good news is that people can learn. Not checkable · 13 Aug 2024
Not researched Factual 13 Aug 2024 Nate Silver said he talked to 200 people for his book. Factual · 13 Aug 2024 Their own work or organisation
Not checkable Not checkable 12 Sep 2023 There may also be some personality-driven dimensions to why I tend not get along with a certain type of of progressive personalty on social… Not checkable · 12 Sep 2023
Not checkable Not checkable 12 Sep 2023 I’m not a particularly huge fan of Kasich, but I felt that the difference between a Kasich-led GOP and a Trump-led GOP would make a large… Not checkable · 12 Sep 2023
Not checkable Not checkable 12 Sep 2023 I was talking about being somewhere between libertarian and liberal, corresponding to choices of Johnson and Obama. Not checkable · 12 Sep 2023
Not checkable Not checkable 12 Sep 2023 This is a very strange (and incorrect) conclusion from someone whom I’ve had basically no interaction with whatsoever. Not checkable · 12 Sep 2023
Not checkable Not checkable 12 Sep 2023 But what I find remarkable is that is that Molloy can’t even seem to imagine someone doing journalism for reasons other than trying to… Not checkable · 12 Sep 2023
Own records only Factual 12 Sep 2023 Nate Silver has occasionally voted Republican or independent for state or local office. Factual · 12 Sep 2023 Their own work or organisation
Not checkable Not checkable 12 Sep 2023 Trump’s lack of respect for democratic norms and institutions, culminating in the events of January 6, is something I simply see as… Not checkable · 12 Sep 2023
Not checkable Not checkable 12 Sep 2023 I also favor a reasonable-sized role for government — a much bigger role than a libertarian would — in providing social services… Not checkable · 12 Sep 2023
Not checkable Not checkable 12 Sep 2023 One reason is that this class has rapidly become more left and less liberal Not checkable · 12 Sep 2023
Not checkable Not checkable 12 Sep 2023 At the margin, for instance, I’d rather that more public officials were directly elected — perhaps even Supreme Court judges, though I’d… Not checkable · 12 Sep 2023
Not checkable Not checkable 12 Sep 2023 If I had voted I would have voted for Barack Obama or perhaps Gary Johnson, though I’d definitely have voted Obama if New York was a… Not checkable · 12 Sep 2023
Not checkable Not checkable 12 Sep 2023 I could imagine voting for a hypothetical Republican presidential nominee over a hypothetical Democrat in some circumstances, but I don’t… Not checkable · 12 Sep 2023
Own records only Factual 12 Sep 2023 Nate Silver has voted Democrat for president in every election since he was old enough, except 2012, when he did not vote. Factual · 12 Sep 2023 Their own work or organisation
Not checkable Not checkable 12 Sep 2023 But I’m far from being some sort of populist. Not checkable · 12 Sep 2023
Not checkable Not checkable 12 Sep 2023 I also strongly disagree with the left’s elevation of “misinformation” as a category of concern over free speech. Not checkable · 12 Sep 2023
Not checkable Not checkable 12 Sep 2023 I would not have voted for Mitt Romney; my saying that that I’d decide between Romney and Johnson in the TV interview Molloy cited was a… Not checkable · 12 Sep 2023
Not checkable Not checkable 12 Sep 2023 Rather, I’m more of a Chruchillian in thinking that democracy is the worst system ever invented, except for all the other ones. Not checkable · 12 Sep 2023
Not checkable Not checkable 12 Sep 2023 I plan to revisit some of these themes at some point, such as the difference between liberalism and the various flavors of leftism. Not checkable · 12 Sep 2023
Not checkable Not checkable 12 Sep 2023 I believe in strong protections for individual rights and liberties such as free speech. Not checkable · 12 Sep 2023
Not checkable Not checkable 12 Sep 2023 In other words, while I’m definitely not a capital-l Libertarian, saying I have some lower-case-l libertarian tendencies can nudge people… Not checkable · 12 Sep 2023
Not checkable Not checkable 12 Sep 2023 It is likely that I’ll vote Democrat for president again in 2024. Not checkable · 12 Sep 2023
Not checkable Not checkable 12 Sep 2023 As political pet peeves go, this one is pretty high on my list. Not checkable · 12 Sep 2023
Not checkable Not checkable 12 Sep 2023 I’m also a believer in democracy, which I see as more robust than rule by technocratic elites or central planners. Not checkable · 12 Sep 2023
Not checkable Not checkable 12 Sep 2023 I guess I don’t blame her since she’s quoting me verbatim, although I do think this should have been obvious from the context. Not checkable · 12 Sep 2023
Not checkable Not checkable 12 Sep 2023 I would certainly not vote for Trump, DeSantis or Vivek Ramaswamy, though I do see Trump as being much more of a threat to democracy than… Not checkable · 12 Sep 2023
Not checkable Not checkable 12 Sep 2023 I believe that markets empirically produce much better outcomes than central planning. Not checkable · 12 Sep 2023
Not checkable Not checkable 12 Sep 2023 I meant to say I’d decide between Johnson and Obama. Not checkable · 12 Sep 2023
Not checkable Not checkable 12 Sep 2023 It may not stop people from misrepresenting them, but at least I’ve made them clear. Not checkable · 12 Sep 2023
Not checkable Not checkable 12 Sep 2023 I don’t think there should be anything too surprising here if you’ve been reading me in good faith over the years. Not checkable · 12 Sep 2023
Not checkable Not checkable 12 Sep 2023 My orientation hasn’t changed much, so that’s still a decent overall description of my current views if I’m speaking in the context of an… Not checkable · 12 Sep 2023
Own records only Factual 12 Sep 2023 Nate Silver has consistently scored in about the same place on the Political Compass test for many years. Factual · 12 Sep 2023 Their own work or organisation
Unresolvable Factual 12 Sep 2023 In spring 2016, Nate Silver registered as a Republican to vote for John Kasich in the New York presidential primary. Factual · 12 Sep 2023 Their own work or organisation
Not checkable Not checkable 12 Sep 2023 However, I have also become more estranged from what you might call the progressive political class over the past several years. Not checkable · 12 Sep 2023
Not checkable Not checkable 12 Sep 2023 I’ve probably moved further down the axis toward democracy rather than technocracy in recent years because I think political partisanship… Not checkable · 12 Sep 2023
Not checkable Not checkable 12 Sep 2023 In the context of contemporary American politics, this generally puts me closer to the Democratic Party than the Republican Party, or at… Not checkable · 12 Sep 2023
Back to the list

Nate Silver

Open its page

Not checkable Political

“Trump’s lack of respect for democratic norms and institutions, culminating in the events of January 6, is something I simply see as disqualifying, though that is far from the only reason I wouldn’t vote for him.”

Nate Silver 12 September 2023 Not everyone who disagrees with you is a closet right-winger (Silver Bulletin)

Trump’s lack of respect for democratic norms and institutions, culminating in the events of January 6, is something I simply see as…

Not checkable An opinion, value judgement or statement with nothing to check.

Cite this claim

Nate Silver, “Trump’s lack of respect for democratic norms and institutions, culminating in the events of January 6, is something I simply see as…” (said 12 September 2023). Verdict: not checkable. Reliability API, claim c_2c91be9c19cc, method 0.1.0+28da144b. https://epistacklabs.com/claims/c_2c91be9c19cc

Claims without a verdict

Is a verdict here wrong, or do you speak for Nate Silver? Reply on the claim's own page, with the form at its foot (how replies work). Verdicts are made automatically; how verdicts and scores are made.