Yes, he did

I could swear Ted Kennedy said this morning on Fox News Sunday that some 36 million Americans go to bed hungry every night and 12 million of them are children (I'm quoting from memory). He insisted that the numbers were on his side. I'm sorry, but does anyone think that's even remotely true? That systemic hunger is a chief symptom and problem of poverty in America? Come on.

Yes Jonah, he did. And he insisted that Chris Wallace's use of numbers from the Brookings Institute were woefully wrong.

Here's a study based on both "client" and agency data that states the numbers above somewhat differently:

--The A2H system served an estimated 24 to 27 million unduplicated people annually, with a midpoint of 25.3 million.

--36.4% of the members of households served by the A2H National Network are children under 18 years old (Table 5.3.2).

--8% of the members of households are children age 0 to 5 years (Table 5.3.2).

Of course this is but one study and without taking the time to dissect the methodology there's not much to say about whether or not it is providing accurate numbers. But the numbers here most certainly don't tell the same story the good Senator wove for us yesterday.