Trump-Biden debate: fact-checking politicians' statements

Moderators of the first presidential debate of 2024, held on June 27, allowed lies and half-truths, mainly from Donald Trump, to air freely, writes The Guardian.

Photo: iStock.com/baona

The 45th president often ignored questions from CNN moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bash and instead talked about something of his own.

In some cases, they repeated the question and gave Trump the opportunity to answer again.

Joe Biden and Donald Trump did not always refute each other correctly - they simply stated that their opponent was lying.

Here are the facts about some of the false statements made during the debate on Thursday, June 27.

Abortions

Statement: Trump said Democrats supported abortion and wanted to overturn Roe v. Wade. (We are talking about the decision of the Supreme Court of the United States of America in 1973, which recognized the right of women to abortion as a constitutionally protected right to privacy. This decision became the basis for the legalization of abortion in the United States).

Facts: Opposing late-term abortions is a common Republican tactic. But it is a myth that late abortion is widespread. Less than 1% of abortions in the United States are performed after 21 weeks. They are mainly done due to fetal abnormalities or other compelling medical indications. The Roe decision remained in effect for half a century. Some anti-abortion activists have argued that the federal government could use existing law to impose a federal abortion ban. By the way, the US Supreme Court considered two cases in this regard this year. That is, the issue of abortion has not been finally resolved at the national level.

On the subject: 5 facts that make this US presidential election unique

Environment

Statement: Trump says he has the “best environmental record in history.”

Facts: It is unclear what “environmental indicators” he meant. However, the Guardian newspaper compiled a list of 75 steps taken by the Trump administration that have made the environment more polluted and the climate much warmer.

Prescription drug reform

Statement: Biden exaggerated the impact of prescription drug reform. (Prescription drug reform, proposed by the 46th President's administration, aims to lower drug costs for Americans, improve access to needed medications, and reduce the financial burden on patients, especially the elderly and those with chronic diseases.)

The facts: Biden said seniors' out-of-pocket costs would be $200 or less, but the actual figure is ten times that amount, at $2000. For example, diabetic patients have to pay $35 a month for insulin, rather than the $15 they were quoted as saying.

Statement: According to Trump, when he left office, the US had the most secure border in history, and "almost" no one crossed it.

The facts: Although the number of undocumented migrants apprehended has increased under the 46th president, the increase began in 2020 while Trump was in charge. Reasons people are seeking to migrate include economic hardships caused by the pandemic, as well as natural disasters and political instability.

Economy

Statement: Biden assured that the economy had "crashed" and the country was facing a jobs shortage when Trump left office.

The facts: Employment began to rise quite quickly after an initial decline at the start of the pandemic - well before Biden took office.

Riots on January 6

Statement: Trump accused Nancy Pelosi of refusing his proposal to use the National Guard to restore order.

The facts: It's a lie. There is no evidence that Pelosi received a proposal to deploy the National Guard. Even if it turned out to be true, she did not have the authority to refuse him. The National Guard is commanded by the President, the Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of the Army (the civilian head of the Department of the Army).

Taxes

Statement: Trump claimed his tax cuts were the largest in history and the economy was the strongest under his presidency.

The facts: Trump's tax cuts were the fourth largest, according to PolitiFact. Trump created about twice as much debt ($8,4 trillion) as Biden ($4,3 trillion), according to a recent report from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. Before the pandemic, economic growth during his presidency averaged about 2,7%—good, but not as good as the 4% average growth during Bill Clinton's administration. The pre-pandemic unemployment rate was 3,5%—again, not as low as under Clinton.

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"Super Predators"

Statement: Trump rebuked Biden for calling African Americans “superpredators.”

The facts: The superpredator theory, put forward in the 1990s by criminologist John Dilulio, suggested that a new generation of criminalized teenagers, especially blacks, could pose a threat to the country. This led to stricter criminal justice policies for juveniles. In particular, laws were passed allowing teenagers to be tried as adults and given more severe punishments. This was more common among black youth.

There is no evidence that Biden used the phrase or supported the theory behind it. However, his support for the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 has rightly been criticized. Biden defended the law and argued that some aspects of it were poorly implemented.

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