Fact Check: Trump, Clinton deny their own words in debate
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton smiles as Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks during the presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y., today.
WASHINGTON » Donald Trump’s habit of peddling hype and fabrication emerged unabated in the first presidential debate while Hillary Clinton played it cautiously in her statements, though not without error. They both denied making statements that they are on the record as saying.
A look at some of the claims in the debate and how they compare with the facts:
TRUMP, denying Clinton’s accusation that he supported the Iraq war: “Wrong. Wrong.” Later: “That is a mainstream media nonsense put out by her. I was against the war in Iraq.”
THE FACTS: There is no evidence Trump expressed public opposition to the war before the U.S. invaded, despite his repeated insistence that he did. Rather, he offered lukewarm support. He only began to voice doubts about the conflict well after it began in March 2003.
His first known public comment on the topic came on Sept. 11, 2002, when he was asked whether he supported a potential Iraq invasion in an interview with radio host Howard Stern. “Yeah, I guess so,” Trump responded.
On March 21, 2003, just days after the invasion began, Trump said it “looks like a tremendous success from a military standpoint.”
Later that year he began voicing doubts.
TRUMP: President Barack Obama “has doubled (the national debt) in almost eight years. … When we have $20 trillion in debt, and our country is a mess.”
THE FACTS: Trump’s expressed concern about the national debt obscures that his own policies would increase it by much more than Clinton’s, according to the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.
Trump’s tax cuts would increase the deficit by $5.3 trillion over 10 years, the group found, while Clinton’s proposals would boost the deficit by $200 billion. Those increases are on top of an already-projected increase of about $9 trillion over the next decade, according to the Congressional Budget Office. By 2026, debt held by the public would total $23.3 trillion under Clinton’s plans, and $28.4 trillion under Trump.
TRUMP: “The Fed, by keeping interest rates at this level, the Fed is doing political things. … The Fed is being more political than Secretary Clinton.”
THE FACTS: This is a recurrent claim by Trump with no evidence to back it up. It’s the Federal Reserve’s job to help improve the economy and to the extent that happens, political leaders and their party may benefit. But presidents can’t make the Fed, an independent agency, do anything.
Under former chairman Ben Bernanke and current chairwoman Janet Yellen, the Fed has attracted controversy by pegging the short-term interest rate it controls to nearly zero for seven years. After one increase in December, it is still ultra-low at between 0.25 percent and 0.5 percent, a rate that some economists worry could spark a stock-market bubble or inflation. Bernanke was initially appointed by Republican President George W. Bush, and reappointed by President Barack Obama.
One reason Yellen is keeping rates low is that, in some ways, she agrees with Trump that hiring needs to keep growing to provide jobs for Americans who want them.
TRUMP: “You don’t learn a lot from tax returns.”
THE FACTS: Americans stand to learn plenty if he releases his tax returns like other presidential candidates have done.
They would provide vital information about his wealth, taxes paid, tax avoidance efforts, exact amounts of real estate holdings and charitable donations that can’t be gleaned from any other source. For these reasons, every major party candidate for the last 40 years has released at least a few years of recent tax returns.
CLINTON, denying Trump’s accusation that she called the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal the “gold standard” of trade agreements: “I did say I hoped it would be a good deal.”
THE FACTS: Trump is correct. As secretary of state, Clinton called the deal that was taking shape the “gold standard” of trade agreements, in a 2012 trip to Australia, and championed the agreement in other venues around the world. She did not merely express the hope it would turn out well.
Clinton flip-flopped into opposing the trade deal in the Democratic primary when facing Bernie Sanders, who was strongly opposed to it.
TRUMP, when Clinton accused him of calling climate change a hoax invented by the Chinese: “I did not say that.”
THE FACTS: Yes he did, in the form of a 2012 tweet: “The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.” He later claimed he was kidding, but he’s also repeated the claim that climate change is a hoax, and one that benefits China.
He tweeted in January 2014: “Snowing in Texas and Louisiana, record setting freezing temperatures throughout the country and beyond. Global warming is an expensive hoax!”
TRUMP: “I’ve been under audit for almost 15 years.”
THE FACTS: Trump has never provided evidence to the public that he is actually under audit. A letter released by his tax attorneys never used the word, merely describing his tax returns under continuous review. “Review” is not a formal term for any kind of action by the Internal Revenue Service.
Trump has declined to provide the IRS’ formal notice of audit to The Associated Press and other news outlets. And former IRS officials have expressed skepticism that anyone would be audited so frequently. Trump cites an audit as the reason he won’t release his tax returns.
CLINTON: As part of a list of economy-building moves, called for “making college debt free so more young people can get their education.”
THE FACTS: Clinton has proposed making college tuition free for in-state students who go to a public college or university. But tuition free doesn’t equate to debt free.
Under her plan, the government would pay for in-state tuition at public colleges and universities for students from families earning less than $125,000 a year. That would leave students still bearing the cost of room and board, which makes up more than half of the average $18,943 sticker price at a four-year public university, according to the College Board.
Experts worry about other effects: Will colleges raise tuition once the government starts paying, increasing the cost to taxpayers? Will more students flock to public colleges because of the subsidy, also raising costs?
TRUMP to Clinton: “You’ve been fighting ISIS your entire adult life.”
THE FACTS: Hillary Clinton was born in 1947 and is 68 years old. She reached adulthood in 1965. The Islamic State group grew out of an al-Qaida spinoff, al-Qaida in Iraq in 2013, the year Clinton left the State Department.
TRUMP: “My father gave me a small loan in 1975.”
THE FACTS: Trump got a whole lot more than a small loan. Aside from $1 million in financing from his father, Trump received loan guarantees, bailouts and a drawdown from his future inheritance. Tim O’Brien noted in a 2005 book that Trump not only drew an additional $10 million from his future inheritance during hard times, but also inherited a share of his father’s real estate holdings, which were worth hundreds of millions when they were eventually sold off.
TRUMP said a 1970s racial discrimination case against his real estate business was settled “with no admission of guilt” and that the case was “brought against many real estate developers.”
THE FACTS: The first claim is technically correct; the second is false.
Trump and his father fiercely fought a 1973 discrimination lawsuit brought by the Justice Department for their alleged refusal to rent apartments in predominantly white buildings to black tenants. Testimony showed that the applications filed by black apartment seekers were marked with a “C” for “colored.” A settlement that ended the lawsuit did not require the Trumps to acknowledge that discrimination had occurred. The government’s description of the settlement said Trump and his father had “failed and neglected” to comply with the Fair Housing Act.
Trump was wrong to say the suit was brought against many real estate developers — it was specific to buildings rented by his father and him.
46 responses to “Fact Check: Trump, Clinton deny their own words in debate”
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Donald Trump (L)
CONGRATULATIONS PRESIDENT TRUMP !!!
STOP ORGANIZED CRIME !!!
VOTE OUT ALL INCUMBENTS !!!
What a discerning, thoughtful comment.
So glad there is a third party. Go Gary Johnson, Libertarian Party!
Yeah, but a vote for Johnson is a vote for Trump.
Hillary Clinton (L) L = Liar
Politicians do not lie; they make inaccurate statements.
Good thing the Donald is not in school. He would get a F for his performance tonight. This has to be the worst beating of all time. Hillary 10, the Donald 1. Pretty Sad.
Stop watching YouTube and say something about the real debate? Both pathetic.
Hillary got the Donald a number of times especially on his taxes. Wonder what he is hiding. She put it so well. That should be made into a campaign commercial. Hillary did pretty well on just about everything. They say that the Donald started out well, but I don’t think so. I would have pointed out that we had already tried his economic plan under G W Bush and we got the grand recession, the worst economic down turn since the great depression. Not something to be proud of.
As senator and secretary of state, Hillary has zero notable accomplishments. Her only accompishment was that she’s a documented liar.
The theme of this debate is “Stop talking while I’m interrupting”.
wright, spot on!
Lol
Why does she keep reading? Does she have no ideas of her own?
Both prove they are incapable to lead our country ! Gary Johnson is the way to go!
Gary Johnson is only a good choice if you believe in the libertarian platform. This includes eliminating environmental regulations, public schools, social security and medicare.
Wrong. But I’m guessing you know that already
Please dig a little deeper into the libertarian platform and you’ll see what I’m writing about.
Possibly the most regrettable aspects of this election is to witness how enthusiastically half of our country is so willing to hammer the other half over the head with their ideology.
The problem is that Johnson will never win. A vote for Johnson becomes a vote for Trump because his supporters won’t waver or vote for anyone else. So by “wasting” a vote on Johnson, you’re inadvertently giving Trump your vote.
Remember, several years from now, after either H or T has screwed us over, that you were one of the “smart” ones that refused to vote for the better candidate because he couldn’t win. Thanks, in advance.
We’re not replacing even one congressman with a Libertarian. so exactly how are any of the less than realistic goals of their party going into effect? Johnson, by virtue of his acknowledged credibility and non threatening perception by both sides of the fence would be the ideal moderator for initiating any actual movement forward. And there’s the overriding benefit of not guaranteeing a further widening of the chasm we’ve endured for far too long. And of course there’s that honesty and successful experience thing as well..
Yes his mastery of foreign policy is second to none. lol
Johnson’s knowledge of foreign policy is second, to Trumps!
For you and bootie, how long would it take for Gary to learn all he needed to know about Aleppo, as compared to the length of time needed for either Donald or Hillary to become trustworthy? Think about it. Slowly. Get back to us…
False equivalency in the headline. Anyone who saw the debate knows Trump lied from end to end.
One good thing did come out of the debate. They found Jimmy Hoffa in the old gal’s haz-mat suit.
Trump came off as an overconfident blowhard, the mouthy guy at the office meeting who never knew much about the topic, didn’t try to get himself up to speed in advance, interrupts all his female colleagues anyway, then tells them to wait until he’s done when they try to get a word in edgewise. Trump did put Clinton on the defensive over trade issues, and especially in the early minutes, he scored points portraying her as a tired politician who had stayed in the game too long. But he did seem a lot less comfortable and more agitated than he does at his rallies, as if mass adulation suits him better than one-on-one confrontation, and it did sound like the pundits—and the battleground focus groups—scored the contest as a victory for Clinton. She didn’t seem like the candidate who was totally out of control.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/09/donald-trump-debate-performance-214295#ixzz4LSssVrJX
lester dolt should be ashamed about himself. he disgraced his profession and that of other news people.
he is a biased imbed for liberal democrats and exposed himself as a fraudulent “news reporter”
illiary looked old and tired and i was feeling sorry for her until she showed her “venom” in closing as she viciously attacked trump
she is in no condition to lead america against other world leaders
trump is a non pol and rough around the edges but is strong on substance on how to make america great again
Poor loser? lol How was Lester biased? Seemed like he didn’t say much of anything. Can you give some examples of how he was biased?
Lester Holt is a registered REPUBLICAN. Duh.
It is not the job of the moderator to que up big softballs for the participants to hit–that is Trump’s responsibility. He could have easily pivoted into questions aimed at HRC–he was utterly unprepared and it showed.
It’s amazing and equally frightening how The AP and every other mainstream liberal news outlet go out of their way to attack Trump every chance they get while building up Hillary. The media has reached an all-time low in its failure to provide both sides equal, fair and unbiased coverage. The fact that Trump is a billionaire and his own man and not controlled by either party and/or the corporations that control both parties and literally own the mainstream media is what frightens them so much. They will do and say anything, including twisting the facts to ensure he’s not elected and maintain the status quo. Vote Trump. Hillary will be four more years of the same.
No way. The sad truth is there’s nothing good to say about Trump so to you it seems biased. He needs to learn to listen and not constantly interrupt someone who is speaking. I certainly don’t want anyone who has companies who have filed bankruptcy four times and he himself hasn’t paid federal taxes running our country. What was even more disturbing was his comment about not paying taxes, which I think was ‘smart’. I hope Lester does not moderate the next debate. It was like having no moderator at all. He had no control over it. But I do understand how hard it must be to stop Trump from talking since he does not allow anyone to interrupt him and needs to get the last word in.
Poor Donald, he is being picked upon. Shame he can’t take the heat. It will only get worse.
Same sounds pretty good to me…..
LOL – What “facts” are you talking about? Seriously you believe Trump has the “facts”?
Was it just my imagination or did I see Trumps nose get a little longer?
Lying Donald – all day!
9 checks for trump. 2 checks for Clinton. Hmmmmmm. Hey just tell your army of lawyers to release your tax returns to the army of U.S.citizens.!!
Trump has no legal reason not to release any of his tax records. What is Dishonest Donald hiding? That he owes foreign banks hundreds of millions of dollars? Is Putin and his Russian banks involved in the loans? That he never gives any monies to even his own charity? That he pays no taxes? What is he hiding?
Fact Checking is fantasy journalism writing to justify liberal preconceived ideas. The so-called Fact Checker reported that Trump said “TRUMP: President Barack Obama “has doubled (the national debt) in almost eight years. … When we have $20 trillion in debt, and our country is a mess.””
That is an undeniable fact, yet the fact checker tried to make it appear that it was not true by reporting what might happen to the national debt under a Trump presidency. You cannot compare fact with speculation on the future. It is utter nonsense.
And exactly who did Obama inherit this mess from? The Bush/Cheney Republicans. And who controls spending, the House and Senate run by Republicans. The mess was already in place and the Executive branch does not control federal spending. Dishonest Donald is the wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Lunalilohi, your facts are a bit off. The US national debt It was $10.626 trillion on President Bush’s last day in office. That is what Obama inherited. It has doubled to more than $20 trillion since Obama took office and he still has almost four months remaining in office. Democrats controlled both houses of Congress during the first two years of the Obama administration. Republicans have controlled the House since 2010. Democrats controlled the Senate until 2014 when the Republicans took over. Thus, Republicans have controlled both houses of Congress for only two years of the eight years Obama has been President. Congress appropriates money for the Federal government but it does not have the power to spend one penny. The Executive branch is responsible for spending money appropriated by Congress. The reason the debt has increased so much under Obama is because the Executive branch has spent more money than appropriated by Congress. It is called deficit spending. Obama is indeed responsible for doubling the debt.
“I remember landing under sniper fire. There was supposed to be some kind of a greeting ceremony at the airport, but instead we just ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles to get to our base.”