FactChecking Day 2 of the DNC
Misleading claims at the convention touched on health care, approval ratings and incarceration.
By Eugene Kiely
Posted on July 27, 2016
Summary
PHILADELPHIA — On a night headlined by President Bill Clinton’s admiration for his wife — the now official Democratic nominee — there was a less-than-glowing treatment of some facts.
- Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean claimed that Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s “whole” health care plan was to replace the Affordable Care Act with “quote, ‘Something so much better.'” In fact, Trump has released a seven-point health care plan
- Bill Clinton said that the United States’ approval rating soared 20 percentage points during the time that Hillary Clinton was secretary of state. But analyses of the U.S.’s global ratings don’t support such a claim.
- Former Attorney General Eric Holder said “1 in 3 black men will be incarcerated in their lifetimes,” an outdated projection based on the incarceration rate for black males as of 2001. That rate has declined since then.
- Bill Clinton said that Arkansas schools went from “worst” when he started as governor to one of two “most improved,” and he gave Hillary Clinton much of the credit. The record is mixed: An expert did say in 1992 that the state had made progress, but the New York Times reported then that the state was “still near the bottom in most national ratings.”
- Sen. Barbara Boxer repeated a convention talking point, claiming that Trump said that “wages are too high.” He was talking about a $15 minimum wage being too high.
- Dean said that GOP vice presidential candidate Mike Pence “voted to end Medicare as we know it.” Pence did vote for a budget plan that called for a major change to Medicare, but it would have retained a health insurance system for seniors.
Note to Readers:
This story was written with the help of the entire staff, including some of those based in Philadelphia who are at the convention site. As we did for the Republican National Convention, we intend to vet the major speeches at the Democratic National Convention for factual accuracy, applying the same standards to both.
Analysis
Link to full article: http://www.factcheck.org/2016/07/factchecking-day-2-of-the-dnc/
there is quite a contrast between the type of speakers at each convention.
And a whole lot of support for black criminals and nothing for murdered Police Officers.
Clinton, Kaine face flip-flop questions after nomination
PHILADELPHIA –
Hillary Clinton hasn't been the Democratic nominee for even a day, and already the party's newly anointed 2016 ticket is facing questions over flip-flopping on key issues – immediately drawing fire from Donald Trump, who accused Clinton of betraying her supporters.
Clinton and vice presidential pick Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., grappled with claims of flip-flopping on both the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact and federal funding of abortion.
Longtime Clinton ally and Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe told Politico late Tuesday that he believes Clinton will ultimately support the TPP, with some tweaks.
When asked if Clinton would come around now that she is the nominee, McAuliffe said: “Yes. Listen, she was in support of it. There were specific things in it she wants fixed.”
Killing the deal has become a rallying cry for supporters of Bernie Sanders, many of whom arrived in Philadelphia carrying signs with the letters "TPP" crossed out. Sanders claims the deal would benefit big corporations, while sending jobs abroad and lowering wages.
Clinton, who once supported the proposal, tried to muffle that outcry during the primary season by reversing her support, in a rare break with the Obama administration. Yet that was before Sanders’ plucky revolution was formally quashed Tuesday night.
As McAuliffe's remarks caused a stir overnight, his spokesman later walked them back, and said the governor was merely expressing what he hoped Clinton would do as president and that he has “no expectation” that Clinton would change her position.
The Clinton campaign also flatly denied the claim, saying McAuliffe “got this one flat wrong.”
The back-and-forth drew immediate fire from Trump, who has also opposed the deal, accusing Clinton of betraying her supporters.
“Just like I have warned from the beginning, Crooked Hillary Clinton will betray you on the TPP,” the billionaire tweeted.
The controversy came as her vice presidential pick, Virginia Sen. Kaine, is changing his position on an amendment that restricts the use of federal funds for abortions.
An aide confirmed Tuesday that Kaine, who is Catholic and says he is personally opposed to abortion, has made a commitment to Clinton that he will support the repeal of the Hyde Amendment.
Kaine has a mostly pro-choice record in the Senate, but has made an exception for the Hyde Amendment.
Kaine’s change in position comes as a new Knights of Columbus-Marist poll shows 62 percent of Americans oppose taxpayer funding for abortion. Forty-four percent of Democrats, 84 percent of Republicans and 61 percent of independents oppose the funding, according to the poll.
