by dap | Jul 16, 2019 | Politifact
The arrival of more children and families at the southwest border is leading to overcrowding at border processing facilities and prompting Democratic lawmakers to scrutinize how the Trump administration is handling the surge. A delegation of Democratic members of Congress, including U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., went down to the border to visit facilities where apprehended migrants are processed. They said conditions were condemnable. “What we saw today was unconscionable. No child should ever be separated from their parent. No child should ever be taken from their family,” Ocasio-Cortez said July 1. “No woman should ever be locked up in … >>More
by dap | Jul 16, 2019 | Politifact
This story will be updated with more fact-checks. Democrats let loose their anti-Trump passions while attempting to showcase their diverse vantage points on gun control, race relations, immigration, healthcare, tax reform and more during the second night of debates at Miami’s Adrienne Arsht Center. Former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders were the two most recognizable men positioned center-stage. But eight lesser-known candidates in the race to be the next president of the United States sparred with them. Sen. Kamala Harris of California and South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg delivered passionate remarks that especially sought to challenge … >>More
by dap | Jul 16, 2019 | Politifact
On Thursday, the second night of the first Democratic primary debate, the 10 presidential hopefuls took the stage and health issues became an early flashpoint. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) opened the debate calling health care a “human right” — a refrain echoed by several other candidates on stage — and saying “we have to pass a Medicare for all, single-payer system” — which was not. Just as on Wednesday night, moderators asked candidates who would support abolishing private insurance under a single-payer system. Again, only two candidates — this time Sanders and California Sen. Kamala Harris — raised their hands. … >>More
by dap | Jul 16, 2019 | Politifact
The photo of Salvadoran migrant Óscar Alberto Martínez Ramírez and his toddler daughter lying dead face down in muddy water became a tragic symbol at the southern border, and a topic in the first Democratic presidential debate. The father and his nearly 2-year-old daughter, Valeria, drowned in Mexico on the banks of the Rio Grande after they tried to cross a river to Brownsville, Texas. Their bodies were found June 24. Julián Castro, one of 10 Democrats during the first night of the Miami debates, pointed the finger at what he said was a Trump administration policy. Castro said that … >>More
by dap | Jul 16, 2019 | Politifact
PolitiFact is live fact-checking the first Democratic presidential debate. Follow along with our live coverage below. See Figure 1 on PolitiFact.com >>More
by dap | Jul 16, 2019 | Politifact
Think you’re an expert on the Democratic presidential field? Let’s fact-check that! We created a quiz about the candidates seeking to challenge President Donald Trump. You can study up first by reading our brief biographies on each of the candidates, or you can just go for it. For each question, select an answer. You can click “check” to see if you’re correct or wait until the very end to see what you got right and wrong. Proceed to the next question by clicking the arrow in the bottom right hand corner. If you’re not happy with your result, check out our candidate … >>More
by dap | Jul 16, 2019 | Politifact
New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand was the first senator to call for former Minnesota Sen. Al Franken’s resignation when sexual misconduct allegations were brought against him. Now she seems to be paying a price for it. Gillibrand has struggled in her fundraising, and a few prominent Democrats have said they resented the role she played in Franken’s resignation in January 2018. During a June 2 Fox News town hall, host Chris Wallace asked if she still thinks Franken needed to resign. Gillibrand replied that it was ultimately Franken’s decision, and she expressed no regrets about speaking out. “Senator Franken was … >>More
by dap | Jul 15, 2019 | Politifact
During the recent Democratic presidential debates, most of the candidates at one point or another rejected the notion that the economy is going gangbusters, taking issue with one of President Donald Trump’s most frequent talking points. “Who is this economy really working for?” said Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. “It’s doing great for a thinner and thinner slice at the top.” “We know that not everyone is sharing in this prosperity,” said Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn. “This economy has got to work for everyone. And right now, we know that it isn’t,” said former Rep. Beto O’Rourke of Texas. For Democratic … >>More
by dap | Jul 15, 2019 | Politifact
Editor’s note: This story is part of PolitiFact’s ongoing coverage of the 2020 campaign; these reports will be updated as the campaign continues. For more candidate profiles and fact-checking, go to www.politifact.com/2020/ Joe Sestak spent 31 years in the Navy, retiring as an admiral. He then ousted a Republican U.S. House incumbent from Pennsylvania. But after winning re-election once, Sestak twice failed in U.S. Senate bids, in 2010 and 2016. In late June 2019, Sestak joined roughly two dozen other Democrats running for president. Sestak has said that his daughter Alex’s battle against brain cancer focused his attention on health … >>More
by dap | Jul 15, 2019 | Politifact
Editor’s note: This story is part of PolitiFact’s ongoing coverage of the 2020 campaign. For more candidate profiles and fact-checking, go to www.politifact.com/2020/ The week of the first Democratic presidential debates has arrived, and 20 candidates will get a chance to formally showcase their policy ideas for 2020. The debates, which will take place in Miami, are split up into two nights, with 10 candidates each. Out of 24 Democratic candidates running, all but four met the fundraising or polling threshold to participate. The Democrats who didn’t make the cut are Gov. Steve Bullock of Montana; Rep. Seth Moulton … >>More
