Trump said the coronavirus is “disappearing,” just over a week after he announced that he had tested positive for the virus.
Biden on fracking
Trump has previously accused Biden of changing his position on fracking, a drilling method used to extract natural gas and oil.
“They’ve been through a period of years, no fracking, no fracking, no fracking,” Trump said. “Suddenly he gets the nomination, he says there will be fracking.”
Facts first: Trump’s characterization is misleading. Biden’s written plan never included a total ban on fracking. Yet there is at least some basis for Trump’s claim: During the Democratic primary, Biden sometimes suggested that he was proposing to get rid of all fracking, creating confusion about his stance. He has since explicitly said he doesn’t support a nationwide ban on hydraulic fracturing (although in part because he doesn’t think that ban will pass).
You can read more about Biden’s previous comments on fracking here.
Biden and protesters
Trump has repeatedly claimed that Biden referred to looters and rioters as peaceful protesters. He did it again on Saturday while speaking of so-called “left-wing fanatics” who have looted and vandalized churches and buildings.
Facts first: That is false. Biden has correctly noted that many protesters have been peaceful; it has not argued that the violent protesters are peaceful. Rather, it has repeatedly denounced violence, riots and looting.
Pre-existing conditions
In Wednesday’s debate, Vice President Mike Pence insisted that the Trump administration has plans to protect Americans with pre-existing diseases. Trump made the same claim Saturday, saying, “We will always deal with pre-existing conditions, always.”
Facts first: We don’t usually verify promises of fact, but this one has already been proven false. The Trump administration and Republicans in Congress have repeatedly submitted bills and filed lawsuits that would weaken Obamacare protections for people with pre-existing conditions. Trump is currently supporting a Republican lawsuit which seeks to nullify all Obamacare, and has not come up with any plans to protect people with pre-existing conditions if the lawsuit is successful.
You can read more about the Trump administration’s stance on pre-existing conditions here.
Trump and black americans
“The fact is, I’ve done more for the black community than any president since Abraham Lincoln,” Trump said. “No one can dispute it. It’s true.”
Facts first: While we give Trump a lot of freedom to express opinions, this is highly debatable, even if he compares himself only to past presidents and excludes other black heroes.
President Lyndon B. Johnson, for example, signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, monumental bills whose impact overshadowed the impact of any legislation Trump has signed.
It’s also worth noting that blacks themselves generally disagree with Trump’s self-assessment. Trump has had a consistently abysmal approval rating among black citizens – just 4% in a recent Quinnipiac University poll, for example, compared to 93% disapproval.
CNN’s Daniel Dale and Holmes Lybrand contributed to this report.
