As the dust... or rather debris... just now begins to settle from the first presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, Katie Sanders, the Managing Editor of PolitiFact, joined LX News to parse through many of the misleading claims that came up at last night's event.
Health Care Options
Comment: President Trump says he guarantees those with preexisting conditions will be able to get affordable health care coverage.
Why it's Misleading: Sanders says what Trump is actually referring to is an executive order he signed just last week that he says will protect people suffering from these conditions, but doesn't specify exactly how. "When we ran the order by experts in health care and the law they said nothing is as strong as something that can be passed by Congress, which by the way is already on the books in effect under the Affordable Care Act," Sanders says.
More from NBCLX
FroshVote Is An Organization That Encourages College Freshman To Register To Vote
Every False Claim About Mail-In Voting From the First Presidential Debate
Low Insulin Costs
Comment: Trump says the cost of getting insulin now is so cheap, "It's like water."
Why it's Misleading: In July, Trump signed an executive order to try to lower insulin prices, but experts say it's not working. "What's not clear from the president's statements is that this is affecting a super tiny share of insulin providers in this country...two percent," Sanders says. "It's an over-sweeping claim that we rated false."
China Trade Deficit
Comment: Joe Biden said the U.S. has a higher deficit with China now than ever before.
Why it's False: "The problem is with the word 'now.' We rated this mostly false," says Sanders. "The deficit with China is actually lower in 2019 and is on par with where it had been in the Obama administration."
Climate Change
Comment: Trump says he wants "crystal clean water and air. We now have the lowest carbon. When you look at our numbers we are doing phenomenally."
Why it's Misleading: "President Trump is overhyping the state of the environment under his watch. Whenever he's asked about climate change in respect to the wildfires in California, he redirects to forest management. Experts say climate change is really the factor here that's made the conditions worse," says Sanders.
