Ahead of the first presidential debate, FlackCheck.org explores some patterns of deception that Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton have used on the campaign trail.
Pre-Debate Patterns of Deception
Year: 2016
Sept. 24: Zika, Poverty, David Duke
Video: Clinton on Russia’s Nuclear Arms
This week, CNN’s Jake Tapper examines an exaggerated claim that Hillary Clinton made in a TV ad about “cutting Russia’s nuclear arms” through a treaty signed when she was secretary of state.
Groundhog Friday
Yes, there were repeated debunked claims yet again in the presidential campaign this week. We summarize our fact-checking of these familiar talking points in our “Groundhog Friday” feature.
Pence’s Obsolete Poverty Point
Old talking points die hard. Mike Pence is still claiming that the number of people living in poverty has gone up by 7 million under President Obama, nearly a week after the news came out that 3.5 million escaped poverty last year alone.
Does Zika Cause Blindness?
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid claimed that Zika “affects everyone” — not just pregnant women and their babies — because recent research found that it “causes people to go blind.” That’s false.
Trump Surrogates Spin ‘Birther’ Narrative
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie falsely claimed that Donald Trump did not question President Barack Obama’s birthplace “on a regular basis” after the president produced his long-form birth certificate in April 2011.
Sept. 17: Paid Leave, ACA, Post-Recession
Groundhog Friday
We give a rundown of repeated claims in our “Groundhog Friday” feature. This week’s edition includes claims on jobs, Iran, the trade deficit and income inequality.
Kaine Twists Words of GOP Rivals
In a speech in Michigan, Tim Kaine cherry-picked the words of his Republican opponents, Donald Trump and Mike Pence, to leave a misleading impression of their public statements on military service members and white nationalist David Duke.