There were some new clashes, and plenty of claims we’ve heard before, as seven Republican candidates faced off in California.
FactChecking the Second GOP Primary Debate
Stories by Saranac Hale Spencer
Staff Writer, FactCheck.org
Flu Shots, MMR Vaccines Have Saved Millions of Lives, Contrary to Online Claim
Flu shots and vaccines that protect children against measles, mumps and rubella have been effective in preventing illness, serious disease and death. But a meme has been circulating with the false suggestion that those vaccines are ineffective. Actually, they’ve saved millions of lives and have eliminated both measles and rubella in the U.S.
Video Clip Misrepresents Biden’s Meeting with Israeli President
President Joe Biden met with the Israeli president in July at the White House. A clip from that meeting is circulating online with the false suggestion that Biden was “falling asleep” during the meeting. The full video shows Biden was consulting notecards and wasn’t asleep.
Number of Counties Won in Presidential Election Doesn’t Determine Outcome
Democrats tend to win in densely populated counties, while Republicans win more sparse, rural counties. In 2020, the counties won by President Joe Biden had 67 million more residents than counties won by former President Donald Trump. Yet a social media post falsely asserts that because Biden won with fewer counties than Trump, “something isn’t adding up.”
FactChecking the First GOP Debate
Eight Republicans kicked off the 2024 presidential election debates in Milwaukee.
Viral Video Repeats Bogus Claim About Vaccines and Visible Ailments
A video repeating the claim that COVID-19 vaccines are responsible for the sudden onset of various visible ailments — such as fainting and facial paralysis — is making the rounds, again. But, just like the other, similar posts we’ve addressed, there’s no support for this one, either.
Pfizer Facility Damaged in Tornado Didn’t Produce COVID-19 Vaccines
No COVID-19 vaccines were affected by the tornado that damaged Pfizer’s North Carolina warehouse, which doesn’t produce the vaccines. But some misinformation spreaders are claiming vaccines were destroyed.
False Claim About Cause of Autism Highlighted on Pennsylvania Senate Panel
Studies have found the rate of autism is the same in vaccinated and unvaccinated children. But the false claim that vaccines are associated with the disorder persists. A prominent spreader of COVID-19 misinformation wrongly told legislators in Pennsylvania that autism is virtually nonexistent among the unvaccinated, citing the Amish population.
Posts Misleadingly Equate Gun Case Against Hunter Biden With Rapper Kodak Black
Hunter Biden, who has no prior criminal history, has reached a plea deal that would avoid jail time for a gun-related charge. Some conservative commentators claim the president’s son is getting special treatment, misleadingly equating his case with one involving a rapper who had a criminal record before getting a 46-month sentence for two gun-related charges.
Posts Make False Claim About Cause of Gender Dysphoria
Recent research suggests that gender dysphoria is likely caused by a combination of factors, including hormone exposure before birth. But social media posts make the baseless claim that it could be caused by a vaccine containing DNA from an aborted fetus of the opposite sex. There is no scientific evidence for such a claim, experts said.