The Republican field meets for its final debate of 2015.
FactChecking the Fifth GOP Debate
Issues: terrorism
Americans on Terrorist Watch Lists
This week’s fact-checking video by CNN’s Jake Tapper reviews Sen. Marco Rubio’s claim about the U.S. government’s terrorist watch lists.
Ted Kennedy and the No-Fly List Myth
Several Republican presidential candidates cite Ted Kennedy as a reason why they oppose President Obama’s proposal to block the sale of guns to known or suspected terrorists on the no-fly list. But the TSA says it’s a “myth” that Kennedy was on the no-fly list.
Rubio Wrong on Terrorist List
Sen. Marco Rubio vastly overstated the number of Americans on government terrorist watch lists. He said there are “700,000 Americans on some watch list,” but the number is actually in the tens of thousands.
Trump’s bin Laden ‘Prediction’
Donald Trump exaggerates his prescience on the 9/11 terrorist attacks when he claims he “predicted Osama bin Laden” in a 2000 book.
Sanders on Climate Link to Terrorism
Sen. Bernie Sanders went too far with his debate claim that “climate change is directly related to the growth of terrorism.”
Biden on Bin Laden, Take 2
Vice president Biden now says that he privately advised President Obama to approve the raid that killed Osama bin Laden. That’s different from what Biden and Obama said in 2012.
Cruz Misquotes Clapper on Refugees
Ted Cruz misrepresented the words of the U.S. national intelligence director, claiming that James Clapper “said among those [Syrian] refugees are no doubt a significant number of ISIS terrorists.” Clapper didn’t say that.
Paul Distorts Islamic Views of Bombings
Sen. Rand Paul said “20 percent of the Islamic public in England” thought the 2005 subway bombings in London “were okay.” That’s inaccurate. Twenty percent expressed sympathy for the “feelings and motives” of the bombers, but only 1 percent thought the bombing was “right.”
Graham Wrong on 9/11 Visas, Again
Sen. Lindsey Graham incorrectly claimed that “all the hijackers who attacked — attacked us on 9/11 were visa overstays.” Two of the 19 hijackers were in the U.S. on expired visas as of Sept. 11, 2001, according to the 9/11 Commission.