This is the second part of Breaking Battlegrounds’ complete fact check of Kamala Harris’s debate performance. Since David Muir and Kamala’s sorority sister, Linsey Davis, decided to fact-check only Donald Trump—and, as we show, did so erroneously—we are bringing you the most complete breakdown of the truth and lies behind Kamala’s lines.
If you missed Part 1, you can find it here.
Q1) Economy (Follow up to first question: Are you better off than you were four years ago?)
Harris: “Donald Trump left us the worst unemployment since the Great Depression.”
FACT CHECK: In December of 2020, the unemployment rate was 6.7%. As the same chart shows, in October of 2009 the unemployment rate was 10%. At the peak of the Great Depression, unemployment was 25.6%
VERDICT: False. Additionally, as the BLS data shows, prior to Covid the unemployment rate under President Donald Trump was 3.5%, which is tied for the lowest unemployment rate since 1952.
Harris: “Donald Trump left us the worst public health epidemic in a century.”
FACT CHECK: By December 2020, the Covid panic was mostly over in red states, and still in full swing for political and government spending purposes in blue states and federal agencies. However, based on mortality figures (and these are somewhat dubious given the financial incentive for hospitals to declare everyone a covid patient), Covid was the deadliest communicable disease of the last 100 years, but only because the Spanish Flu outbreak ended 101 years earlier.
VERDICT: Deceptive. While technically true, blaming Trump for the deadly experiment and containment failures conducted by China and funded by the Anthony Fauci / Francis Collins-led National Institute of Health (NIH) is more than a stretch.
Harris: “Donald Trump left us the worst attack on our democracy since the Civil War.”
FACT CHECK: The debate was on September 10th, a day before the anniversary of 9/11. The events of January 6th were embarrassing. Trump would have been well advised to hold a rally anywhere but Washington that day. However, the idea that a handful of unarmed people throwing a public conniption fit is a threat to our Democracy is hyperbolic – more campaign talking point, less actual threat.
VERDICT: Neither True or False. Harris’ statement is one of opinion, rather than fact. We at Breaking Battlegrounds disagree, but that – also – is just our opinion.
Harris: “What you’re going to hear tonight is a detailed and dangerous plan called Project 2025 that the former president intends on implementing if he were elected again.”
FACT CHECK: Project 2025 is a policy platform developed by The Heritage Foundation, and is not part of Donald Trump’s platform. Trump has repeatedly clarified that he is not involved with Project 2025.
VERDICT: False. This is a clear and obvious lie being repeated by Democrats and Leftstream Media who know they’re lying.
Harris: “So, Donald Trump has no plan for you. And when you look at his economic plan, it’s all about tax breaks for the richest people.”
FACT CHECK: Trump’s economic plan is far more detailed than Harris’. Additionally, government data shows that Trump’s economic record in the first three years of his term (pre-covid), included the largest gains for low-and-middle income earners in decades, and the relative tax burden on the top 1% of earners increased.
VERDICT: False
Harris: “I am offering what I describe as an opportunity economy, and the best economists in our country, if not the world, have reviewed our relative plans for the future of America. What Goldman Sachs has said is that Donald Trump’s plan would make the economy worse. Mine would strengthen the economy. What the Wharton School has said is Donald Trump’s plan would actually explode the deficit. Sixteen Nobel laureates have described his economic plan as something that would increase inflation and by the middle of next year would invite a recession.”
FACT CHECK: Goldman Sachs did indeed put out a statement backing Harris’ economic plan over Trump’s (At the time Harris hadn’t actually announced any specific plans, but we digress). The Wharton School itself did not endorse Harris’ plan, but one of their professors runs a federal budget model that does. Some Nobel Laureates have likewise endorsed the Harris plans they didn’t see.
VERDICT: Mostly True. Harris was accurate in her statements of support, however it is worth noting that Keynesian economists, like the ones supporting Harris, have a horrific track record of spreading poverty throughout the world, Goldman Sachs only exists because of Democrat bailouts, and the Wharton School is part of Penn – one of the epicenters of modern leftist nonsense. Take all that for what you will.
Harris (Responding to Trump on China Tariffs): “Well, let’s be clear that the Trump administration resulted in a trade deficit, one of the highest we’ve ever seen in the history of America.”
FACT CHECK: From 2016 to 2020, the US Trade Deficit grew from $503 billion to $626 billion, however, as a percentage of GDP, the deficit was higher from 2002 to 2008 (by almost double). Additionally, as the same chart shows, the deficit has EXPLODED under Biden / Harris, increasing by 50% in just the first two years of their administration.
VERDICT: False and Deceptive. You can’t bash another administration’s record on trade when yours is 50% worse than theirs.
Harris: “He invited trade wars, you wanna talk about his deal with China what he ended up doing is under Donald Trump’s presidency he ended up selling American chips to China to help them improve and modernize their military “
FACT CHECK: Trump began what is quickly becoming a Semiconductor War with China in 2017 when he barred the sale of Lattice Semiconductor to Chinese interests. Biden / Harris have expanded on Trump’s efforts to reign in Chinese access to advanced semiconductor technology. Thus, it would be fair to say that the Biden / Harris administration has taken stronger steps (with the help of a bipartisan Congress in passing the CHIPs Act) in regards to China’s access to U.S. and Taiwanese semiconductor tech, but there is ZERO evidence that Trump did anything to aid China’s military modernization.
VERDICT: False
Harris: “What Donald Trump did let’s talk about this with COVID, is he actually thanked President XI for what he did during COVID. Look at his tweet. “Thank you, President XI,” exclamation point. When we know that XI was responsible for lacking and not giving us transparency about the origins of COVID.”
FACT CHECK: Trump did send that tweet, on January 24, 2020, about six weeks before the World Health Organization declared the disease a pandemic, and at a time when China was claiming to have taken extraordinary measures to stop the spread of the disease.
VERDICT: Deceptive. Yes, Trump sent the tweet, which at the time was nothing more than good diplomacy.
Summary: Harris’s responses to follow ups on the economy produced 5 lies, 2 deceptive statements, and one that was mostly true (but still deceptive).
Running Kamala Harris “Truth Tally”
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9 lies
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3 deceptive statements
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3 truths, 2 of the deceptive variety
Note: the opinions expressed herein are those of Sam Stone only and not his co-host Chuck Warren or Breaking Battlegrounds’ staff.
