Breaking Battlegrounds comprehensive fact check moves on to questions about Trump’s opposition to the 2020 election result and foreign policy where, for the second straight segment, Kamala Harris could not find even one single truth to tell…
Q6) DAVID MUIR: “Mr. President, thank you. Vice President Harris, you heard the president there tonight. He said he didn’t say that he lost by a whisker. So he still believes he did not lose the election. That was won by President Biden and yourself. But I do want to ask you about something that’s come up in the last couple of days. This was a post from President Trump about this upcoming election just weeks away. He said, “When I win, those people who cheated,” and then he lists donors, voters, election officials, he says “Will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, which will include long-term prison sentences.” One of your campaign’s top lawyers responded saying, “We won’t let Donald Trump intimidate us. We won’t let him suppress the vote.” Is that what you believe he’s trying to do here?”
Harris: “But we cannot afford to have a president of the United States who attempts as he did in the past to upend the will of the voters in a free and fair election.”
FACT CHECK: Trump questioned the results of the election. He filed lawsuits where even judges he appointed ruled against him. Does that amount to ‘upend(ing) the will of the voters?’ Plenty of Democrats have done the same thing, including Hillary Clinton in 2016. Either they are both (all) guilty of trying to overturn elections, or none of them are.
Verdict: Deceptive. Also, of note, Harris entirely avoid the elements of the question about prosecuting opponents – which isn’t a good omen for a Harris Presidency given the politicization of the Justice Dept under Biden/Harris.
Harris: “And I’m going to tell you that I have traveled the world as vice president of the United States. And world leaders are laughing at Donald Trump.”
FACT CHECK: There’s no real way to fact check this, but…really? They’re laughing at Trump after four years of Joe Biden’s dementia and Harris’ demented cackling?
Verdict: Don’t make us laugh.
Q7) LINSEY DAVIS: “Turning now to the Israel-Hamas war and the hostages who are still being held, Americans among them. Vice President Harris, in December you said, “Israel has a right to defend itself” but you added, “It matters how.” Saying international humanitarian law must be respected, Israel must do more to protect innocent civilians. You said that nine months ago. Now an estimated 40,000 Palestinians are dead. Nearly 100 hostages remain. Just last week Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there’s not a deal in the making. President Biden has not been able to break through the stalemate. How would you do it?”
Harris: “Well, let’s understand how we got here. On Oct. 7, Hamas, a terrorist organization, slaughtered 1,200 Israelis. Many of them young people who were simply attending a concert. Women were horribly raped. And so absolutely, I said then, I say now, Israel has a right to defend itself. We would. And how it does so matters. Because it is also true far too many innocent Palestinians have been killed.”
FACT CHECK: While a generally bland statement, recognizing Hamas as a terrorist organization and asserting that Israel has a right to defend itself are massive departures from Harris’ previously held stances – the ones from 8 weeks ago. Harris has a lengthy history of anti-Israel rhetoric, and has called pro-terrorist campus protestors are “showing exactly what the human emotion should be”. A better hint to her true (unchanged) position on Israel is her attempt to call out the IDF for overly high civilian casualties. Israel has done more than any nation in history to prevent civilian casualties in their conflict – resulting in a civilian death rate far lower than in U.S. and NATO allied operations.
Verdict: Deceptive
Harris: “What we know is that this war must end. It must when, end immediately, and the way it will end is we need a cease-fire deal and we need the hostages out. And so we will continue to work around the clock on that. Work around the clock also understanding that we must chart a course for a two-state solution.”
FACT CHECK: The Biden/Harris administration proposed a deal that would require Israel to withdraw from Gaza, end the conflict, and release hundreds or thousands of Hamas terrorists on a promise that Hamas would then release “some” hostages. Both sides rejected the proposal. As for a two state solution, per NBC News, “Support for “armed struggle” dropped by 17 points, from 63% to 46%, driven largely by Palestinians in Gaza, and Gazan support for a diplomatic two-state solution has jumped by 27 points — to 62%.”
Verdict: Deceptive as it refutes lifelong positions Harris has held, and the increase of support for a two state solution among Gazans indicates pretty clearly that Israel is on the right track in attempting to crush Hamas before long term options are considered.
Harris: “I will always give Israel the ability to defend itself, in particular as it relates to Iran and any threat that Iran and its proxies pose to Israel.”
FACT CHECK: The Biden/Harris administration withheld armaments in an attempt to force Israel into a unilateral ceasefire.
Verdict: Deceptive. Harris’ most recent statement has to be weighed against past statements on Israel and the actions of the Biden/Harris administration.
Harris: “I have my entire career and life supported Israel and the Israeli people.”
FACT CHECK: As noted above, Harris has a lengthy history of anti-Israel statements, she has no history of pro-Israel statements.
Verdict: False. This is an abject lie.
Harris: “…it is very well known that Donald Trump is weak and wrong on national security and foreign policy.”
FACT CHECK: This might be a “very well known” talking point among foreign policy wonks who have gotten every single call since the Korean War wrong, but it is empirically false. Since Biden/Harris took over from Trump, the current administration botched the Aghan withdrawal, Russia invaded Ukraine, China started threatening Taiwan, North Korea resumed firing nuclear-capable rockets, Hamas attacked Israel, Hezbollah attacked Israel, and with billions in money newly handed to them by Biden/Harris, Iran went back to funding attacks on U.S. personnel and trade around the world. None of that was happening with Trump in office.
Verdict: False. Trump left the world a safer place, Biden and Harris have made it more dangerous.
Harris: “It is well known that he admires dictators, wants to be a dictator on day one according to himself. It is well known that he said of Putin that he can do whatever the hell he wants and go into Ukraine. It is well known when that he said when Russia went into Ukraine it was brilliant. It is well known he exchanged love letters with Kim Jong un. And it is absolutely well known that these dictators and autocrats are rooting for you to be president again because they’re so clear, they can manipulate you with flattery and favors.”
FACT CHECK: Trump engaged in diplomacy with people like Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin that resulted in significant de-escalations of their anti-U.S. actions and rhetoric. The Biden/Harris administration has overseen a worldwide escalation of tensions. Trump did not say he wanted to be a dictator, he was referencing wanting to take stronger actions than the office permits on the border and oil drilling As to Trump’s comment about letting Putin “do whatever the hell they want,” it was in context of demanding NATO leaders meet their obligations in terms of NATO funding, you can see the clip here. Trump did not exchange “love letters” with Kim Jong Un – he posted a public diplomatic missive. And Vladimir Putin far prefers dealing with Democrats than Donald Trump
Verdict: FalseX4
Summary: 5 lies, 4 deceptions, 0 truths…Harris got less and less honest as the debate wore along
Running Kamala Harris “Truth Tally”
30 lies
9 deceptive answers
14 truths, 6 of the deceptive variety
ABC Moderator Fact Check Scorecard: Lies 1 – Truth 1
Note: the opinions expressed herein are those of Sam Stone only and not his co-host Chuck Warren or Breaking Battlegrounds’ staff.
