CBS News is fact checking some of the statements made by speakers during the 2024 Democratic National Convention, which is taking place in Chicago through Thursday, Aug. 22.
The convention began with unity as the theme, and the featured speakers Monday are President Biden and former Secretary of State and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, and a host of others.
Some of the comments that CBS Newsâ Confirmed team fact checked involved Democratsâ comments about GOP nominee Donald Trumpâs record as president, as well as the Biden administrationâs record.
CBS News is covering the DNC live.
Fact check on Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguezâs claim that Trump promses âto terminate the Affordable Care Actâ: Misleading
Details: In 2016, former President Donald Trump promised to repeal and replace the nationâs health care law, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), if elected. During his presidency, he backed attempts by Republicans to repeal parts of the law while carrying over other parts.
In this election cycle, Trump has continued to criticize the law but has said he doesnât support terminating all of its policies outright. In November, Trump said he intends to âreplaceâ the Affordable Care Act with another package of health reforms.
In March, he said that he was ânot running to terminate the ACAâ but instead to make it better and cheaper.
By Alexander Tin, Amelia Donhauser
Fact check on California Rep. Robert Garciaâs claim that Trump âtold us to inject bleach into our bodiesâ: False
Details: In an April 2020 White House news briefing with members of the governmentâs coronavirus task force, Trump, who was then president, speculated about combating COVID-19 by injecting disinfectant into the body. He suggested doctors should study this possibility, but he did not tell people to inject bleach into their bodies.
âI see the disinfectant, where it knocks it out in a minute, one minute,â Trump said. âAnd is there a way we can do something like that â by injection inside or almost a cleaning â because you see it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs, so itâd be interesting to check that, so that youâre going to have to use medical doctors with, but it sounds interesting to me.â
The White House later said Trumpâs comments were taken out of context. A day later, Trump told reporters that he was being sarcastic when he raised the possibility of injecting disinfectants.
âI was asking a question sarcastically to reporters like you just to see what would happen,â he said.
By Amelia Donhauser
Fact check on Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbinâs claim that the U.S. economy added 16 million jobs during the Biden administration: True, but needs context
Details: Under President Biden, the U.S. economy has added more than 15.8 million jobs, according to July data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
However, itâs important to note that the number includes roughly 9 million jobs that were lost during the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S. economy under Mr. Biden has seen an increase of approximately 6.4 million jobs above February 2020 levels, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
By comparison, 6.7 million jobs were created in the first three years of former President Donald Trumpâs term between January 2017 and February 2020, before the pandemic left Trump with record job losses.
By Laura Doan