The three Democratic presidential candidates made misleading claims on health care, energy and guns.
• Sen. Bernie Sanders said his health care plan wouldn’t “tear up” the Affordable Care Act. But he would replace the ACA with an entirely new public insurance system.
• Former secretary of State Hillary Clinton said health care costs were “the lowest they’ve been in 50 years.” Costs have continued to go up, not down, but they have been growing at historically low rates.
• Former Maryland governor Martin O’Malley said Obama “made us more energy independent.” But the rise in domestic oil production, and drop in imports, is due mainly to advances in drilling technology, not government policy.
• Clinton said 1-in-3 black men “may well end up going to prison.” That’s outdated. It’s a projection based on the 2001 incarceration rate for black males that assumed the rate would remain unchanged. In fact, it has declined.
• Clinton said Sanders once “publicly sought someone to run in a primary against” President Obama, while Sanders responded that he “worked as hard as I could to see that [Obama] was reelected.” Sanders did voice some support for a contested primary to push Obama to the left, but there is no evidence he actively sought out an opposition candidate.
• Clinton claimed that Sanders “voted to let guns go onto the Amtrak,” when he voted to allow guns in checked baggage only. She also said he voted for immunity for gun makers and sellers, who had a “total pass.” The legislation included exceptions where lawsuits could still occur.
The Democrats met in Charleston, South Carolina, for the debate, broadcast by NBC.
