Will Democracy Survive

Fact checking Trump and Kamala

Two days later, Anni and Jess found themselves at their usual spot in the coffee shop, the familiar hum of conversation around them as they settled into their seats. The Democratic National Convention had wrapped up, and Kamala Harris's acceptance speech was still fresh in their minds.

"So, what did you think of Kamala's speech?" Jess asked, stirring her coffee.

Anni took a sip of her drink, mulling over her thoughts. "It was powerful, but like every political speech, it wasn't without its stretches of the truth. But, compared to Trump and the RNC, I think her focus on unity stood out. Trump's rhetoric during the RNC felt more divisive, don't you think?"

Jess nodded. "Definitely. Both conventions had their share of falsehoods, but the tone was so different. Kamala seemed determined to bring the country together, while Trump seemed more interested in stoking the flames."

"Exactly," Anni agreed. "If you've been keeping a scorecard, Kamala made 12 misleading or lacking-in-context claims in her acceptance speech, while Trump made 162 misstatements, exaggerations, and outright lies in his acceptance speech."

Jess leaned back in her chair, thinking. "I was happy to see Kamala bring up Trump's connections to Project 2025. Trump's been trying to distance himself from it, saying it's too extreme even for him. Which is ironic, considering how many of his former administration officials are involved in it. It's like he wants to have it both ways—disavow the project publicly but keep those connections close."

"That's Trump for you," Anni said with a smirk. "But some of the claims during the DNC were really hard-hitting, like the one from Mark Kelly about Trump calling fallen soldiers 'suckers and losers.' That's such a loaded accusation."

Jess sighed. "It is, and while it hasn't been definitively proven, it's the kind of thing that sticks in people's minds. Trump denies it, of course, but there were sources who confirmed it. It's one of those things where the truth might never be fully known, but the damage is done."

Jess looked down at her drink, swirling it in the cup. "And then there's Amy Klobuchar praising Tim Walz for the biggest tax cut in Minnesota history. Sure, he's done a lot of good, but calling it the biggest tax cut feels like a stretch. The critics are right—it's more about income redistribution than an actual tax cut."

Anni chuckled. "Politics as usual, right? It's all about how you spin the story. But you know, what really stood out to me was Clinton's bit about job creation since the end of the Cold War. His math might be technically right, but it's not the whole story. There were so many factors at play, and recessions under Republican presidents weren't necessarily their fault."

"True," Jess said. "But Clinton was smart in how he framed it. It's all about the narrative. Still, it makes you wonder how much of what we hear is really accurate and how much is just spin."

Anni nodded thoughtfully. "Did you see Trump's criticism of Kamala's acceptance speech?"

"Yes, I did," Jess replied. "Trump said that Kamala is going to give all illegals citizenship, 'Say goodbye to the U.S.A.! She is a radical Marxist!' But what she actually said during her speech was that she would support a bipartisan border bill on immigration. There is nothing in the text of the bill that would give all undocumented immigrants automatic American citizenship. While Harris mentioned that pathways to citizenship should exist, this does not equate to automatic citizenship for those in the country illegally."

Jess continued, "And then Trump started talking about his legal troubles: 'These prosecutions were all started by her and Biden against their political opponent, ME!' But the White House has nothing to do with the cases brought against him. The four current criminal cases were brought by the New York state court, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Georgia state court, and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, respectively."

Anni sighed. "It's all part of the game. Both sides stretch the truth to fit their agendas. Kamala's speech had its moments of truth, but there were also moments where she stretched things to make her case stronger. And Trump, well, he's mastered the art of spin and deception."

"The problem," Anni continued, "is that every misstatement, exaggeration, or lie that Kamala or Trump makes will be pointed out and reported on by news agencies like NPR. But agencies like Fox and Newsmax will drone on hour after hour about what Kamala said while completely ignoring Trump's lies and exaggerations, giving their viewers the impression that everything Trump says is sacred."

Jess grimaced, "Speaking of things that are sacred, did you read about Trump turning something as sacred as honoring our fallen troops at Arlington National Cemetery with a wreath-laying ceremony into a photo op? Arlington officials had made it clear that only cemetery staff members would be authorized to take photographs or film in the area, known as Section 60 where recent U.S. casualties are buried. When the cemetery official tried to prevent Trump campaign staff from entering Section 60, Trump's campaign staff verbally abused and pushed the official aside."

Anni replied, "That is truly disgusting. Trump values how he appears in front of the cameras above our fallen troops."

Jess nodded. "I think it's up to us to sift through it all, figure out what's real and what's just noise, and make anyone who is willing to listen aware of what's going on."

"Exactly," Anni said, raising her cup. "Here's to staying informed and keeping our eyes open."

They clinked their cups together, a small gesture of solidarity in a world of political spin.

To follow up on the incident, the Army has come out with a statement:

The U.S. Army said an employee at Arlington National Cemetery who tried to "ensure adherence" to rules that prohibit political activities at the cemetery "was abruptly pushed aside," but that the employee decided not to press charges against the Trump campaign staffers who allegedly pushed her.

"Participants in the August 26th ceremony and the subsequent Section 60 visit were made aware of federal laws, Army regulations and DoD policies, which clearly prohibit political activities on cemetery grounds," the statement said. "An ANC employee who attempted to ensure adherence to these rules was abruptly pushed aside. Consistent with the decorum expected at ANC, this employee acted with professionalism and avoided further disruption. The incident was reported to the JBM-HH police department, but the employee subsequently decided not to press charges. Therefore, the Army considers this matter closed."

https://www.npr.org/2024/08/29/nx-s1-5092087/trump-arlington-cemetery-altercation-video

https://www.npr.org/2024/08/25/g-s1-19480/harris-dnc-fact-check

https://www.npr.org/2024/08/11/nx-s1-5070566/trump-news-conference

https://www.npr.org/2024/08/27/nx-s1-5091154/trump-arlington-cemetery