FactCheck.org's 2020 Whoppers Makes False Claims

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FactCheck.org published its "Whoppers of 2020" article which contained 4 whoppers of its own in misleading or false claims of false claims.

Claim 1: False Claims of a “Rigged” Election.

The fact checker claims, again, that no evidence of fraud exists and all claims of fraudulent activity were bogus. We've previously addressed this, essentially debunking the "no evidence" claims in great detail.

Further they fail to mention that most, if not all, cases that were dismissed in court were done so for procedural issues or technicalities and not based on the merits of the cases.

The simple fact is that nobody can claim if there was or wasn't fraud either way at this particular point in time.

Claim 2: Downplaying Coronavirus

FactCheck.org claims Trump downplayed the coronavirus as a positional statement and then cherry-picks multiple occasions of statements made by Trump to support this claim. 

While some of these statements are indeed true. They failed to mention the seriousness Trump expressed in January regarding the coronavirus or the multiple times Trump publicly spoke of its severity.

They insinuate an absolute position of downplaying the virus when that simple is not the case. In fact, the link below is one of the first documents ever signed by Trump regarding COVID-19 which clearly and articulately explains the severity, which is from January and before any example used by FactCheck.org.

Trump 2020 Proclamation

Claim 3: False Criticism of Trump’s COVID-19 Response

FactCheck.org claims that: 

...Biden made the absurd claim that if Trump “ had done his job from the beginning — all the people would still be alive,” adding, “just look at the data.” No research or data supports such a claim. At the time, there had been more than 197,000 deaths from COVID-19 in the United States.

Whereas we do agree with the opinion of this statement being absurd and likely inaccurate, as FactCheck.org then additionally states, Biden did not elaborate.   

Given the lack of Joe Biden's intention or meaning of "done his job from the beginning", it is impossible to know if Joe Biden was misleading people or not. We happen to hold the same opinion that FactCheck.org does, however, an opinion does not make a fact or prove a false claim. 

Moreover, it's certainly not "Whopper of 2020" worthy in our opinion. 

In regards to stating "No research or data supports such a claim."

There actually is data that does support such a claim. China enforced a complete and total lockdown which did indeed end the spread of the virus according to the Chinese government. 

This is not to say that is 100% credible or what Biden meant, it's just to sat that data does exist where it was claimed to be absent.

Two other claims regarding Biden under this section were correct.

Claim 4: Wrong on Ventilators

FactCheck.org claims:

Trump repeatedly made the false claim that he inherited a Strategic National Stockpile with “empty” or “bare” cupboards and that “we weren’t left ventilators by a previous administration.”

 

However, that is a relative opinion of a relative opinion and a false claim of a false claim by default.

Notably, 16,660 units for a population of 331,002,651 does indeed sound a bit on the dry side, however, that would be our relative opinion and just as equally inappropriate as evidence of a falsehood or otherwise.   

Claim 5: Wrong on Hydroxychloroquine

FactCheck.org claims that Trump was wrong on Hydroxychloroquine, however, this hasn't been determined either way. 

Hydroxychloroquine is still approved by the FDA for use in some COVID-19 cases to this day.

Whereas some elements under this claim were indeed accurate, others and it's general statement were not. 

Summary

The FactCheck.org 2020 Whopper article highlights some valid claims, however, also 5 false claims. 

Claim: "The Whoppers of 2020"


Fact Check Verdict:  5 FALSE CLAIMS   5 TRUE CLAIMS 


Claimant: FactCheck.org

 

 

Addition Claimants: Lori Robertson, Eugene Kiely, Jessica McDonald and D'Angelo Gore