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Video livestream, live fact-checking of first 2020 presidential debate

Elections National
debate preview photo
A person gestures while taking the stage during a rehearsal ahead of the first presidential debate. (AP)
By PolitiFact Staff
September 29, 2020

UPDATE: See our fact-checks from the first debate here. 

PolitiFact is partnering with WRAL, our PolitiFact North Carolina affiliate, to present a live stream with live fact-checking of the first presidential debate. You can watch the feed below starting at 9 p.m. ET for live fact-checking. 

If you prefer to follow along with PolitiFact’s coverage without the live TV feed, click here.

Our Sources

Listed in the live stream

Browse the Truth-O-Meter

More by PolitiFact Staff
Donald Trump
stated on December 8, 2021 in an interview with Hugh Hewitt:
Gas prices were “$1.86 when I left” the White House.
False
By PolitiFact Staff • December 8, 2021
Louise Slaughter
stated on September 5, 2017 in a tweet:
Rescinding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program “will harm our economy.”
True
By PolitiFact Staff • September 10, 2017
Bloggers
stated on March 2, 2017 in a headline:
“Doctors who discovered cancer enzymes in vaccines all found murdered.”
Pants on Fire!
By PolitiFact Staff • April 4, 2017
David Menchetti
stated on November 28, 2016 in testimony before the Illinois House Labor and Commerce Committee:
“The causation standard in Indiana is exactly the same as it is in Illinois.”
True
By PolitiFact Staff • December 19, 2016
Kasim Reed
stated on September 16, 2016 in a White House press conference:
“If you look at any real analysis,” the Trans-Pacific Partnership is “going to generate better-paying jobs that are more stable.”
Half-True
By PolitiFact Staff • September 30, 2016
Kasim Reed
stated on November 17, 2015 in press release:
While the smoking rate nationally has fallen, more than 18 percent of Georgians still light up.  
Mostly True
By PolitiFact Staff • November 30, 2015
NextGen Climate Action Committee
stated on August 8, 2014 in a campaign ad:
Says Rick Scott “is letting Duke (Energy) keep collecting billions” despite troubled power plants.
Half-True
By PolitiFact Staff • August 13, 2014
Georgia Department of Transportation
stated on July 19, 2011 in a press release:
The Northwest Corridor highway project in Cobb and Cherokee counties “is expected to create over 9,700 jobs statewide.”
False
By PolitiFact Staff • August 10, 2011
Republican National Committee
stated on June 5, 2008 in in a news release:
Obama couldn’t have afforded his home without Rezko’s help.
False
By PolitiFact Staff • June 17, 2008

Video livestream, live fact-checking of first 2020 presidential debate

Clear
Josh Stein
stated on October 20, 2026 in an X post:
In North Carolina, “thousands more absentee ballots (are) being rejected this election — at a rejection rate twice as high as in 2022.”
Mostly False
By Paul Specht • October 23, 2026
WinSenate
stated on October 19, 2026 in an ad:
“After just five years in Washington,” Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson is “$8 million richer.”
Mostly False
By Caleb McCullough • October 23, 2026
X posts
stated on October 21, 2026 in X posts:
This video shows a former James Talarico student accusing him of misconduct.
Pants on Fire!
By Jeff Cercone • October 22, 2026
Club for Growth Action
stated on September 14, 2026 in an ad:
U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor “repeatedly” violated “a law aimed at stopping members of Congress from insider trading.”
Mostly False
By Loreben Tuquero • October 22, 2026
Kelly Ayotte
stated on August 23, 2026 in an ad:
New Hampshire Democratic governor candidate Cinde Warmington “was a Purdue Pharma lobbyist. She said that OxyContin was a miracle drug.”
True
By Louis Jacobson • October 22, 2026
JD Vance
stated on October 17, 2026 in un foro con votantes de CBS News:
“La razón principal por la que los precios de la gasolina están tan altos es porque cuando Joe Biden era presidente, alrededor del 20% de la capacidad de refinación estadounidense dejó de operar”.
False
By Louis Jacobson • October 21, 2026
Roger Marshall
stated on October 16, 2026 in an interview with Sean Hannity:
Kansas U.S. Senate candidate Adam Hamilton “wants to shut down the beef industry.”
False
By Amy Sherman • October 20, 2026
Ashley Moody
stated on October 6, 2026 in a TV ad:
Florida U.S. Senate candidate Angie Nixon “backed a $4 trillion tax hike on everyone in this diner,” including a server and older adults.
Half-True
By Maria Briceño • October 20, 2026
Mike Rogers
stated on October 18, 2026 in an interview:
Michigan U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed “didn’t disavow” the Muslim Brotherhood.
False
By Caleb McCullough • October 19, 2026
JD Vance
stated on October 17, 2026 in a CBS News town hall:
“The biggest reason why gas prices are so high is because when Joe Biden was president, we had about 20% of American refining capacity that went offline.”
False
By Louis Jacobson • October 19, 2026
Social Media
stated on October 12, 2026 in an image:
If an election worker writes anything on your ballot before you put it in the voting machine, “your ballot could be disqualified.”
False
By Paul Specht • October 16, 2026
Mike Collins
stated on October 13, 2026 in in a debate:
U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff is “all for abortion up until and past birth.”
False
By Maria Briceño • October 16, 2026
Social Media
stated on October 11, 2026 in publicaciones en redes sociales:
Una grabación de audio es prueba de que James Talarico fue dado de alta de un “hospital psiquiátrico” el 10 de octubre.
Pants on Fire!
By Loreben Tuquero • October 16, 2026
Senate Leadership Fund
stated on October 1, 2026 in an ad:
New Hampshire U.S. Senate candidate Chris Pappas “lied about dating an Amazon lobbyist, then voted on bills Amazon lobbied on.”
Mostly False
By Louis Jacobson • October 15, 2026
Senate Leadership Fund
stated on September 28, 2026 in an ad:
“Sherrod Brown supports sex changes for minors. Irreversible surgery on kids. Like me,” Soren Aldaco.
Pants on Fire!
By Loreben Tuquero • October 14, 2026
Mariannette Miller-Meeks
stated on October 2, 2026 in a Facebook post:
“I don’t own a single individual stock.”
True
By Evan Watson • October 14, 2026
Donald Trump
stated on October 2, 2026 in a rally in Alabama:
James Talarico is “a vegan” and “what they don’t show you is that, after every barbecue … he throws up.”
Pants on Fire!
By Amy Sherman, Caleb McCullough • October 13, 2026
X posts
stated on October 11, 2026 in posts:
Audio recording is proof James Talarico was discharged from a “mental hospital” on Oct. 10.
Pants on Fire!
By Loreben Tuquero • October 12, 2026
Amy Acton
stated on September 21, 2026 in a campaign ad:
Vivek Ramaswamy “pushed an Alzheimer’s drug that he knew didn’t work. He made hundreds of millions of dollars scamming people.”
Mostly False
By Cami Henry-Seymore • October 12, 2026
James Talarico
stated on October 6, 2026 in an ad:
Texas Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton voted “to protect puppy abusers.”
Mostly False
By Caleb McCullough • October 12, 2026
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