'Biden's Numbers' Are on the Ballot

As everyone knows, President Joe Biden isn’t running for reelection. But his record will still be on the ballot in the fall.

With that in mind, voters might want to check out our latest update to the quarterly reports we call "Biden's Numbers."

As always, this fact-packed feature contains data that confirms and dispels some common talking points. 

Despite economists warning for years of an "inevitable" recession, the U.S. economy has continued to expand under Biden.

Just yesterday, the Bureau of Economic Analysis reported that real (inflation adjusted) gross domestic product grew at 2.8% in the second quarter — double the rate of growth in the first quarter.

And while Republicans at their convention earlier this month talked about "dramatic increases" in crime, murders and violent crimes are down under Biden. 

And, although Biden says wages are up and inflation is down, the fact is that the Consumer Price Index has risen 19.2% since he took office and inflation-adjusted wages are down 2.3%.  

For more about these and other topics, read the full story, "Biden's Numbers, July 2024 Update."

Reader: Is it true that Netflix donated $7 million to the Harris campaign?

FactCheck.org Staff Writer D'Angelo Gore: No, Netflix has not donated $7 million to Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign. Corporations are prohibited from donating directly to candidates for federal office.

However, Reed Hastings, the co-founder and executive chairman of Netflix, reportedly told technology and business publication The Information that he recently contributed that much to a super PAC supporting Harris for president.

Super PACs are also barred from donating to a candidate's campaign, but they "may raise unlimited sums of money from corporations, unions, associations and individuals, then spend unlimited sums to overtly advocate for or against political candidates," according to OpenSecrets, a nonpartisan group that tracks money in politics.

According to the news report, Hastings said that it was the largest donation he has ever made in support of a single candidate. Earlier this month, in an email to the New York Times, Hastings encouraged President Joe Biden to end his reelection campaign "to allow a vigorous Democratic leader" to go up against former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, in the general election.

After Biden exited the race, and Harris secured the support of enough Democratic delegates to receive the party's nomination for president, Hastings posted on X: "Congrats to Kamala Harris -- now it is time to win."

Wrapping Up

Here's what else we've got for you this week:

• "FactChecking Vance’s Attacks on Harris": In his first two solo rallies as the Republicans’ vice presidential nominee, Sen. JD Vance took aim at Vice President Kamala Harris. But in several instances, Vance twisted Harris’ words or her record.
• "FactChecking Vice President Kamala Harris": In about 48 hours, Vice President Kamala Harris went from No. 2 on the Democratic presidential ticket to the presumptive presidential nominee, after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race and endorsed her. Here, we fact-check some of Harris’ recent speeches — before and after Biden dropped out.
• "Experts: Delegates Free to Pick Democratic Nominee": Election law experts say House Speaker Mike Johnson is wrong when he says it is “unlawful” for Democrats to “simply just switch out a candidate who has been chosen through the … democratic process.” 
• "Posts Misrepresent States’ Efforts to Teach the Bible in Public Schools": Oklahoma’s state superintendent ordered public schools to incorporate the Bible as “an instructional support into the curriculum.” But social media posts have shared the inaccurate claim that “Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana all ordered that the Bible be taught in public schools.” Louisiana and Texas haven’t issued such an order. 
• "Misinformation Swirls After Attempted Assassination": Conspiracy theories and misinformation on social media began clouding coverage of the July 13 attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump almost immediately after it happened. We addressed several of those claims. 
• "Online Rumors Baselessly Claim Biden Experienced Medical Emergency After COVID-19 Diagnosis": President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID-19 on July 17. His symptoms remained mild and have since resolved, according to his treating physician. But fueled by days without a public sighting and Biden’s decision to drop out of the presidential race, social media posts have baselessly claimed that Biden was gravely ill or had a medical emergency.

• "Verificando a la vicepresidenta Kamala Harris": En aproximadamente 48 horas, la vicepresidenta Kamala Harris pasó de ser la número 2 en la lista en la boleta presidencial demócrata a ser la presunta candidata presidencial, después de que el presidente Joe Biden abandonara la carrera y la respaldara. A continuación, verificamos algunos de los discursos recientes de Harris, antes y después de que Biden se retirara.
• "Verificación de la última noche de la Convención Republicana": Verificamos el discurso del expresidente Donald Trump aceptando la nominación de su partido. 
• "Verificación de la tercera noche de la Convención Nacional Republicana": El recién seleccionado compañero de fórmula del expresidente Donald Trump, JD Vance, aceptó la nominación a la vicepresidencia del Partido Republicano en la tercera noche de la Convención Nacional Republicana, la cual incluyó afirmaciones sobre la economía, la inmigración y la política exterior.