Democratic Debate: Fact Check

In practice that legislation benefits the remaining 20 percent because 80 percent already have health insurance. A more accurate number would not be to cite every one of the 20,000 members of the California National Guard and Reserves, but the 20 percent who actually benefit from the program, more like 4,000.

(ABC News Photo Illustration)

Clinton's campaign underlines that she literally claimed that her legislation gave the 20,000 National Guard and Reserve members "access to health care" — not health insurance — and that since the law could in theory apply to any of them, what she said was factual.

Overstating Support

Obama inflated figures as well. Speaking of how both he and Clinton were bringing new voters into the process, he said, "In Iowa, about 60 percent of those new voters voted for me."

That's inaccurate. About 60 percent of those voting in Iowa were first-time caucus goers and around 40 percent of them voted for Obama.

On the subject of illegal immigration, Obama also said Thursday night that he believes "we do have to crack down on those employers that are taking advantage of the situation."

That seems to contradict his previous position. Asked in a 2004 questionnaire, "Should the government crack down on businesses that hire illegal immigrants as major part of overhaul?" Obama answered "Oppose."

Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton explained that his boss' position has evolved because of the advent of "tamper-proof electronic employment verification systems" that would make cracking down on businesses that hire illegal immigrants a more realistic option.

"Those employers have never been given the necessary tools to distinguish which workers are legally here and which are not," Burton said, explaining that Obama has tried to take the lead on the new technology during congressional debates over illegal immigration.