Biden campaign: Castro ‘got the facts wrong’

Joe Biden’s campaign said in an email to supporters Friday that former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro “got the facts wrong” when he accused the former vice president of forgetting details on his own health care plan in the latest Democratic debate.

“Last night’s debates was full of great moments. But one moment that left us stunned was when Secretary Castro took a cheap shot at Joe,” the Biden campaign’s fundraising email said. “Not only was it a low blow, but Secretary Castro got the facts wrong!”

“Joe Biden’s health care plan will give every American access to affordable health care by building and expanding on Obamacare,” the campaign added. “Joe passed Obamacare the first time. That’s why we trust him to get the job done now.”{mosads}

Asked about the Biden campaign email, Castro spokesperson Sawyer Hackett maintained in a statement to The Hill that “Vice President Biden not only mischaracterized his own health care plan, but misremembered his own comments about it two minutes earlier.”

“If the Vice President can’t handle fair criticism during a Democratic primary debate, how can voters trust him to take on Donald Trump?” Hackett added. 

Castro’s campaign also fundraised off of the viral moment with an email that said, “I could either play it safe and give Vice President Biden a free pass like everyone else. Or I could speak up, challenge the conversation, and demand answers for you and your family.”

The exchange, which drew gasps from the crowd, came amid discussions of whether the Affordable Care Act should be expanded and improved or scrapped in favor of a “Medicare for All” option.

“The difference between what I support and what you support, Vice President Biden, is that you require them to opt in, and I would not require them to opt in. They would automatically be enrolled,” Castro said. 

“They do not have to buy in,” Biden responded.

“You just said that two minutes ago — you just said two minutes ago that they would have to buy in,” Castro said as the men shouted over each other. “Are you forgetting what you said two minutes ago?” 

Other 2020 Democratic contenders also criticized Castro for the remarks.

“It feels like something that Donald Trump might tweet,” Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) told CNN, adding that the attack was “so personal and so unnecessary.”