At Wednesday night’s debate, if you happen to hear one of the 2020 Democrats moan that someone has brought up a “Republican talking point” or “right-wing talking point,” understand what it means: It’s the code the candidates use when faced with facts they’d rather not address.

During the first primary debate of the season last month, former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro said he was in favor of decriminalizing unauthorized crossings at the border, in effect, rendering the phrase “illegal immigration” obsolete. Asked the next day on CNN how he would respond to someone who would rightfully characterize that position as support “for open borders,” Castro was indignant. “Open borders is a right-wing talking point,” he sniffed. “Nobody has called for open borders. That’s just a right-wing talking point.”