Wait … Has hell frozen over?
Nope. But when the media pull a stunt like this, we’ve got no choice but to defend someone who did nothing wrong.
So, what happened? Well, it started with this:
In Greenville, South Carolina, Jeb Bush, arguing against calls for gun control after major tragedy, says, "stuff happens."
— Ryan Lizza (@RyanLizza) October 2, 2015
Boy, Jeb really stepped in it, didn’t he? Talk about gauche. Talk about cold.
.@RyanLizza Can you provide full context of quote? Video or transcript maybe?
— T. Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) October 2, 2015
Pffft. Context, shmontext! All we need to know is that Jeb is a huge jerk who trivializes deadly mass shootings.
@RyanLizza Real quote?
— Amy Sullivan (@sullivanamy) October 2, 2015
@sullivanamy yes
— Ryan Lizza (@RyanLizza) October 2, 2015
@RyanLizza holy cow.
— Amy Sullivan (@sullivanamy) October 2, 2015
@sullivanamy @RyanLizza Is that the obit for his campaign?
— Kenneth Baer (@KennethBaer) October 2, 2015
Lizza sure hopes so!
Of course, would like to hear full context. Did he say, for example, “…stuff happens that…” or just **it happens? https://t.co/QC3PO8k2IG
— T. Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) October 2, 2015
Huge difference between shrugging and saying “stuff happens.” And saying “…stuff happens and let me explain why…” Is there more to this?
— T. Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) October 2, 2015
Regardless of whether there’s more to the full quote, this is going to be clipped and made into a soundbite. And it’ll prob hurt.
— T. Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) October 2, 2015
@BecketAdams dude just put up a post slamming Jeb for it and wait for the context later, maybe over the weekend sometime
— Colin Campbell (@BKcolin) October 2, 2015
Turns out we didn’t have to wait until the weekend for the full context of Jeb’s remarks. No thanks to Lizza, of course.
ABC Breaking News | Latest News Videos
Yeah, Jeb's "stuff happens" remark was taken completely out of context https://t.co/W6SwtSIKjv
— Lachlan Markay (@lachlan) October 2, 2015
.@RyanLizza made it seem as though Bush was asked about Oregon shooting & he just shrugged, "stuff happens." Not so: https://t.co/1jaiFqfVtx
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) October 2, 2015
Are you going to apologize at all for what you did? https://t.co/sBNqgrEXw5
— RBe (@RBPundit) October 2, 2015
Nope. Sorry, guys, but Ryan’s not sorry.
Full "stuff happens" quote: pic.twitter.com/ay2dbLd0Lw
— Ryan Lizza (@RyanLizza) October 2, 2015
Actually, that’s still not the full context of Bush’s remarks.
Want to try one more time, Ryan?
Judge for yourself what Jeb was trying to say. Context is warning about passing gun laws in the wake of a tragedy. pic.twitter.com/0k8yxuEDF8
— Ryan Lizza (@RyanLizza) October 2, 2015
There. Was that so hard?
Ugh, the sloppiness on the @JebBush quote = ridiculous. It's not that long or complicated of a quote. No reason except bias for misreporting
— Sarah Rumpf (@rumpfshaker) October 2, 2015
Bingo.
Judge for yourself how your initial reporting was dishonest. https://t.co/0lhumRyJ9V
— Neal Dewing (@Neal_Dewing) October 2, 2015
In context you look even more dishonest. https://t.co/0lhumRyJ9V
— Neal Dewing (@Neal_Dewing) October 2, 2015
Really not bad when you quote more words but I guess, "stuff happens" when journalists are bored on a Friday https://t.co/JBtmnanSEB
— Neal Dewing (@Neal_Dewing) October 2, 2015
2 hours after twisting a quote to smear someone, you post the truth. Quality journalism. https://t.co/3uILaTa0wf
— don't come for me (@elisabethlehem) October 2, 2015
Great work, Ryan. You even made sure to spread your brand of quality journalism to other media outlets before all was said and done.
Got to admit: I’m little jealous of @RyanLizza. Wish I had the power to tweet inaccurate twaddle & have reporters unquestioningly lap it up.
— T. Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) October 2, 2015
Jeb Bush on gun violence: 'stuff happens' http://t.co/njeOSnoDEE | AP Photo pic.twitter.com/bd1Nk4fAcy
— POLITICO (@politico) October 2, 2015
Unbelievable. https://t.co/bxGvKGiEgh
— BT (@back_ttys) October 2, 2015
The NY Times has tweeted their story about Jeb's quote 2 times in a span of 8 minutes. pic.twitter.com/u4ux6cX9Ry
— BT (@back_ttys) October 2, 2015
The media are getting more independent. I don't think Obama even told them to do this. pic.twitter.com/XSjMVdO9dA
— James Taranto (@jamestaranto) October 2, 2015
I'm not the biggest Jeb fan, but difference between what he said and what the media claim he said is breathtaking. pic.twitter.com/3GZ5M0Vtps
— Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) October 2, 2015
Journalism, baby!
this is a perfect moment to see which liberal pundits are intellectually honest. and not. https://t.co/dOPyxO9rku
— David Harsanyi (@davidharsanyi) October 2, 2015
This really is the true value of this incident https://t.co/G2AO4mhqqW
— Allahpundit (@allahpundit) October 2, 2015
Yep. And as it happens, there are a few liberal journos who are pushing back against the blatant B.S.:
Lay off Jeb RE “stuff happens." http://t.co/QAVrC4xB2o
— Brian Beutler (@brianbeutler) October 2, 2015
Good for @brianbeutler, who disagrees with Bush on policy but won't torture interpretation of his address. https://t.co/sP6UNnIVz9
— Noah Rothman (@NoahCRothman) October 2, 2015
NY Mag’s @jonathanchait TNR’s @brianbeutler both come to Jeb’s defense after “stuff happens” http://t.co/EyTeMuFy6N http://t.co/IiSO8jDqYe
— Will Rahn (@willrahn) October 2, 2015
Unfortunately, the damage is already done. But you know what? It wasn’t Bush who the media really hurt; it was themselves.
A media story more than anything else https://t.co/0aEJaZt9vm
— Jon Ward (@jonward11) October 2, 2015
So weird that trust in the media is at all-time lows.
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) October 2, 2015
With #StuffHappens trending thanks to the media taking Jeb's comments out of context, you can see why trust is low. pic.twitter.com/DI8dEor4sZ
— Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) October 2, 2015
They get called out on it over and over again. But they never change and then wonder why the public doesn't trust them.
— Jay Caruso (@JayCaruso) October 2, 2015
https://twitter.com/rkylesmith/status/650065223865532416
Awesome tsunami of schmuckery by the media this afternoon over the Bush comments. Genuinely historic.
— Allahpundit (@allahpundit) October 2, 2015
This isn’t the first time they’ve done it:
@BecketAdams "Scott Walker thinks forced abortions are a cool thing." Remember that one?
— neontaster (@neontaster) October 2, 2015
Fun media-terribly-misquotes GOP candidate throwbacks:
1. http://t.co/bDXSojztT4
2. http://t.co/ROZmE8t5bE
3. http://t.co/9tzBiWB6MF— T. Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) October 2, 2015
And it certainly won’t be the last.
And that, dear children, is how a media narrative is born.
— T. Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) October 2, 2015
Quite a banner week for media.
— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) October 2, 2015
We’ll leave you with the Bush camp’s response:
Bush camp blasts the press over "stuff"-gate: "Sad and beyond craven…" https://t.co/SDjnW8mfyw
— Noah Rothman (@NoahCRothman) October 2, 2015
.@aebrandenburger statement pic.twitter.com/FkPGjx8AGO
— Tim Miller (@Timodc) October 2, 2015
Great job, media. Great. Job.