In a feat of journalistic gymnastics, NBC News managed to flip VP Kamala Harris hopping a flight to Florida to lie about the state's new curriculum standards into an attack launched by Ron DeSantis.
Of course they did.
Looking for a fight, Ron DeSantis tangles with Kamala Harris
— Natasha Korecki (@natashakorecki) July 28, 2023
via @jonallendc https://t.co/gab1LRpuT2
The accusation by Harris that Florida wanted to 'replace history with lies' centered around a single sentence in the 216 page document that provided clarification about the topic of 'duties and trades performed by slaves', including some very specialized skills:
Instruction includes how slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.
It is simply historical fact that some slaves developed skills that they used for personal benefit, to the extent possible for people who have been robbed of their freedom.
That didn't stop Kamala Harris from interpreting the sentence as negatively as possible.
You are a joke. @VP lied about Florida and Florida stood up for itself.
— Ryan B. Leslie (@RyanBLeslie) July 28, 2023
Maybe the VPOTUS should have read the curriculum and listened to those who crafted the AP course.
Contrary to DeSantis 'looking for a fight', the Vice President of the United States brought the fight to Florida. While the governor clearly didn't create the curriculum standards, he didn't shy away from defending the Floridians who did.
Kamala Harris: Spends a week lying about Florida, even flying to Jacksonville to lie in person.
— Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) July 28, 2023
Media: Why is Ron DeSantis attacking her? https://t.co/9WsZCZV8lq
One of the crafters of the standard, William Allen, has been quite vocal in his defense of the standards he helped create. In an interview with NPR, he described the intent of the sentence quite clearly:
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I think the sentence explains itself. Its grammar is certainly perfectly clear when (it) refers to the fact that those who were held in slavery possess skills, whether they developed them before being held in slavery, while being held in slavery or subsequently to being held in slavery, from which they benefited when they applied themselves in the exertion of those skills. That's not a statement that is at all controversial. The facts sustain it. The testimonies of the people who lived the history sustain it.
The 'controversy' is in the interpretation of that sentence, and the bias of those reading it. Perhaps the man who helped create it knows the intended meaning better that all the pontificating politicos on Twitter?
Do you have any idea how stupid your accusation is? The VP dishonestly attacked him/Florida over the curriculum basically insinuating that it's racist.
— William Keane (@largebill68) July 28, 2023
Unsurprisingly, the media made no effort to verify the substance of her dishonest claims.
Yes, that's what happened.
She started it, leftist. But you knew that. Idiot.
— Rex_Tudor_Coup (@iamgnurr) July 29, 2023
It then boiled over into a circular firing squad when some on the GOP side, especially black Republicans, took issue with the wording … or, possibly, interpretation of the wording as framed by others.
Weird way to describe defending yourself.
— Ian Haworth (@ighaworth) July 28, 2023
What started as defending Florida against Kamala Harris deteriorated into DeSantis defending himself against critiques from the right - all muddied up with a healthy dose of primary politics.
It seems perfectly reasonable that black Republicans should be able to ask questions about the intent of the instruction, or ask that the wording be clarified to avoid confusion. It's also perfectly reasonable that DeSantis should be able to defend himself, his state, and the authors of the standard (of which at least five are black) against accusations that they are attempting to minimize the horrors of slavery.
Primary politics made a mess of what could have been an easy meeting of the minds within the GOP and a united front returning fire against the VP's dishonest attack.
Looking for a fight Kamala Harris attacked DeSantis for a curriculum with the exact same content that she previously supported. https://t.co/cmsxs7mujm
— 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗠𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 (@txsalth2o) July 28, 2023
What is clear is that Kamala Harris started this attack, despite the NBC News framing, and you can be sure that the narrative from Democrats about the curriculum standard is less than truthful.
Kamala flew to Florida to tangle with AP classes. pic.twitter.com/utaydqpbUx
— PhotographicFloridian (@JackLinFLL) July 28, 2023
As reported by others, Kamala Harris took no issue with the same curriculum standard when it originated from a different source.
Who is DeSantis running hardest against?
— Jonathan Allen (@jonallendc) July 28, 2023
Not Trump. Not Biden.
Kamala Harris.
And now he’s battling Tim Scott and Byron Donalds, too.
He needs to show he can win a fight to reassure donors and voters. These are the ones he’s engaging on. https://t.co/jJbtz2kKwf
This is the actual author of the piece, completely ignoring the genesis of this dustup.
Sorry, buddy, Han didn't shoot first in any of these cases.
This feels like intentional gaslighting. Who picked this fight?
— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) July 29, 2023
Who misrepresented something, got on a plane to Florida, and spent days attacking first?
The suggestion that DeSantis should roll over when the VP lies in order to label his education department racist is absurd.
The offices of NBC are lit by gaslight.
If you need to win a fight maybe don't stake out a positions of "well slavery was kinda good too."
— Josh Schwerin (@JoshSchwerin) July 28, 2023
This is why it would have been wise for GOP politicians to keep this within the family.
Look, the Left is going to be dishonest about this topic regardless. Giving them ammo to say 'even some Republicans agree' is just a bad move.
You worked for Debbie Blabbermouth Schultz. You should sit this one out.
— Matt Wells (@bigredmatt1011) July 29, 2023
Ha! That's the 'journalist' doing this reporting.
I need a ruling, is tangling better or worse than pouncing. https://t.co/3yxRhc29N1
— alexandriabrown (@alexthechick) July 28, 2023
'Tangling' is the word they use when they don't want to be accused of using 'pouncing'.
Actually not a bad one to try to gain a momentum foothold, but there needs to be more. He needs to emphasize a vote for Biden is a vote for her and he has shown he will be a far better President than the dangerously inexperienced, dishonest, and extreme Kamala Harris. https://t.co/HgBwfGEPN7
— Nathan Wurtzel (@NathanWurtzel) July 28, 2023
We look forward to the GOP focusing their fire on Democrats again. Primaries are a necessary evil.
Step 1: Media creates fake narrative
— Brother Seamus (@WaynePelota) July 28, 2023
Step 2: WH jumps on narrative
Step 3: Media perpetuates narrative by asking every R candidate to comment
Step 4: DeSantis calls out media narrative
Step 5: Media claims DeSantis started it
Step 6: Repeat
Journalism achieved! https://t.co/0gjPGy8whI
That's how it works. Strap in, folks. It's gonna be a long ride.
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