There is no way that Joe Biden's recent remarks calling half of Americans 'garbage' were ever going to be anything but a complete disaster for his administration AND for Kamala Harris's presidential campaign.
We all heard what he said. We all saw what he said. Any attempts to spin it were always going to be ridiculed (and ridiculed they were).
But somehow, the White House managed to make it even worse for the (alleged) President and Harris. We all remember how news outlets were quick to try to explain away the comments with a mythical apostrophe. And the White House's social media team did as well. They even used the official White House transcript to show that there really was an apostrophe in his remarks.
Well, well, well. It turns out -- as we all already kind of knew anyway -- that the transcript was altered. (Now is the time when we all put on our shocked faces.)
Last night, the Associated Press reported that the White House official stenographer's office protested the change according to two sources and an internal email.
BREAKING: The White House altered the transcript of President Joe Biden's "garbage" remarks despite stenographer concerns, AP sources say. https://t.co/dhVhNhWJ37
— The Associated Press (@AP) November 1, 2024
It is important to note here that the employees in the stenographer's office are not part of the Biden Administration. They are career employees of the White House.
And they were NOT happy.
The change was made after the press office 'conferred with the president,' according to an internal email from the head of the stenographers’ office that was obtained by The AP. The authenticity of the email was confirmed by two government officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters.
The supervisor, in the email, called the press office’s handling of the matter 'a breach of protocol and spoliation of transcript integrity between the Stenography and Press Offices.'
'If there is a difference in interpretation, the Press Office may choose to withhold the transcript but cannot edit it independently,' the supervisor wrote, adding, 'Our Stenography Office transcript — released to our distro, which includes the National Archives — is now different than the version edited and released to the public by Press Office staff.'
Dumpster fire, meet gasoline.
Another important point here, as the AP notes, is that this action was not just unethical, but also could be illegal according to the Presidential Records Act of 1978. House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik and House Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer have called on White House Counsel Ed Siskel to retain all records related to Biden's remarks and the transcript.
Yes, we're making popcorn right now.
lol we know. It’s literally on video. We all heard it. This has been the craziest gaslighting attempt I’ve ever seen https://t.co/u0scUMEQiC
— Jason Howerton (@jason_howerton) November 1, 2024
As Homer Simpson would say, the craziest gaslighting attempt we've ever seen ... so far.
Outside of any legal implications for the Biden administration, the legacy media has egg all over their faces.
Again.
You want to issue an update on this one @AaronBlake? pic.twitter.com/VsBMFplDm1
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) November 1, 2024
Whoops.
Guessing that will be a no. https://t.co/PYIhoNj5Ot pic.twitter.com/36TGKcJ7p5
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) November 1, 2024
BAAAAAHAHAHAHAHA. Washington Post reporters running and hiding. That tracks.
Please call out @JonLemire as well. https://t.co/bxmicUUyEB
— Burt Macklin (@BurtMaclin_FBI) November 1, 2024
Do you think MSNBC's Lemire will be discussing this on Morning Joe today? We're guessing no.
Wait, so there’s another White House stenographer besides @JonLemire? https://t.co/vdKpiqm21j
— Chuck Ross (@ChuckRossDC) November 1, 2024
LOL. We legitimately spit-laughed at that one.
America's corporate media class is just an embarrassingly corrupt institution. https://t.co/dtM3dSNo7L pic.twitter.com/1GXrkxq5p6
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) November 1, 2024
Fact check: true.
Our favorite was CNN's Bakari Sellers, who claimed he could 'hear' the apostrophe. Why? Because he also grew up with a stutter.
Scott Jennings, quite possibly the only sane person left at CNN, buried him for that one.
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ disdain for HALF of America was exposed when Biden said Trump supporters are “garbage.”
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) November 1, 2024
They won’t apologize because they actually believe that, and changing the official transcript won’t erase the truth.
The message was delivered loud and clear. https://t.co/6gEPj2Hc70
Maybe the House Republicans should deliver a message back, Mr. Speaker.
Something is up when the AP is telling the truth.
— Louie (@reallouiehuey) November 1, 2024
We were pretty shocked about that too. Maybe the AP sees the writing on the wall.
But one honest story like this won't save them from many years of gaslighting for the Democrats.
Charge and arrest them for violating the Presidential Records Act.
— Julia 🇺🇸 (@Jules31415) November 1, 2024
Let’s see the mugshots.
No one is above the law.
They've pursued far more frivolous charges against Donald Trump. It might be time for the gander to find out what that goose sauce tastes like.
Most transparent administration ever https://t.co/amDWTbBwK1
— Enguerrand VII de Coucy (@ingelramdecoucy) November 1, 2024
And if anyone ever bought that line, we've got some beachfront property in Kansas for sale.
Just a terrific idea to take a one or two day story about an old man saying a dumb thing and turn it into a five day controversy in the final days of the election. https://t.co/o2jDHoWxB3
— John Ekdahl (@JohnEkdahl) November 1, 2024
No, no. Don't stop them. Let them cook.
Make Orwell fiction again https://t.co/8D3p0PX1Z4
— Whole Mars Catalog (@WholeMarsBlog) November 1, 2024
The funny part of this is that the Biden administration DOES want to be the Ministry of Truth so badly. They even famously tried to create a 'Disinformation Governance Board' under creepy theater kid (and real-life Dolores Umbridge) Nina Jankowicz.
But they are just so incompetent at it that it's difficult not to laugh at them.
Even the Associated Press -- which has never met a false leftist narrative they couldn't promote -- isn't buying it this time.
Sadly, the likelihood is that no one will be held accountable for all of this. The best we can hope to do is throw them all out on Election Day.
Because an administration that will try to push lies as egregiously as this is nothing but garbage.
No apostrophe needed.
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