New WaPo scoop on Biden's use of 'MAGA' and 'Ultra MAGA' appears to catch Jen Psaki in a major lie

The Washington Post is out with some amazing reporting that says President Joe Biden’s recent use of “MAGA” and “Ultra MAGA” to insult former President Donald Trump “was the result of a six-month research effort by liberal groups”:

Biden's attempt to reappropriate "MAGA" and "ultra MAGA" was the result of a six-month research effort by liberal groups. My latest w @michaelscherer. https://t.co/foVeidRgZn

— Ashley Parker (@AshleyRParker) May 13, 2022

From the Washington Post:

Biden’s attempt to appropriate the “MAGA” brand as a political attack was hardly accidental. It arose from a six-month research project to find the best way to target Republicans, helmed by Biden adviser Anita Dunn and by the Center for American Progress Action Fund, a liberal group.

The polling and focus group research by Hart Research and the Global Strategy Group found that “MAGA” was already viewed negatively by voters — more negatively than other phrases like “Trump Republicans.”

In battleground areas, more than twice as many voters said they would be less likely to vote for someone called a “MAGA Republican” than would be more likely. The research also found that the description tapped into the broad agreement among voters that the Republican Party had become more extreme and power-hungry in recent years.

First up, this means Jen Psaki appeared to lie when she said the president came up with the slogans on his own for “a little extra pop”:

🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/HYhrta0OyX

— Abigail Marone 🇺🇸 (@abigailmarone) May 13, 2022

But more importantly, why is the Biden administration surrounded by such idiots? That’s the best they could come up with?

Truly embarrassing…

Democrats have nothing to run on, so they spent SIX MONTHS message testing their new "ultra MAGA" nickname for Republicans.

Families are stuck with rising costs, expensive gas, crime, and an open border… but at least Biden has a nickname for Republicans. https://t.co/JTzXRgOQfd

— Nathan Brand (@NathanBrandWA) May 13, 2022

Fellow focus-grouper Frank Luntz took a shot at them as well:

A six-month research effort to come up with attack lines rather than plans to address Americans’ most pressing concerns.

Here are the top 3 issues this year:

1. Inflation
2. Healthcare
3. Crime

👉🏻 https://t.co/T5OHhdc41w https://t.co/r2wVisd3TG

— Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) May 13, 2022

Maybe they want to lose the House and Senate?

You have Dem pollsters telling their members that "inflation" isn't coming up in their surveys and these guys spent 6 months to come up with "attack MAGA."

These guys are just begging for a red wave. https://t.co/Kp9cB2oJ0I

— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) May 13, 2022

This is actually worse than the Pro-Choice Caucus talking points we told you about the other day:

are these the same geniuses who thought "pro-decision" was better than "pro-choice"? https://t.co/MIGjpxaKt4

— Conn Carroll (@conncarroll) May 13, 2022

Oh, they got paid:

I have, and I mean this seriously, absolute respect for the people who got paid to do this research. https://t.co/1LckFSibi0

— alexandriabrown (@alexthechick) May 13, 2022

What’s even funnier is that Trump LOVES it:

Trump “absolutely loved” co-opting Biden’s new nickname for him — “the great MAGA king” — and has privately mocked Biden and Democrats’ “ultra MAGA” taunt as coming from bad branders, who don’t understand the art of marketing. https://t.co/foVeidRgZn pic.twitter.com/GkrOlQ5e7o

— Ashley Parker (@AshleyRParker) May 13, 2022

Good job, Joe:

In which Biden and Dems try to reappropriate “MAGA” — and then Trump and Republicans try to re-reappropriate it back. The ULTRA MAGA Wars 👇 https://t.co/tnzdFTLBWD

— Ashley Parker (@AshleyRParker) May 13, 2022

And did nobody in the Biden administration pay attention to what happened in Virginia last November?

Virginia experience should tell you how this strategy works against anybody who reads to voters as quas-normal. https://t.co/krsfhlerk3

— Liam Donovan (@LPDonovan) May 13, 2022

***