Lately, we’ve been bombarded with breathless shrieking from media firefighters about how things like voter suppression and gerrymandering have prevented Democratic political candidates from securing their rightful place on various congressional and gubernatorial thrones.
Stacey Abrams: "This is a systemic erosion of our administration of elections and it started and became perfected by Brian Kemp." https://t.co/SMEOuAIXe7
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) November 19, 2018
But it wasn’t so long ago when our media betters were condescendingly wagging their fingers at Donald Trump for complaining about “rigged” elections. Probably because it wasn’t actually that long ago.
For those of you who have forgotten the way things used to be, tweeter @RobProvince spent some time today collecting some of the media’s greatest hits.
Watching the press sow the seeds of distrust is fun….. https://t.co/lZyYqgW74Y
— EducatédHillbilly™ (@RobProvince) November 19, 2018
Sit back and enjoy this stroll down Memory Lane:
Just in: Speaker Ryan spokesperson statement pushes back on Trump's rigged election comments: pic.twitter.com/PChuwXzntM
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) October 15, 2016
.@FLOTUS: When people say the election's rigged, "understand that they are trying to get you to stay home." https://t.co/T6b4E0lvRY
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) October 27, 2016
Trump's stoking fears of a rigged election, but in-person voter fraud is incredibly rare: https://t.co/ZPYmH1BF7t pic.twitter.com/eZ8bIqUxQa
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) August 13, 2016
This is potentially the most dangerous conspiracy theory of 2016 —there's no evidence the election will be 'rigged': https://t.co/0rnoejhVWc
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) October 3, 2016
Trump looking for election observers after a week of saying the election is likely "rigged" https://t.co/Bx765gHkt2 pic.twitter.com/7YkSjjQdKL
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) August 13, 2016
TRUMP' just now: "I'm afraid the election is gonna be rigged. I have to be honest."
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) August 1, 2016
Clinton camp statement on Trump tweets about rigged election: "Voters see through Donald Trump’s shameful attempts to undermine an election" pic.twitter.com/T84rhc5Zep
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) October 15, 2016
That was on the rigged election comments, though. Not that he wouldn't commit to the results of the election.
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) October 20, 2016
Trump now openly speculating about possibility of voter fraud, saying election is "rigged":https://t.co/u7mGmusIvG pic.twitter.com/KN5deuwyz3
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) August 3, 2016
Trump said today "If the election is rigged, I would not be surprised."
Now it's already a surrogate talking point. https://t.co/qK1PQj0yw4
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) August 3, 2016
Trump: "I'm afraid" the general election's "gonna be rigged" https://t.co/V7t0AsrJ0e pic.twitter.com/enUHUQtdZh
— Talking Points Memo (@TPM) August 1, 2016
President Obama mocks Donald Trump's claim of a rigged election:
"What does that mean?" https://t.co/flgq1GFsll pic.twitter.com/TYyS256QMO— Talking Points Memo (@TPM) August 4, 2016
Obama: Trump should "stop whining" about rigged election https://t.co/tIDKyRuPlP pic.twitter.com/qq0w4LsM0g
— Talking Points Memo (@TPM) October 18, 2016
Warren: It's not just Trump! The GOP invented bogus rigged election claims https://t.co/AwGG3vsDjV pic.twitter.com/GqSU2xUdKt
— Talking Points Memo (@TPM) October 19, 2016
Obama: If Trump is "whining" about a rigged election before it's over, then he doesn't have what it takes to be prez https://t.co/OWfZwd7Kmw pic.twitter.com/7uPaF55FW2
— Talking Points Memo (@TPM) October 21, 2016
Obama takes down Trump's claim of rigged election: "That's ridiculous" https://t.co/jgxxlQsmHk pic.twitter.com/gM5QG27c1R
— Talking Points Memo (@TPM) August 4, 2016
Trump camp's latest rigged election myth: Voter fraud won Obama NC in '08 https://t.co/w2TMqjoH8x pic.twitter.com/hJ73yUVYF4
— Talking Points Memo (@TPM) October 18, 2016
Trump says he has raised concerns about the possibility of a "rigged" general election https://t.co/udHzK1vZus pic.twitter.com/24T9F5d3as
— Talking Points Memo (@TPM) August 3, 2016
Obama to Trump: "Stop whining" about a rigged election https://t.co/pPXeGFSy95 pic.twitter.com/Th3Z9vZ1Uq
— Talking Points Memo (@TPM) October 18, 2016
Donald Trump’s “rigged election” myth, explained https://t.co/JEprlbZ0KD #debate
— Vox (@voxdotcom) October 20, 2016
Trump didn’t create the "rigged election" rhetoric. Republicans did. https://t.co/ZMMWe1M4YV
— Vox (@voxdotcom) October 17, 2016
Obama on Trump’s "rigged election" complaints: "Whining before the game is even over" https://t.co/LFlH44XT2Y
— Vox (@voxdotcom) October 18, 2016
Trump’s already got an excuse for a November loss: the election will be "rigged" https://t.co/SnBxCmX0Jx pic.twitter.com/aEgiQrcjIw
— Vox (@voxdotcom) August 2, 2016
Michelle Obama on Trump's "rigged election" talk: "they are trying to take away your hope" https://t.co/TUSmFMlOBL
— Vox (@voxdotcom) October 27, 2016
In response to Trump's rigged election theory: “You do not keep American democracy in suspense." – @FLOTUS
— Vox (@voxdotcom) October 20, 2016
If Trump supporters really loved law and order, they wouldn’t be going around calling the election “rigged.” https://t.co/eEkxwz74wm
— Vox (@voxdotcom) October 20, 2016
Donald Trump has no idea what his "rigged election" talk could unleash https://t.co/cKjnnr0sRL
— Vox (@voxdotcom) August 2, 2016
President Obama didn't hold back when responding to Donald Trump's claims that the election is "rigged." pic.twitter.com/am0ZIZBjr8
— Vox (@voxdotcom) October 18, 2016
Donald Trump is going on a furious Twitter tirade about the "rigged" election https://t.co/fmZt5eeZ6D pic.twitter.com/s4KtQit7q4
— Vox (@voxdotcom) October 17, 2016
Trump supporters explain how the election will be "rigged" — but only if Trump loses https://t.co/4cnG2Jyv3M
— Vox (@voxdotcom) October 6, 2016
Obama mocks Trump’s conspiracy theory that the election will be "rigged" https://t.co/kLERX7b5of
— Vox (@voxdotcom) August 4, 2016
On the “rigged election” rhetoric: Trump is only amplifying what Republicans have been saying for years. https://t.co/ImzrHya3oh
— Vox (@voxdotcom) November 5, 2016
#Kaine: #Trump Claiming Election Rigged because He’s Losin https://t.co/SWFhGkySST’ via @thehill
— AM Joy w/Joy Reid (@amjoyshow) October 16, 2016
Pres. Obama: #Trump Claims of Rigged Election 'Ridiculous' https://t.co/L7FXyksdOG | We'll have more this weekend on #AMJoy, 10 AM ET @MSNBC
— AM Joy w/Joy Reid (@amjoyshow) August 5, 2016
Donald Trump's "rigged election" claims raise historical alarms https://t.co/Hn2REf3nAx pic.twitter.com/A3dIW7SIr4
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) October 18, 2016
Trump says he's "afraid" election is "about to be rigged" https://t.co/qk7CCtUVh7 pic.twitter.com/zDZDyjpVhh
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) August 1, 2016
President Obama: Trump's claims of a rigged election are "ridiculous" https://t.co/KeSxO3Jj2S pic.twitter.com/6uz6vqBMgL
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) August 4, 2016
Donald Trump solicits election observers to beat 'rigged election' https://t.co/cGRhK33yCk pic.twitter.com/KajPLxm2gb
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) August 13, 2016
Donald Trump is making claims that the presidential election is "rigged." Do you, as a voter, agree? Weigh in at https://t.co/jsAwKWdEij. pic.twitter.com/KKAYo3G2vH
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) October 17, 2016
Biden: Trump calling election 'rigged' should disqualify him https://t.co/iwql38u0be pic.twitter.com/XdPk7wZAOq
— NBC News (@NBCNews) October 25, 2016
Harry Reid says the "only thing rigged" about the election is Trump's mind https://t.co/WhBCWaUu42 pic.twitter.com/MMaI1gXRz9
— NBC News (@NBCNews) October 19, 2016
LIVE: Obama says Trump's theory about rigged election "undermines our democracy" https://t.co/H9n7JJUntx pic.twitter.com/elCDGRDEyC
— CBS News (@CBSNews) October 20, 2016
As his campaign stumbles, Donald Trump again pushes the "rigged" election claims https://t.co/COPaDspgRp pic.twitter.com/UZRLDE6rpK
— CBS News (@CBSNews) October 16, 2016
John Kasich skewers Donald Trump's "silly" rigged election claims ahead of tonight's #debate https://t.co/kkmdOk0uWq pic.twitter.com/zD59HL0DC0
— CBS News (@CBSNews) October 19, 2016
WATCH: FLOTUS: When Trump says the election's rigged, "he's saying your vote doesn't matter" https://t.co/H9n7JKbYS7 pic.twitter.com/bSNmZeNv1Z
— CBS News (@CBSNews) October 27, 2016
Pres. Obama on Trump's 'rigged election' allegations: "It happens to be based on no facts." https://t.co/XZcKRMScyp https://t.co/zoLK7L9Eix
— ABC News (@ABC) October 18, 2016
Pres. Obama on Donald Trump's 'rigged election' rhetoric: "I’d advise Mr. Trump to stop whining." https://t.co/XZcKRMScyp pic.twitter.com/nOV0Hmsovo
— ABC News (@ABC) October 18, 2016
Michelle Obama says Donald Trump's rigged election talk threatens "the very idea of America itself." https://t.co/ICym4h8d4j pic.twitter.com/yIywERr3RL
— ABC News (@ABC) October 21, 2016
Pres. Obama mocks Donald Trump's suggestion the November election could be 'rigged.' https://t.co/WvVBuPB5Xp pic.twitter.com/CM41NuYsLM
— ABC News (@ABC) August 5, 2016
A news conference today, President Obama said Donald Trump should "stop whining" about a "rigged" election and make his case to get voters. pic.twitter.com/GG8mh4estm
— NPR (@NPR) October 18, 2016
Obama on Trump comments: This election will not be "rigged." https://t.co/kUjEBwford pic.twitter.com/rvuzSmTlg1
— NPR (@NPR) August 4, 2016
Elizabeth Warren lays into Donald Trump's 'rigged election' whining https://t.co/Z9UK8aswHL
— Daily Kos (@dailykos) October 19, 2016
Eric Trump continues to stoke campaign claims of a rigged election https://t.co/r0rHFqZRMs
— Daily Kos (@dailykos) October 23, 2016
President Obama mocks rigged election claim, says Trump should 'Stop whining and make his case' https://t.co/sK1uK8Ac30
— Daily Kos (@dailykos) October 18, 2016
By playing the “rigged election” card, Trump will wreak havoc on the U.S. after November https://t.co/Y3nAzEJnee
— Salon (@Salon) August 11, 2016
ICYMI: Obama slams Trump's "whining" about rigged election https://t.co/JS1dMwaWUt
— Mother Jones (@MotherJones) October 20, 2016
Pres. Obama on Donald Trump’s ‘rigged election’ claim: “I’d advise Mr. Trump to stop whining and go… get votes.” https://t.co/JVl7PYYw7X
— CNN (@CNN) October 18, 2016
President Obama slams Donald Trump's "rigged" election claims as "dangerous" https://t.co/qpVJv28AP9 pic.twitter.com/xyV26E59bH
— CNN (@CNN) October 20, 2016
President Obama slams Donald Trump's "rigged" election claims as "dangerous" https://t.co/jJdprksATe pic.twitter.com/qpeY1n46jB
— CNN (@CNN) October 21, 2016
Trump discovers new way to undermine democracy, says election will be rigged https://t.co/nUQmrkGNci
— Jonathan Chait (@jonathanchait) August 1, 2016
What happens if Trump supporters believe his "rigged election" hype? https://t.co/u0E0PQPmdy
— New York Magazine (@NYMag) October 15, 2016
Things Donald Trump has claimed were rigged:
– The Iowa caucuses
– The Wisconsin primary
– The general election
– The FBI
–The Emmy Awards— Scott Bixby (@scottbix) October 20, 2016
These voters were removed from the rolls. They won't be able to vote in November — no one is fixing the election. https://t.co/j6C3BPnHT4
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) October 3, 2016
Huh. Anyone else notice a difference in tone between 2016 and 2018? It’s almost as if the degree of condescension in the MSM’s coverage depends on who’s making the claims.
Journalism: It depends on which party does it. pic.twitter.com/J81HElKUWP
— EducatédHillbilly™ (@RobProvince) November 19, 2018
That’s basically it in a nutshell, isn’t it?
Yep. One party is “undermining our democracy” while people in the other party become “voting rights advocates.”
Also “Fast & Furious” speaks out. pic.twitter.com/Sr8bZO56YD— Kris Kinder (@kris_kinder) November 19, 2018
And of course, if you run across any actual evidence of election fraud that doesn’t directly benefit the Democratic Party, good luck getting the media to cover it.
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