For all of their blathering about the scourge of “fake news,” it’s pretty clear that it’s actually Republicans who take a special glee in doctoring and manipulating reality. Truly shocking stuff here!
On Saturday, Republican Representative Steve Scalise, who at times has skirted under my personal radar because he is only the second-worst Steve in Congress, shared a video that purported to show Joe Biden agreeing with the idea of defunding police departments. The only problem? That’s not what Biden said in the original video, an interview between Biden and progressive activist Ady Barkan.
Here’s the actual conversation the two had, via the Washington Post:
“We can reduce the responsibilities assigned to police and redirect some of the funding into social services, mental health counseling, and affordable housing,” Barkan said, suggesting one police shooting in particular might have been prevented had a “wellness counselor” been sent instead of an armed officer. “Are you open to that kind of reform?”
“I’ve proposed that kind of reform,” Biden said. “And by the way, the idea, though — that’s not the same as getting rid of or defunding all the police.”
After Biden laid out his own reform ideas, Barkan asked, “But do we agree that we can redirect some of the funding?”
“Yes, absolutely,” Biden said.
But the video that Scalise shared, as the Post put it, “altered Barkan’s question, making it sound like Biden was being asked a more direct question” about defunding the police and that he “absolutely” agreed. Scalise has since deleted the video from his Twitter feed, though he continues to maintain that Biden is a fan of defunding the police, despite Biden strenuously maintaining he is not a fan of defunding the police. Can’t wait for this exact same back and forth to happen about a million more times until November!
And on Monday, Dan Scavino, the deputy White House Chief of Staff for Communications and Trump’s social media maven whose previous jobs included the role of general manager of Trump’s Westchester golf course, tweeted out a fake video of Biden. It used an old video of Harry Belafonte during which the civil rights activist and entertainer looked like he was napping, and swapped out Belafonte for Biden. (Belafonte claimed he was meditating and that there was a “technical glitch,” which sure, Harry Belafonte has earned the right to say whatever he wants, but dude you have done a lot, it’s okay if you were taking a lil snooze!)
If this is all that Republicans have to offer in their campaign against Biden, I say bring it! We already know he’s not as sharp as he used to be, and we’re still going to vote for him anyway!
Because I would like to lift up our flagging spirits today, here’s a heartwarming story courtesy of the Washington Post: Trump supporters are stealing their neighbors’ Joe Biden lawn signs, and Biden supporters are coming up with inventive ways to deter them that involve smearing their signs with deterrents like dog shit and glitter, a substance that one woman poignantly described as “the herpes of the crafting world.” Via the Washington Post:
A pro-Biden Facebook group in Pennsylvania has filled with stories of missing signs — and strategies for fortifying signs from theft.
The easiest option, many have advised, is to put the sign inside a window or bring it in at night — or order a flag or banner that can be mounted high off the ground. Others have invested in motion-activated cameras or have placed signs within sight of doorbell cameras. One woman stapled her sign to a porch railing, and another positioned hers in a poison ivy patch.
And then there are suggestions about what to spread or spray on their signs to prevent theft or punish the thief: ground-up ghost peppers that irritate bare skin. A mixture of peppermint oil and Vicks. Fox, deer or coyote urine purchased at a sporting goods store. Slippery olive oil or grease. Vaseline and cayenne pepper. Vaseline and glitter. Vaseline, Tabasco sauce and glitter. Vaseline and pink glitter. Honey and glitter. Dog poop and glitter.
I for one can’t wait to cover my Biden sign in my dog’s excrement!
In related news, Biden today responded to the Trump campaign’s efforts to paint him as some “ANTIFA”-loving socialist (hahaha) during a campaign stop in Pittsburgh. Here are some of Biden’s remarks, via Rolling Stone:
Trump is “supposed to be protecting this country, but instead, he’s rooting for chaos and violence,” Biden said. “The simple truth is Donald Trump failed to protect America, so now he’s trying to scare America.”
Biden also addressed the extremist label the Trump campaign has given him.
“You know me. You know my heart. You know my story,” Biden said. “Ask yourself: Do I look like a radical socialist with a soft spot for rioters? Really?”
Biden does not look like a radical socialist with a soft spot for rioters, it’s true!
He continued, “I want a safe America, safe from covid, safe from crime and looting, safe from racially motivated violence, safe from bad cops. And let me be crystal clear: safe from four more years of Donald Trump.”
- It’s looking good for Ed Markey tomorrow! [New York Times]
- This is a very handy guide to voting in every single state that you should absolutely send to every single person you know. [Slate]
- According to a new poll, a majority of active-duty members of the military are planning to vote for Joe Biden, despite only 16 percent identifying as Democrats. [Military Times]
- Very conveniently for him, Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf claims he had no idea that a naturalization ceremony he was part of would be played at the RNC. [Politico]
- DeMoCRaCy in action!
- RESPECT THE EAGLE, BRO!
- I see that someone has been taking some vocabulary lessons from Ivanka.
- The Trump administration is trying out a new strategy in their efforts to have covid-19 kill as many Americans as possible, taking cues from Trump’s new pandemic adviser Scott Atlas, a man who has no background in epidemiology but does go on Fox News and call himself the “anti-Dr. Fauci.” [Washington Post]