There were many false and misleading statements at the RNC last night. There will be many more tonight.
From FactCheck.org
Summary
Vice President Mike Pence and others twisted facts on the economy, some of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s positions and more:
- Pence claimed that President Donald Trump “created the greatest economy in the world.” But the economy had been growing for seven years before Trump took office.
- Pence falsely suggested Biden would “defund the police” and baselessly claimed Americans “won’t be safe” if Biden were president.
- Pence cited a federal officer’s killing during “the riots in Oakland, California.” But he didn’t explain that the death was unrelated to demonstrators protesting in the wake of George Floyd’s death. Federal prosecutors have charged a right-wing extremist with the killing.
- 1960s Civil Rights figure Clarence Henderson said Trump “created” a “record” number of jobs for Black Americans. Actually, Black employment grew faster under Obama.
- White House counselor Kellyanne Conway said that, under Trump, “the single mom with two kids, two jobs, two commutes … finally has health insurance.” But the number of uninsured women ages 19 to 64 decreased during the Obama administration and had increased under Trump, as of 2018.
- Pence misleadingly claimed that Biden “even opposed the operation that took down Osama bin Laden.” Biden said he opposed the timing of the operation, and suggested that the raid should be delayed in order to take further steps to confirm bin Laden was at the compound in Pakistan.
- Sen. Marsha Blackburn falsely claimed that “Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and their radical allies … encourage protests, riots and looting in the streets.” Biden has repeatedly condemned violent protests.
- Richard Grenell, a former acting director of national intelligence, criticized the Russia investigation as unwarranted — but multiple independent reports found that there were grounds to investigate the Trump campaign’s contacts with people with ties to the Russian government.
- Rep. Elise Stefanik criticized the House impeachment of Trump last year as “illegal.” It’s not. The Constitution gives the House of Representatives the power to impeach the president.
- Pence wrongly claimed that Trump “suspended all travel from China,” when the administration’s restrictions contained exceptions.
- Pence misled when he said that “after years of scandal,” Trump “reformed the VA and veterans choice is now available for every veteran in America.” Although the Trump administration expanded the program, it began in 2014 under Obama.
And there were several repeat claims on fracking, abortion, school choice, military pay and immigration.
This only the beginning. You can expect the same lies to be reported over and over as Republican talking points up to and including the election.
This only the beginning. You can expect the same lies to be reported over and over as Republican talking points up to and including the election.
It's infuriating. And the gulf seems intractable. I have friends on Facebook who meet with angry denials whenever they call out this administration. People who are absolutely unwilling to concede one inch of their privileged, protected view or to recognize their own vulnerability from this administration. I wonder if there is any way for actual news to penetrate peoples' minds. We have have segmented the audience so deeply that we are essentially providing multiple "realities" to people.
ReplyDelete