Staff Reports
The latest escapade from the White House landed with a dull thud, as the Associated Press uncovered the slick editing job done on President Biden’s comments regarding Trump supporters—comments that evidently got him into hot water when he referred to them as “garbage.” Critics wasted no time tearing into the media for its valiant but misguided attempts to spin the narrative, claiming the revisions were taken out of context. If that’s not the political equivalent of throwing spaghetti against the wall to see what will stick, then nothing is.
The transparency and trustworthiness touted by the current administration took another nosedive with revelations that this attempt to rewrite history violated all known protocols of transcript integrity. An internal email from a stenographer supervisor, obtained by the AP, highlighted the cloak-and-dagger operations taking place behind the scenes. A cursory glance suggests that this shady business makes the Watergate scandal look like an innocent game of “where’s Waldo?”
Politico’s Jonathan Lemire Ripped for ‘Dishonest Spin’ of Biden’s ‘Garbage’ Smear After Report of Cover-Up https://t.co/kIz0GiNvAK. No one will get prosecuted, so that's the story; how the WH gaslights us
— Lynn A Comstock (@LynnAComstock2) November 1, 2024
Naturally, the Republican riffraff, led by House Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, were quick on the draw. They pointedly noted that this peculiar adjustment to the transcript was a serious breach of the Presidential Records Act. What’s next? Will there be an addendum to the Constitution that allows for “creative edits” whenever a gaffe occurs? That’s sure to keep legal scholars busy!
To add another twist to this drama, a few clever stenographers made some grammatical changes—like slapping an apostrophe onto “supporters”—to conveniently alter Biden’s remarks. Meanwhile, Politico’s own Jonathan Lemire dashed to the defense of the administration, declaring that everything was just peachy and that the comments were being misconstrued. It seems Lemire’s idea of context comes from the same playbook as a magician performing vanishing tricks; wave a hand, and poof! The original meaning is gone.
It’s worth noting that a recent Gallup poll indicates that trust in the media is plummeting faster than a lead balloon, with only 31 percent of Americans expressing even a modicum of confidence in their reporting. This is the lowest number recorded and serves as a glaring reminder that if anyone thought the media was still a paragon of credibility, they might need to rethink their life choices—preferably while enjoying a strong cup of coffee.
Following the evisceration of Biden’s reputation, members of Team Trump wasted no time in calling out the editorial gymnastics parading as journalism. Alex Pfeiffer highlighted the absurdity of Lemire’s efforts, while Kaelan Dorr posed the pointed question of whether Lemire, in his attempts at deflection, should be considered the official White House stenographer. The fact that this kind of back-and-forth even has a place in our political discourse blurs the line between concern and comedy.
In a world where political communication is sometimes more about theatrics than transparency, the episode serves as a reminder that watching the White House navigate its own blunders is like watching a clown show—with plenty of honks, squeaky shoes, and pie-in-the-face moments guaranteed. The only question left hanging is whether the American public can muster any more patience for the charade before they’re tempted to toss out the whole circus tent.
