We know every day pretty much feels like an eternity now, but do you remember a couple of days ago when Hillary Clinton lent a hand in pushing Joe Biden’s conspiracy theory that Donald Trump (via Jared Kushner) would try to postpone the November election?
I can’t believe I have to write this sentence, but the president's son-in-law doesn't get to decide when the election is. https://t.co/7CrpHny6TF
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) May 13, 2020
What Hillary failed to note — because she doesn’t give a damn — is that the New York Times conveniently omitted the rest of Kushner’s remarks, in which he flat-out said “it’s not my decision.” Fortunately, independent conservative journalist Jeryl Bier isn’t lazy like the New York Times (and Hillary Clinton):
This quote is misleadingly chopped. His reply is, "It's not my decision to make so I’m not sure I can commit one way or the other".
Article: "“I’m not sure I can commit one way or the other, but right now that’s the plan,” Mr. Kushner told Time magazine."https://t.co/t6owV1Bjmt pic.twitter.com/oAZ4OTMjYy
— jerylbier (@JerylBier) May 13, 2020
Here's the video: "It's not my decision to make [laughs] so I’m not sure I can commit one way or the other, but right now that’s the plan."https://t.co/s9qOd6t0Qm
— jerylbier (@JerylBier) May 13, 2020
Today, Bier’s back on the beat, and he found something pretty interesting:
Regarding the outrage over Jared Kushner & delaying the election… Check this out from October 29, 2012:
Q Would the President have the power to adjust Election Day?
MR. CARNEY: I don't know the answer to that question. I think you're getting way ahead of yourself here. pic.twitter.com/DHGp00Ep93
— jerylbier (@JerylBier) May 15, 2020
Oh. Em. Gee. Clearly Jay Carney literally said that Barack Obama could mess with Election Day. It’s right there in black and white!
Here the press secretary for the president of the United States, just days before the 2012 election, says he **does not know** if Pres. Obama could adjust election day. Did anyone panic?https://t.co/AJxEVrKjD7 pic.twitter.com/T01jwAD3zT
— jerylbier (@JerylBier) May 15, 2020
Compare to the response to Jared Kushner's admittedly less than perfect answer to a question about whether he could "commit" to this year's election running on time:https://t.co/t2YTPH3s4J
— jerylbier (@JerylBier) May 15, 2020
As far as I can determine, the @nytimes did not even report on this exchange in 2012. Contrast that with the @nytimes's article about Kushner. https://t.co/yexxJBy4hC
— jerylbier (@JerylBier) May 15, 2020
Try to imagine this hypothetical:
==
Q Would the President have the power to adjust Election Day?Kayleigh McEnany: I don't know the answer to that question. I think you're getting way ahead of yourself here.
==If this happened, it might push COVID-19 off the front page. https://t.co/yexxJBy4hC
— jerylbier (@JerylBier) May 15, 2020
you know I'm right… https://t.co/GSGODL4i7j
— jerylbier (@JerylBier) May 15, 2020
Totally.
This question was asked because of Hurricane Sandy, by the way: https://t.co/yexxJBy4hC
— jerylbier (@JerylBier) May 15, 2020
Compare 2012 versus 2020:
2012: No story
"Would the President have the power to adjust Election Day?
MR. CARNEY: I don't know the answer to that question."2020: "The opinion of a White House staff member has no bearing on when the election is held…"https://t.co/o9aWqPcrLW pic.twitter.com/y8H0jmKl27
— jerylbier (@JerylBier) May 15, 2020
Here's one of the few stories (by @charliespiering) I could even find from 2012 when @JayCarney was asked if @BarackObama had "the power to adjust Election Day" and Carney said he didn't know and would have to take the question for later. https://t.co/MbXLPao94p
— jerylbier (@JerylBier) May 15, 2020
this was the WEEK BEFORE THE ELECTION, for Pete's sake, and it was virtually ignored. https://t.co/yexxJBy4hC
— jerylbier (@JerylBier) May 15, 2020
2012, @HillaryClinton:
Q Would the President have the power to adjust Election Day?
MR. CARNEY: I don't know the answer to that question. I think you're getting way ahead of yourself here.
—
"I don't know"??? https://t.co/gRIFQSxZFl pic.twitter.com/dhjP9asDgq
— jerylbier (@JerylBier) May 15, 2020
Google "kushner election" to see how things are going in 2020…https://t.co/NtV9XZjJuz
— jerylbier (@JerylBier) May 15, 2020
Here's @daveweigel writing at @Slate in 2012 – he suspected that some might try to make something of Carney's answer (or non-answer), but almost nothing came of it:https://t.co/huFh2ObgXq pic.twitter.com/LGEeRuXDhd
— jerylbier (@JerylBier) May 15, 2020
Let's play a game… who said this, under what president, and what was the reaction?
Q Would the President have the power to adjust Election Day?
[?????]: I don't know the answer to that question. I think you're getting way ahead of yourself here.
— jerylbier (@JerylBier) May 15, 2020
There should be no doubt whatsoever that if Kayleigh McEnany had said that, we’d still be fielding breathless shrieks from media firefighters.
I am NOT going to do this because it would be dishonest and wreck my credibility, but I ALMOST want to write a fake news story with the exchange below but pretend it was an exchange with Trump's @PressSec and then later do an "update!" revealing it was really @JayCarney. https://t.co/yexxJBy4hC
— jerylbier (@JerylBier) May 15, 2020
I could probably get @HillaryClinton to tweet about it.
— jerylbier (@JerylBier) May 15, 2020
Ha! Probably.
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