February 27, 2020

WaPo's fact checker shows mercy to Joe Biden: "It’s a bit of hot mess, but Biden’s staff acknowledges he misspoke. We’ve corrected the record but will leave this unrated."

From "Biden falsely attacks Trump over a food stamp policy supported by Bloomberg":
In this campaign, we’ve seen Biden often get stories mixed up, mislead about his record or tell tall tales. He was talking about Trump, but somehow slipped in an attack line against Bloomberg, even using the high-dudgeon word “immoral.”

Trump has sought to tighten [food stamp] eligibility, but he has not required fingerprinting. That was an idea briefly in vogue in the 1990s, but it’s an idea whose time has passed. Meanwhile, Bloomberg still defends the practice, so it’s not even as if he’s flip-flopped on the issue.
Biden often gets stories mixed up....

Meanwhile, "Biden oddly suggests '150 million' people killed by guns since 2007."

He gets off the hook for lying because we're so sure he's just so mixed up.

And yet, after all this years-long ordeal, we're left with him as the best chance to avoid having an committed socialist as the major-party challenger to Trump. How the hell did that happen?! Well, I know how it happened, because I've been watching it happen every single day. But I still find it very, very weird.

100 comments:

David Begley said...

Does America want a mixed up guy with the nuke codes? That can’t be screwed up.

tim in vermont said...

The trick to getting a socialist elected is to pretend that the word doesn’t have any meaning. Socialism and fascism could both describe Bernie’s economic policies pretty accurately.

tim in vermont said...

Lately the left has re-branded fascist economics as “nudge-ocracy."

Rob said...

Glenn Kessler keeps a running count of how many times Trump “lied,” but for Joe Biden, it’s that he just happens to “often get stories mixed up, mislead about his record or tell tall tales.” Kessler’s audacity is breathtaking.

Darrell said...

Biden is almost as big a liar as Chuck, Inga, Howard, Ritmo, or a half-dozen other people here. Sad.

Anonymous said...

"How the hell did that happen?! Well, I know how it happened..."

Proximate, or ultimate cause? Because things don't go "very, very weird" in the space of a few years.

tim in vermont said...

“Everybody is guaranteed a job, but nobody has to work!” - Sanders Little Green Mountain State book.

tim maguire said...

If Biden were savvier, I'd call "150 million" a Trumpian lie. Go ahead, point out that it's only 400,000. See where that gets you.

Birkel said...

Slippery slopes. How do they work?

You saw this outcome becoming likelier at Wisconsin, didn't you?

rehajm said...

It's like the handicap system in golf. Biden is awarded many handicap strokes, and this election is 'low net'...

Gahrie said...

Biden is clearly senile and no longer mentally fit to be president.

robother said...

Trump's attacks on the demented is no virtue, dementia in the attacks on Trump is no vice...

tim in vermont said...

"Biden is awarded many handicap strokes”

Not just strokes, but aneurisms.

Michael K said...

Joe Dementia.

Howard said...

You'll be hearing from my attorney, Darrell. Libel is a serious crime opposed by my hero D.J.Trump

stevew said...

Giving a pass to the guy they think best advances their position and has the best chance to win. It is remarkable that they could find no one better. They really do fear the political outcome of Bernie being their candidate.

tim in vermont said...

Don’t worry, we have a Jill Stein voter here who clearly has her finger on the pulse of the American electorate who think that Bernie will win by so much that he will put a Senate supermajority in play for Democrats. These Democrats should calm down!

Iman said...

Der Biden Gaffe Maschine...

daskol said...

Biden is not the only geriatric case sacrificing what's left of his dignity on the altar of Orange Man Bad. Bernie is an interesting case: Joe Rogan doesn't know it, but whatever case Bernie had for ideological purity and/or consistency he sacrificed when he flipped on illegal and mass immigration. In the meantime, though, he's gotten really famous and maybe even a bit powerful. The rest have clearly diminished themselves, especially Bloomberg and Warren.

gilbar said...

Fact Check
Fact Checks are ONLY for use against Republicans: TRUE

gilbar said...

David Begley said...
Does America want a mixed up guy with the nuke codes? That can’t be screwed up.

I assume, we're back to the whole 25th Amendment thingie, where we end up with Hilary?
Again?

daskol said...

Fact-checkers are actually truth-checkers, who speak truth to facts.

Krumhorn said...

The Dems don’t have much of a bench since it’s a nest of loons and drooling incompetents. The lefties are nasty little shits, and there are no adults in the room. What’s left is Biden, the former mayor of a small Midwest town who happens to like tube steak, a collection of shrill harpies, and the odd billionaire or two who want to ride in the big shiny jet.

- Krumhorn

Lucien said...

“I wasn’t lying — I plagiarized the 150 million figure from some other dog-faced pony soldier. Blame him!”

Krumhorn said...

.....oh, and the old Jew hippie who is a caricature of an old Jew hippie. Used to see them in the Haight with the macrame beads going “wow, man!”

- Krumhorn

Dust Bunny Queen said...

Anyone who thinks that IF Biden were actually elected President, that Biden would really BE the President, is delusional.

Biden's brain is pudding. Bad clotted congealed oily pudding at that.

A Biden Presidency would be one run by the Deep State. Crowds of (heretofore) faceless party apparatchiks would be running the show. Make all the decisions. They would just trot old Joe out and maybe whatever puppet VP they have chosen to provide comedy relief.

Meanwhile the machine would go on in the background. Behind the curtain that Trump has pulled partially back. It is ugly behind the curtain and the people Trump has exposed are furious.

They want Good Ole Puddin' Brain Joe to be their dupe and front man.

Eat your PUDDING. How else can you have your meat if you don't eat your pudding!!!

Tom said...

Can you imagine what 4 years of presidential stress will do to Biden’s mind?

Jeff Brokaw said...

That happened because the party has had no leadership — or terrible leadership, take your pick — since the Clintons were in the White House.

Obama was an outlier and pulled the leader-less party hard left with his Marxist agenda.

And so here we are.

Dust Bunny Queen said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
AllenS said...

4 years of presidential stress will do nothing to Slow Joe's mind, because between his two ears there is nothing. Nothing.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

Another Brick in the Wall by Pink Floyd for those who don't want to click on the music link.

Just a riff on the eat your meat/pudding line in the song.

All we are is just another brick in the wall. Now, back to my regularly scheduled coffee and cranberry scone.

Left Bank of the Charles said...

How is that showing mercy? For a politician it is better to be lying than to be mixed up.

wendybar said...

Where were the moderators??? WHY didn't they call him out for lying about 15o million being killed by guns since 2007?? Maybe they should have Fox News moderate Democrat Debates, and the Rabid Left Media moderate Republican debates. That way, the lies can be called out. When both are debating, have a mixture of Fox and Liberal Media (not the liberal Fox News people though (Chris Wallace))

GatorNavy said...

If Biden was a horse, the farmer would have already put the poor dumb animal out of his misery.

wendybar said...

Jeff Brokaw said:Obama was an outlier and pulled the leader-less party hard left with his Marxist agenda.

And so here we are.

You mean Valerie Jarrett, don't you??

Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...

Joe is a dementia laden Trojan Horse. First, party leaders get him to name a socialist VP. Then, if elected, high ranking Dems and their media accomplices (which is basically the entire MSM) immediately start a campaign to label him incompetent (which he obviously is). He will then be removed during the first year leaving Dems with their dream outcome without ever having a socialist at the top of the ticket.

hombre said...

Meanwhile, thousands of Democrat and millennial imbeciles believe it.

narciso said...

Waters the co founder of pink floyd came from lefty parents his father was killed at anzio

rcocean said...

150 million, what number was Biden supposed to say? 150 thousand?

If it was Trump, the WaPo would be calling him a LIAR for claiming 150 million deaths.
But since its a D, its just a "gaffe". That's our Joe, haha, just making gaffes.

Char Char Binks, Esq. said...

Is he or is he not running for Senate?

rcocean said...

Biden's campaign now states Joe meant he was "Separated" during his trip to visit Mandela, not "arrested". He had to go through the "White door" while Andrew Young went through the "Black door".

I'm not sure how that makes sense, but that's our Joe.

rcocean said...

I'm more Concerned with Ol' Joe's belligerent attitude toward China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Turkey. He's goin' deal with 'em just like he did with Cornpop. He's an angry old codger.

Anonymous said...

Gahrie said...
Biden is clearly senile and no longer mentally fit to be president.

what he said

AlbertAnonymous said...

If Biden gets the nomination the VP slot is looking more and more valuable...

tcrosse said...

I still think Biden is a placeholder.

narciso said...


Yikes


https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/breaking_news/article-8051765/Irans-vice-president-spokeswoman-1979-hostage-takers-infected-coronavirus.html?ico=pushly-notifcation-small

Bob Smith said...

Actually when you spend 50 or 60 years dumbing down the schools you shouldn’t be surprised at anything that happens.

Ken B said...

The WaPo rewords what Trump says all the time. Only fair they should reword Biden.

Silly Calabrese said...

The Washington Post giving a Democrat a break? That's the first time that has ever happened.

Sam L. said...

"And yet, after all this years-long ordeal, we're left with him as the best chance to avoid having an committed socialist as the major-party challenger to Trump. How the hell did that happen?! Well, I know how it happened, because I've been watching it happen every single day. But I still find it very, very weird."

And as the old saying goes, "You ain't seen NOTHIN' yet!"

mtrobertslaw said...

150 million deaths or 150 thousand deaths? But how many attempted murders, home invasions, muggings, robberies and carjackings were stopped by armed citizens during that same time?
To hear the democrats talk, not a single one.

Jupiter said...

Althouse, you have been voting for socialists all your life. If you are surprised to find that you are going to do it again, that's because this one admits he's a socialist. There's not a dime's difference between him and any of the others, except maybe Bloomberg. They're all socialists, they all hate America, and they all have a plan to destroy it. You are just having a hard time deciding which plan you like best.

Bay Area Guy said...

Well Joe is getting a little senile these days, but at least he hasn't publically sniffed any gal's hair in a while.

narciso said...

This is who they were catering to, this was clear from the first debate, just fhose the form of your destroyers.

minnesota farm guy said...

I did not think that Joe was going to make much of a run right from the start, but his "campaign" has reached the point where it is painfully embarrassing. Clearly Joe - on top of his inherent faults - is suffering from advancing senile dementia. I would think his family would gather up the courage ( though that doesn't seem to be a strength of theirs) to have an intervention to get him to retire with whatever honor he has left.

I find it ironic in the extreme that when the Dems aimed their phony impeachment at Trump they ended up killing Biden.

minnesota farm guy said...

@ Jupiter Your characterization of Ann's voting record , though phrased a bit harshly, is entirely accurate. Given that it is her right to vote for whomever she chooses you would think she could be a a bit more self -knowing about her past.

Yancey Ward said...

"I tried to think of the most harmless thing. Something I loved from my childhood, something that could never, ever possibly destroy us: Vice President Joe Biden."

narciso said...

Heh, no hes like the green ghost.

Gk1 said...

These "fact checks" in Washpo are an odd remnant of the GW Bush years. THey would flyspeck each and everything Bush said but when Obama came along they sure were generous on what they called a "lie" didn't they?

After playing fireman for over a year defending Obamacare they would finally admit "If you like your doctor you can keep your doctor" was the "lie of the year" Thanks 'Fact Check', a day late and a dollar shot. Why does that keep happening when democrats are being rated?

narayanan said...

Blogger minnesota farm guy said...

I find it ironic in the extreme that when the Dems aimed their phony impeachment at Trump they ended up killing Biden.
___________+++++++++++++
Could it be they were going for 2 birds-1 stone

tcrosse said...

The betting markets have Biden in third place in SC, after Bernie and Bloomberg. So impeachment didn't quite kill him yet.

Larry J said...

Joe Biden has never been very smart. He didn't earn the nickname "Slow Joe" for nothing. Today, he seems to have some form of dementia. I don't have to like the guy to feel sorry for him and his family.

Greg the class traitor said...

It's time for "Operation Chaos" to switch to supporting Biden, not Sanders.

Yes, it would be elder abuse to keep him campaigning longer. But after all the women he's fondled, he deserves it

And so do the Democrats

Howard said...

WTF. Uncle Joe was only off by three orders of magnitude. That's got to be within the standard error, right?

Howard said...

Yeah he's not dead yet tcrosse, however, they haven't managed to stop the bleeding from that gut shot he took

tim maguire said...

Biden is set up to win big in South Carolina!

Why he appeals to the black community, I don't know, but on Saturday night, the odds of a brokered convention will go up substantially. Which will have every DNC bigwig sighing in relief.

Big Mike said...

Kessler uses a lot of words to say “Hey! It’s just Joe being Joe.” Followed by the obligatory wink-wink.

effinayright said...

More and more, Biden reminds me of the old cartoon character Bulwinkle, who often remarked:

"I'm so confuuuussed!"

Jack Klompus said...

More and more, Biden reminds me of the old cartoon character Bulwinkle

He's no Mr. Peabody, that's for sure, but his campaign is turning into one fractured fairy tale.

Churchy LaFemme: said...

More and more, Biden reminds me of the old cartoon character Bulwinkle

He's no Mr. Peabody, that's for sure, but his campaign is turning into one fractured fairy tale.


Maybe he can pull a rabbit out of the hat!

Sebastian said...

"Biden often gets stories mixed up"

Like, whether he's running for Senate or president?

So, what does it say about Dems that an appreciable number of them will vote for him?

Kevin said...

Well, I know how it happened, because I've been watching it happen every single day.

Once upon a time there was a President deemed so terrible anyone could beat him...

Kevin said...

So, what does it say about Dems that an appreciable number of them will vote for him?

We have been assured by Inga that everyone in the party can't wait to cast their ballot whoever the Dems decide to nominate.

We've been assured so often, it's been, like, 150 million times.

Mr. Majestyk said...

At this point, I for one would feel much more comfortable if Biden would say that he really REALLY isn't losing his mind.

Kevin said...

We’ve corrected the record but will leave this unrated.

Why? It's a blatant falsehood which is easily noted as such.

The whole fact-checking industry was outed when they went from true/false to some kind of 0 - 5 rating scale.

No longer would truth be separated from fiction, but shades of truth would be extrapolated from mountains of fiction in service of the right people and priorities.

Kevin said...

Wait until Bernie is the nominee. The entire fact-checking universe will be forced to shut down or implode.

Jeff Brokaw said...

Media fact checkers add nothing useful to any discussion, in my experience. It’s all just more of the predictable partisan garbage — who needs it?

Biden is clearly losing his marbles in real time, in public, and it’s sad and painful to watch. Put that in your “fact checker” machine, WaPo.

JaimeRoberto said...

Biden: Listen, fat. After I freed the slaves, they were so thankful they wanted to rub the blond hairs on my legs. Then I built the log cabin I was born in with my own two hands. I challenge you to do that.

WaPo: Oh, he's just a little confused.

Ralph L said...

So who's the power behind Biden's throne? Dr. Jill? Or is it just his ego on autopilot?

tcrosse said...

So who's the power behind Biden's throne?

An excellent question. Somebody is supplying life support. Who and why?

Bay Area Guy said...

Biden would be infinitely better than Bernie. At least Biden, confused as he is, has some institutional memory and connection to the country. He doesn't want to burn it all down.

Bernie hates America. Since he never worked a day in his life, has spent a lotta time in his Vermont cabin thinking/dreaming about what he can do to tear down the country. No, per Farmer, he's not gonna line up folks against the wall, and have them shot. But I don't recall Hugo Chavez promising that either. They, like all socialist revolutionaries, cause chaos with crappy gov't policies, that set in motion events that take over the country. Many of these events turn out bad. Duh.

exiledonmainstreet, green-eyed devil said...

Krumhorn said...
.....oh, and the old Jew hippie who is a caricature of an old Jew hippie. Used to see them in the Haight with the macrame beads going “wow, man!”

- Krumhorn

2/27/20, 8:31 AM

When I visited Vermont, I think I saw Bernie - everywhere. It seemed like every time I turned around there, there was some gruff looking old guy wearing Birkenstocks with white socks getting out of a battered Volvo adorned with at least 20 bumper sticks ("CoExist!" "I Support Planned Parenthood" "Arms are for Hugging!" He was usually on his way to the farmer's market.

exiledonmainstreet, green-eyed devil said...

Unknown said...
More and more, Biden reminds me of the old cartoon character Bulwinkle"

The cartoon I keep thinking of is the Road Runner.

The Dem Party is the Coyote.

"I'll light up this beautiful impeachment rocket from Acme and it will finish off that pesky Road Runner Trump once and for all!"

BOOM!

gilbar said...

DBQ points out, that ...
A Biden Presidency would be one run by the Deep State. Crowds of (heretofore) faceless party apparatchiks would be running the show. Make all the decisions. They would just trot old Joe out and maybe whatever puppet VP they have chosen to provide comedy relief.


That's a FEATURE, not a bug; If you think about it,
It wouldn't be any different that the O'Bama admin

SDaly said...

How the hell did that happen?! Well, I know how it happened, because I've been watching it happen every single day.

That would make more sense, and show more self-awareness, rephrased as "I watched it happen for years as a member of the faculty of the University of Wisconsin."

PM said...

Current Joe sounds a lot like late Reagan, when handlers would pat his back like a draft horse to send him to the microphone.

bagoh20 said...

I give this Washington Post fact check four Pinocchios.

Social JusticeIsGay said...

Certain people mistaking the Twitterverse for the Electorate is how it happened. They will live to rue it yet again.

Iman said...

"Here's the deal. I never should've called CornPop Esther Williams, and I apologize for that. And if my story bothered you, I apologize for that. Now... have a taste of my Apology Chain!"

-- - Joe Biden

tcrosse said...

Let's see if SNL updates the
Phil Hartman as Reagan the Genius sketch for Biden. That's when we'll know the fix is in.

rehajm said...

WaPo fact checker is op-ed. They say so. Go ahead and sue them if you don't like...oh wait- an improper use of the justice system! Stop it losers...

Derve Swanson said...

ann althouse said:
And yet, after all this years-long ordeal, we're left with him as the best chance to avoid having an committed socialist as the major-party challenger to Trump. How the hell did that happen?! Well, I know how it happened, because I've been watching it happen every single day. But I still find it very, very weird.
-------------------

Lol, it's been happening right before your eyes everyday, and you purport to "cover" politics here, daily, but I doubt you "know how it happened", little worker bee...

Keep buzzing though. We like your honey!

2/27/20, 7:51 AM Delete

iowan2 said...

Trump has sought to tighten [food stamp] eligibility, but he has not required fingerprinting.

Why not fingerprint? Is it demeaning? A little bit I guess. 12 days ago we were at Disney, they fingerprint you when you go into the park in the morning. But Disney has more money at risk??? I don't think so.

Greg the class traitor said...

tim maguire said...
Biden is set up to win big in South Carolina!

Why he appeals to the black community, I don't know, but on Saturday night, the odds of a brokered convention will go up substantially. Which will have every DNC bigwig sighing in relief.


Possibly.

Right up to the point where the Bernie Bros make the 1968 Democrat convention look like a tea party. If Milwaukie starts burning, teh Dems are not going to be happy

Gahrie said...

So who's the power behind Biden's throne?

An excellent question. Somebody is supplying life support. Who and why?


Hillary.

Plan A: Biden gets enough support to cause a brokered convention. Hillary steps forth to "save the party and the nation".

Plan B: Biden wins the nomination, but suddenly dies a week later. Hillary steps forth to "save the party and the nation".

Lazarus said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Lazarus said...



Yes, it does sound strange that an avowed socialist could get the Democratic nomination, but there is some logic to it. The second-place finisher in one nomination race tends to be the front runner for the nomination in the next cycle. Romney, McCain, Clinton, Dole, Gore (not exactly, but close enough), Bush I, McGovern. It would have happened to Gary Hart if he hadn't messed things up for himself. There was nobody with the kind of following Bernie had except for two-time losers Clinton and Biden, so logically, he had the advantage.

And it's bizarre that the centrist Democrats put so much hope into Biden, but it also makes a kind of sense. When the campaign started, it was thought that he could push aside the other candidates. Sherrod Brown, say, would have to start as a newcomer, struggling with Klobuchar and Buttigieg and the others, while familiar old Joe could just sweep the other away. Of course, it didn't turn out that way, but the hope didn't look entirely crazy a few months back.

JML said...

Plan B: Biden wins the nomination, but suddenly dies a week later. Hillary steps forth to "save the party and the nation".

Do you SERIOUSLY think they would Kill off Biden!?!
Ha ha, just kidding, of course they would...

Treeamigo said...

If Trump had said it about Biden it would have gotten 4 Pinocchios. Because Joe said it- he gets a pass.

Gahrie said...

Do you SERIOUSLY think they would Kill off Biden!?!
Ha ha, just kidding, of course they would...


It's how we know that the bit about Hillary being Bloomberg's VP was put out there by Hillary's camp. No one without a deathwish is willing to name Hillary VP.