Gene Robinson just said on MSNBC that he's accidentally combined stories himself

[highplainsdem]

while giving a speech.

Joe Scarborough just said he'd done the same thing himself.

They both made the important point that Biden's story was lifting other people up, praising the troops, and not doing this to glorify himelf.

Historian Walter Isaacson is agreeing with them, and adding that he's talked to so many people who've conflated stories because "that's the way our memory works."

He adds, "What we know about Biden is that he CARES ABOUT THE TROOPS." And that's what's important.

Isaacson said that the fact that Biden does what others do, sometimes mixing up stories, makes him human.


Gene Robinson says that Biden should be more careful, but this isn't a big deal.

They're all making the point that Biden CONNECTS with people.

Isaacson really dislikes the media narrative where they're covering every tiny gaffe of Biden's so carefully.

He says the media is "making this into something it should not be."

[Cha]

1. Wow.. amazing Eugene

Robinson coming forward.. he didn't have to do that.

He adds, "What we know about Biden is that he CARES ABOUT THE TROOPS." And that's what's important.

Nothing new at all for the lazyass media to make something out of nothing.. we've seen this horror show before and what it gave us.

The m$$$$media covered for bush and made Al Gore the enemy.. that I saw with my own eyes before I cancelled m$m out of my life forever.

[highplainsdem]

3. No, he didn't have to do that. But he's honest, and he doesn't like seeing Biden beaten up for

doing something everyone else does.

They were all talking about how unfair the criticism and hyper-scrutiny of Biden have been.

[Cha]

4. That's heartwarming! Even

Morning Joe. Biden doesn't have to complain about the media.. others who are seeing the "harping" do it for him.

I use that word because that's what the Black Lady in South Carolina called it as she saw it!

Link to tweet

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287259395

[blm]

8. My 1st thought was that they're recycling the bullshit they used on Gore.

The emmer effers!

[CTyankee]

19. I pondered that, as someone who holds Eugene Robinson in the highest regard.

I've never seen the main stream media make such a righteously indignant response to this story. I know they are the MSM and we all hate them here, but there are some in that media that have courage and are not morally awful in their private lives, making them hypocrites of the first order. And I think Trump's total lack of any morality at all has altered the press. I don't think that, after Trump, they will ever be the same...

[monmouth4]

2. I also liked how Joe Scarborough mentioned Ronald Reagan and his mixing up of stories. Eugene is

right, this is not a big deal. Elizabeth Warren was relating a story told by her family through time, naturally thinking it was true and OMG, the world was about to come to an end. Glad that's over 'cause I don't think that was a BFD either.

[Otto Lidenbrock]

7. Did Reagan even mix up stories?

I seem to recall he liked to tell tales of war movies he acted in as if they were real life

[delisen]

32. Yes Reagan was a Great Conflater

and was able to escape responsibility for the Iran-Contra crime because he was considered too mentally incompetent to know what was happening.

[wysimdnwyg]

13. Not sure Reagan is the example to use to calm age-related fears

Considering Reagan had Alzheimer's disease that may well have started causing some light symptoms during his administration, I don't think that's an example to use to diminish any concern over Biden's "gaffes". Don't get me wrong, I don't put any stock in suggestions that Biden is diminished in any way. Just saying comparing him to Reagan may not be the best way to go.

[quickesst]

5. I just saw that myself

Joe Scarborough also admitted he's mixed up a few tales. Just another big nothing burger to generate a little short-term excitement until someone such as yourself comes along and points out the glaring flaws that should have been evident in the first place.

[delisen]

33. Hopefully Scarborough will never be president

[quickesst]

35. yeah, that won't happen........

....but having atoned for his past to my satisfaction, his almost daily evisceration of rump and his criminal organization makes me smile.

[Trueblue Texan]

6. so typical...

...for the MSM to be all over the story of Biden making an honest screw-up and to gloss over the daily lies, scandals, and crimes of the occupant in the Oval Office. Well, I guess Biden hasn't worn them out on the subject like the crook in the OO has.

[Roy Rolling]

9. In the end

They are wasting their time trying to embarrass Biden for being old—he doesn’t care! He isn’t going to apologize to them for what they endlessly highlight—he won’t dignify the criticism with a response.

And in the end, he’ll use the nuclear option: “I won’t hold the youth and inexperience of my opponents against them”.

[SallyHemmings]

10. We have an incompetent misogynistic racist

In the White House and this is even a story Why?

45 does enough crap in an hour to fill pages and airwaves.


Because the reporters are simply bored, this is now a story.

🤯

[Eliot Rosewater]

26. The actual human race is at stake and people are talking about this, almost convinces me

we will NOT survive.

[Skittles]

38. we really should not use TRUMP in any way to measure ourselves

seriously

[NYMinute]

11. Eugene is so articulate and mild-manneredly cogent. nt

[highplainsdem]

12. Agree. I love listening to him, and reading his columns.

[Cosmocat]

14. E-MAILS! Benghazi! FLAG PIN! SCREAM!

This is what the media does, because the GOP is so relentlessly horrible, they feel the need to play up innoculous or even completely baseless bullshit to handicap the Ds.

And, he is not my first, second, third or even fourth choice, but people saying Biden should drop out because he makes too many mistakes ...

NO

DEMOCRAT

IS

BULLETPROOF

FROM

GOP

"LIBERAL MEDIA"

PILE DRIVING

Whoever is the standard bearer gets the treatment.

If it is Bernie we are going to get McCarty level red scare bullshit

If it is EW she will get the Hillary Treatment

If it is Kamala she will get that BHO got.

On and on and one and on.

[maddiemom]

16. And speaking of Bernie...

You still hear it said that he could have beaten Trump because the Repuglicans had so much to use against Hillary, (mostly bogus}. No! the Repugs would have DECIMATED Bernie with a lot of old "Commie scare" BS, and all sorts of phony stuff they'd make up that no one else would have ever thought about. They didn't have to BOTHER.

[TCJ70]

18. Your opinion is just as valid as theirs on that one...

...as they are both hypotheticals that will never be tested. Your post is a ridiculous swipe at Bernie folks.

[maddiemom]

22. FYI. I voted for Bernie in the primary.

My "swipe" was at Republicans. I don't see how you take it as a swipe at "Bernie folks." Don't be a Snowflake; it just feeds into the Republican talking points.

[TCJ70]

24. Thanks for the clarification...

...you’ll have to forgive my, apparently silly thought process that doesn’t equate people still going on about how Bernie would have won with Republicans, but with Bernie supporters. Silly me.

I’d suggest you take your advice in regards to Republican talking points and calling people snowflakes.

[maddiemom]

25. Oh. VERY well-done sarcasm!

I thought, when I first read your post, that you, on second thought, agreed that your thought process was silly. Your explanation still isn't clear. Read more carefully and think! I AM flattered you'd suggest I might have provided Republicans some talking points they wouldn't come up with themselves(if that is what you meant?). I didn't call anyone a "snowflake," just suggested that you were taking offense at something profoundly inconsequential, which puts anyone in danger of being so labeled.

[Cosmocat]

31. Yeah

They never gave him the treatment because he was always the spoiler to Hillary.

They were more scared of Hillary, but decades of slandering her left her "weak" as a public figure (NOT HER PERSONALLY, just how how the public viewed her) and Comey's bullshit was the dagger to the heart of her public support.

But, there were more than a few rumbles that they kind of were looking to run against him and go full on SOCIALISM ALERT!!!!!

[Guilded Lilly]

15. Always appreciate Gene Robinson! Frankly, the media, not so much...

The most constant and vocal in the media are more interested in spouting Reality Show drama and serving their hyper “read ME ME Me” obsessions than they are sane, thoughtful discussion.

[True Blue American]

17. Listened to that.

Walter is one of the great ones. Talked about Biden and what he really is.

Turned over to CNN heard Bill Krystal say the same thing. That Biden glorified the Troops, not himself.

This story is now dead in the water.

[TCJ70]

20. Well then I won't vote for Gene or Biden in the primary...

...because I don't want to spend 4 to 8 years saying "What he really meant was..." when Biden repeatedly steps in it.

[Control-Z]

40. You forgot the sarcasm thingy.

In our current state of politics it's difficult to be sarcastic without specifically making it a point of fact.

[bluedigger]

21. I think most of us have probably done that. I know I have.

Granted, it wasn't in a previously prepared, and presumably rehearsed speech advocating my competence to lead the free world...

[Docreed2003]

23. Meanwhile on Fox

They've got a panel discussing whether or not Biden is "trustworthy". Give me a fucking break. Where were these panels every fucking time Trump opens his mouth.
(FYI, wasn't willfully watching Fox...it was on in a patients room when I was making rounds)

[highplainsdem]

36. Oh, lord. What complete hypocrisy.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

27. Media are beating this to death.

Right now Andrea Mitchell is being rather tiresome about the whole thing, but I'm glad to see people coming to his defense.

[peggysue2]

28. Writers run into this all the time

Particularly in feature stories aka creative nonfiction. Again, it has to do with memory--that of the writer and those that the writer interviews, as well as the embellishments, the fictional tools that bring a story to life. Yes, there is research and double/triple sourcing a story but even that is not perfect.

Memoir work is especially prone to this sort of brouhaha because it relies heavily on remembered events, people, details. So, I think the comments by Robinson and Isaacson are instructive. They're well-regarded storytellers and know the pitfalls of creating poignant, powerful narratives while adhering to the minute facts. I recall having this discussion again and again with other writers, some of whom considered any detail-veering damning while others (myself included) recognized the limitations of purity testing every piece to the point where the words could no longer breathe.

Of course, in this case you have political bias shading the discussion. Which turns on making a mountain out of a mole hill.

[randr]

29. Many times our memories of life experiences

are of the lesson we learned. That is what we choose to pass to others. The personal facts are private.

[Thekaspervote]

30. Eugene Robinson has got the moxie!!

[Gothmog]

34. K&R

[Control-Z]

41. Yes, but...

just about everyone falls victim to self fulfilling prophecies. The more a mistake is pointed out to one, the more one tries to correct the mistake. And the more a person tries to correct a mistake the more he/she is bound to make the same mistake - increasing exponentially with each mistake and magnified with the importance of the situation.

Joe has already begun to brush that "bad will" (from both the right and the left) right off his shoulders. He's got this.

Not to be worry!

[Skittles]

42. maybe just thinking more before speaking is better advice

[Control-Z]

43. Lol. eom

[Gothmog]

39. For this thread

BTW, the opinion of the person who was the subject of the last so-called gaffe carries a great deal of weight with me

Link to tweet

Link to tweet