Biden aides respond to media overreaction:

[highplainsdem]

Kate Bedingfield, deputy campaign manager and communications director, responding to a tweet from the Daily Beast:

Link to tweet

This is a sleazy headline. He was talking about the turmoil of the late 60s and asking young people to imagine what the MLK and RFK assassinations did to the country. People deserve responsibility from their news outlets.

Symone Sanders, senior advisor, to WaPo's Matt Viser:

Link to tweet

Matt - He was putting into perspective, for the young folks in the room, about how traumatic the assassinations of RFK and MLK were for the country. This tweet is chasing clicks.

Andrew Bates, rapid response director:

Link to tweet

.@CillizzaCNN, taking this out of context is malicious. He was putting into perspective, for young people, how traumatic the assassinations of RFK and MLK were for the country. The crowd didn't even react because they understood his point. This click-chasing is sickening.

Meira Bernstein, NH comms director for the campaign:

Link to tweet

I would challenge reporters tweeting about this to ask a single person in that room today what their takeaway from the event was.

I guarantee it wasn’t this.

[Autumn]

1. He also said over 40 kids were shot at Kent State on a beautiful lawn.

[Princetonian]

26. BFD. Aren't you going to tell us once again how tired and worn out Joe looked like you always do?

So much concern for Joe.

Pssst... he looked great just appropriately somber for such a tragic subject.

But you knew that.

Too bad Steyer won't make any debates.

[Autumn]

29. Biden's going to be our future. We should know that he's up to the task.

All the sarcasm in the world about other candidates won't change that. None of the other candidates are getting confused like he is. He didn't look somber, in the video, he looked tired and got confused. Bouncing from one subject to another, not even related.

[Princetonian]

31. Joe was trying to relate the pain & horror he felt at 18 when his political heroes were assassinated

You can see teenagers in the audience. What Joe said hit them in the gut if they love President Obama as much as my teenage son does.

This is why an attendee went on Twitter and said they understood the point Joe was making: https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1287&pid=251825

I am "tired" of your insinuations and "confused" as to why you are so concerned "that he's up to the task" when President Obama said Joe was the best Vice President that America ever had."

Is "tired and confused" the not-so-subtle ageist language you will use to express your "concern" for Joe from now on?

[Autumn]

32. Yeah, I saw the audience.

Yeah. No, I have not said "tired and confused" till this episode. Do I think that any candidates age is a factor in this election? Yes, I do, which is why my avatar is who it is. I haven't watched his videos or his speeches since his announcement and his first oops.

[Princetonian]

35. You've dropped "tired and worn out"? Now it's "tired and confused" from you?

I look forward to seeing what you think of next...

[LongtimeAZDem]

79. +1

[treestar]

47. being confused about

big issues would be more important than a misspeak of a syllable. He likely knows there were 4. But for someone with that much experience, there are a lot of shootings to keep track of.

I couldn't tell you the exact numbers for a lot of shootings off the top of my head.

Maybe he should just read scripts, and never risk getting s detail wrong. As opposed to not understanding the significance or context of an event. It's a lot more important for him to know the exact numbers and dates. I think Kent State was on May 4, 1970, but what if it was 69 or 71? That means my understanding of the entire event must be wrong and I'm going senile?

[Autumn]

54. I'm 66 years old and I could, I asked my husband who is 70. He knew.

Everything you said has nothing to do with the concern over Biden's gaffes. We mock Trump's gaffes. Do you think people are going to be excited about watching a race between two gaffe-prone men? Even if Biden's gaffes aren't as ridiculous and made up as dipshits gaffes?

[Princetonian]

57. Try harder... it's entertaining.

[Autumn]

58. You should try discussion, or ignore me instead of looking for my comments

to other people to respond with this stuff. You do this every time.

[Princetonian]

59. I have learned who is worth the effort.

[Autumn]

60. If I'm not worth the effort why do you bother to search me out to respond to me?

There's a term for that, I'll think about it a bit, I'm sure it will come to me again this go around.

[Princetonian]

61. Truth over lies.

[Autumn]

62. Good times.

[cwydro]

72. You should read what I read in The Root about this.

It’s not pretty.

[Autumn]

74. Nope it never is. nt

[treestar]

64. Good grief! Trumps are of understanding, not detail!

Trump would probably just call the Kent State victims unpatriotic for being around a protest! They are not equal things at all?

Are you one of those who thinks the dates are more important than the occurrences in history? When I was in school, the teaching of history was being questioned for just memorizing of dates and having nothing to do with ideas.

[cwydro]

33. That's quite a large mistake.

That one puzzles me.

[Autumn]

34. The whole video puzzled me. nt

[Princetonian]

38. It puzzles me that both of you are puzzling over it when no one else seems puzzled over this.

[Autumn]

39. Biden supporters aren't puzzled over it of course, but then they are about the only ones who aren't.

[Princetonian]

40. Nobody I know in the real world knows the number nor do they care whether Joe does either.

I'd be more concerned that Steyer is using a Trumpian-sounding rationale for his candidacy in his new commercial.

[Autumn]

41. Over 40 kids shot at Kent State on a beautiful lawn. I don't think Steyer is sounding Trumpian

at all and I haven't heard him misspeak either .

[Princetonian]

52. Steyer supporters don't see over it of course, but then they are about the only ones who don't.

[cwydro]

42. Everyone I know in the real world knows that number.

You never heard the song?

Anyone alive then would have had to be living under a rock not to know. Certainly Biden should know.

[Autumn]

43. knew the number immediately. 4 killed in Ohio. 9 were injured.

Anyone from that era knows the facts.

[cwydro]

44. Exactly.

I still remember the stories in newspapers and magazines, as well as TV news. And I was fairly young then.

Surely Biden read newspapers at that time.

[treestar]

50. Not everyone knows every song

Not everyone listened to the radio or listens to classic rock radio.

[cwydro]

55. Yes, my parents didn't listen to that music, nor does one of my best friends.

But every single one of them knew about what happened at Kent State.

Surely Biden would be plugged in enough to know one of the huge events of the 60s.

(Btw, that song wasn’t “classic” rock at the time lol.)

[treestar]

63. He does know the event; he flubbed the number

the event and its significance matter more than getting the exact number or the exact date correct.

I'm sure there are many of the older generation and many who are not rock fans who can't recall the exact number.

I don't know the numbers of Parkland or Newtown any more. I rely on being able to look that up. Biden talks off the top of his head, and that is not a bad thing always. We don't want them stiff and scripted all the time either.

[treestar]

48. A large mistake would be not knowing its significance

Not forgetting exact numbers. You mean to say if some stupid Republican knows there were 4 people killed has a deeper understanding than someone who does not remember that number precisely? What of the date? Does knowing the date exactly mean more than knowing what happened? The right winger who remembers the exact date is better than the left winger who is not sure of the date, even if the right winger says it was the proper thing for the National Guard to do against those disloyal students while the left winger condemns it as overuse of government power? I thought people were getting over that and saying testing mere dates did not prove a student had been educated about anything more than data.

[Princetonian]

53. ZING!

[Eliot Rosewater]

76. I wonder if the RELENTLESS BASHING of all Democrats will work again

[treestar]

46. four vs. forty

is not as bad as saying it was 5, or 3.

[Autumn]

51. 40 were not shot on a beautiful lawn at Kent State. Had he said 5, 3 or a 1000 it would have still

been the same. He got confused. Not the first time either. When my Father started getting confused at that age I made an appointment with a Doctor. Someone should do that for Biden. He took a week off campaigning to rest the 15 of August and his allies have suggested he scale back his campaigning and he's not gone to a few events like the one in CA, so I don't see a busy schedule as the cause.

[Princetonian]

56. blah blah blah blah ageist bullsh*t blah blah

[treestar]

66. I am scared to ask my octogenarian parents

how many were killed at Kent State. I don't want to have to take them to a doctor. "Doctor, I think Dad has dementia. He thinks 30 people were killed at Kent State."

Doctor: "There were more?"

[Princetonian]

67. lolol

[treestar]

65. No, this is not enough for a doctor's appointment

For goodness sake. You'd have had Obama declared senile early for saying there were 57 states while thinking of the 57 primaries.

Off the top of your head, how many students were killed at Parkland High School? I'd worry and see a doctor if you can't say it without looking it up. What was the date of it?

Taking one of the most significant events in our history, what was the date South Carolina seceded and how many were killed at Ft. Sumpter? What was the exact date of that attack? If you don't know, your thoughts on the Civil War and Reconstruction and Slavery are gone, are they not? You must see a doctor.

[Princetonian]

68. SMACKDOWN!

[zaj]

2. Jesus... How terrible (the coverage)

[Cha]

5. Yes, they're looking for

anything to take down the front runner.

[Butterflylady]

28. Sad part is

That's what they get paid to do. Only that's not journalism. They're only helping him to make him look more real in people's eyes. Boo hoo, it ain't working.

[Thekaspervote]

3. Thank you highplainsdem.. same ones over and over complaining about what the front runner

said instead of posting something positive about their candidate of choice.

[Cha]

4. Poor journalism to quote this out of context. He was trying to get younger people to understand what

And, from a person on Twitter..

Link to tweet

Thank You, highplainsdem.. I knew there had to be more context.. Glad Joe Biden has an excellent Rapid Response Team!

Some Biden Detactor said the other day that ".. the media wanted Biden because he would do their bidding.." or some such hogwash.."

NO.. the Media is "AFRAID" of Biden..

[MustLoveBeagles]

8. Once I saw the clip I understood what he was saying

I'm still trying to figure out what I supposed to be outraged about. SMH

[Cha]

9. Context is everything.. those

who try to skip it and just go for the click bait are the ones who deserve scorn.

Mahalo, Beagles

[MustLoveBeagles]

11. I admit that without the context it did sound bad

I admit that without the context it did sound bad but I didn't want to jump to conclusions. I wanted to see the clip myself before making a judgement either way. I'm so glad I did.

Mahalo, Cha

[Cha]

12. I know when I read it

.. I was grateful I was going out for a run. And, I figured when I got back there would be context from those who aren't satisfied with just a click bait quote.

And, sure enough.. highplainsdem was on it with her excellent research!

Thank You, MustLoveBeagles!

[treestar]

49. Click bait, exactly

And we are being encouraged to jump right to an emotional reaction.

[Cha]

6. KICK!

[aikoaiko]

7. Look who's campaign is attacking and criticizing the media now.

Ouch, that's gotta hurt all those who said other candidates were out of line for criticizing the media.

yep, thats me with rofl schadenfreude.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

10. .

[Thekaspervote]

14. Mr Sanders was the one complaining about coverage of his campaign, and repeatedly

So, have you seen Mr. Biden doing this?

Last I knew he has a good working relationship with the press

[betsuni]

17. No one said "other candidates were out of line for criticizing the media."

They said it was too conspiracy theory-like to say things like this: "I talk about [Amazon not paying taxes] all of the time. And then I wonder why the Washington Post, which is owned by Jeff Bezos, who owns Amazon, doesn't write particularly good articles about me. I don't know why."

[JI7]

19. exactly, there is a difference between specific criticisms and what people like Trump do accusing

others of being after them for some bs reasons.

[Eliot Rosewater]

75. Concerted effort everywhere you look to bash ALL Democratic candidates

[melman]

20. These attacks on the press are unseemly

Disturbing even.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

37. Yes attacking the free press is unseemly.

[abqtommy]

13. I've long thought that the MSM provides much for everyone to criticize so I can't fault Biden

or his team for going after them. Of course tRUMP goes after them and MSM love the ratings. That's very interesting, isn't it? If it weren't for DU I wouldn't know anything about this since I don't follow any US MSM.

[quickesst]

15. Hell's Bells!

There's enough overreaction concerning Joe Biden right here on Democratic Underground to power a nuclear submarine. Almost every time someone comes up with some twisted or out of context "revelation" it always has to be followed up buy one of these threads and put into proper perspective, not for the benefit of those who are posting the twisted and out of context posts (they already know it), but rather for those who might fall prey to the intentionally deceitful offerings.
They won't stop, but thanks to the efforts of people like highplainsdem, they do not get far.

[Cha]

18. I Know Right! I was just thinking..

this keeps people like highplainsdem Busy Cleaning up after the m$media.. and those who run with their, out of context, narratives.

Mostly highplains lately

Mahalo, quickest!

[quickesst]

22. Hey Cha!

A really sad part of this is the unwillingness, once exposed and corrected, to step forward and take responsibility for the deception. I'll just call it:

THE SILENCE OF THE SCAMS

[Cha]

73. Oh that's Appropriate, quickesst!

Excellent!

[emmaverybo]

78. "The Silence of the Scams." First they double down, then they fall silent until the next faux

outrage emerges.

Fix the damage, Joe (busterbrown)
The world needs you

[NYMinute]

24. David Sirota's goons follow Biden only to take things out of context nt

[emmaverybo]

77. +1000

[Celerity]

16. Biden needs new spokespeople, these are not serving him well, especially DT

who has already caused Biden issues of her own making. Not surprising as she is an ex Sanders staffer. Trouble seems to follow them like a magnet and they are made of metal.

[NYMinute]

25. He does not

BS campaign's taking Biden's speeches out of context will be exposed by other media outlets.

Thou shalt NOT Hillarify Biden. People are wiser this time.

[Celerity]

69. You do not have to be a pro-Sanders person to see issues.

Bernie's people are not at the root of every single critique of Biden. They do have a lot of problematic stances and too often exhibit very questionable modus operandi, but Biden has been making self-inflicted errors all on his own, ones that non-Sanders supporters can also see and comment on.

At times I see attempts to set up Biden as being beyond any questioning whatsoever, to try and frame any and all criticism or questioning of him as somehow being completely illegitimate and basically a pure attack on our Party itself. At the same time, some Biden supporters claim full rights to have a continuous go at any and all other candidates or stances they disagree with. I see no other candidate's supporters, with the possible exception of the above mentioned Sanders, that are so consistently negative on many of the other candidates.

Until we have a nominee, it is a 2-way street, and people are well within their rights to ask questions or express legitimate contrary opinions in regards to any and all of our multitude of candidates, Buttigieg and Biden included.

[NYMinute]

70. Yes ... but only the ultra-left sees issues

and they are all together against any centrist.

[Celerity]

71. the ultra left is against all centrists, this is correct

That said, it is not just the ultra left who sees issues however. That is a false framing. That literally is saying anyone who questions Biden on this subject is automatically 'ultra left' which is patently untrue and disingenuous. The only options atm in terms of candidates are also not either Biden or the ultra left. It may come down to that, but we are not there yet.

[ecstatic]

21. I completely get what Joe is saying, but the irony

for me is that the thought of a president dying in office (physically or mentally) is what puts him in 5th place for me. I'm a worrier, and that is my main hesitation when it comes to him.

[NYMinute]

23. David Sirota's media buddies are into dirty tricks

They are trying to Hillarify Biden.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

27. We GenXers voted for Clinton, in part, because he wasn't up there trying to get us to imagine

how it felt to march off to World War II.

[DrToast]

30. Good. They need to fight back against this crap

It is starting to sound eerily like "but her emails!"

Look, Joe Biden is known for gaffes. True. But that doesn't mean every word out of his mouth is a gaffe. Context matters.

[treestar]

45. yep, this is getting boring, par for the course

and getting us not to believe the outrage when we first see it.