WaPo gives Biden 4 Pinnocchios for claims about Georgia voting law

[rogue06]

Apparently Biden was still making the same claims on ESPN Wednesday night^[1] (so much for merely being confused), even backing demands that the All-Star game be moved from Atlanta because of the "racist" law that was passed.

He even droned on about those who have been victimized by the law, which considering that it was just passed and there hasn't been any elections since then, is a neat trick to have accomplished.







1. Too busy to go to the border to see the colossal mess he made but not too busy to go on TV and talk sports.

[Ronson]

Kind of silly Ronson. But it is evidence the WaPo does hold to an objective standard of reporting.

Not really. WaPo is in the same camp as CNN and NYT. Part of the three-headed Lefty media monster.

https://www.dailywire.com/news/they-...a-investigator

If they are suddenly taking nips at Biden's heels, it's because they need some new sensationalism to sell advertising. I would never use them as a primary source.

[oxmixmudd]

Another lie being spread is about them not allowing food and drink to be given to people in line, as if it is meant to make people leave rather than stay in line.

No, it's about volunteers passing out goodies to people in line in order to try to get votes. Electioneering. All polls have laws about no campaigning near polling places.

the law says:

"No person shall solicit votes in any manner or by any means or method, nor shall any person distribute or display any campaign material, nor shall any person give, offer to give, or participate in the giving of any money or gifts, including, but not limited to, food and drink, to an elector, nor shall any person solicit signatures for any petition, nor shall any person, other than election officials discharging their duties, establish or set up any tables or booths on any day in which ballots are being cast."

Now if the polling place wants to have water and food set up for voters, then no problem (as long as there is nothing to suggest a specific party is supplying it) or even have food trucks available. But as long as I have been voting I have never seen food and water at a polling place.

It's not a lie - it's right there in print. The law does not differentiate between a friend bringing you a drink, or your son, or your daughter, and some group or organization trying to encourage you to vote by setting up a table nearby with free drinks and food. And frankly, if the free drinks and food are for ANYONE in line, who cares? What is wrong with encouraging - in a generic way - people to vote? Or providing refreshments for ALL w/o it being attached to a type of vote? What you don't want are people offering bribes to vote for a specific candidate or type of candidate.

The fact they added to the idea of sollcitation to vote for a given person the idea of providing food or drink without any qualification makes it clear to goal is to discourage efforts in areas plagues by long lines, and which do - in GA - tend to be areas with a large black population or a large Democratic leaning vote.

These laws can't be overtly racist Sparko - that would be immediately illegal. BUT, because or society still has intrinsically racist boundaries, i.e. has many elements still divided along racial lines, all one need to do to limit black vote is create a rule that because of these racial divides automatically tends to limit the black vote more than the white vote. That is and has been for decades the nature of continued efforts by Republicans to limit minority (which tends to be Democratic) vote.

[CivilDiscourse]

It's not a lie - it's right there in print. The law does not differentiate between a friend bringing you a drink, or your son, or your daughter, and some group or organization trying to encourage you to vote by setting up a table nearby with free drinks and food. And frankly, if the free drinks and food are for ANYONE in line, who cares? What is wrong with encouraging - in a generic way - people to vote? Or providing refreshments for ALL w/o it being attached to a type of vote? What you don't want are people offering bribes to vote for a specific candidate or type of candidate.

The fact they added to the idea of sollcitation to vote for a given person the idea of providing food or drink without any qualification makes it clear to goal is to discourage efforts in areas plagues by long lines, and which do - in GA - tend to be areas with a large black population or a large Democratic leaning vote.

These laws can't be overtly racist Sparko - that would be immediately illegal. BUT, because or society still has intrinsically racist boundaries, i.e. has many elements still divided along racial lines, all one need to do to limit black vote is create a rule that because of these racial divides automatically tends to limit the black vote more than the white vote. That is and has been for decades the nature of continued efforts by Republicans to limit minority (which tends to be Democratic) vote.

It also doesn't differentiate between a gift of $100 to those sitting in line from son, daughter, group, or organization.

Why is that?

[rogue06]

The article gave a couple of very plausible reasons that it could have been a mistake rather than in intentional lie.

...some experts feel Biden may have been briefed on an outdated version of the bill.

Kessler also wrote Biden may have gotten confused because the new law clarifies that early voting can be conducted "beginning at 9:00 AM and ending at 5:00 PM," as opposed to the previous framing that simply noted early voting "shall be conducted during normal business hours."

Get back to me if Biden continues repeating false information long after it has been pointed out as false, like TFG.

You mean like his claim that he's the first Biden to ever attend college? He has regularly told that demonstrable lie for several decades (the mid 80s) now. Is that a long enough track record for you?

[oxmixmudd]

I think the point is let's see if this is more than just a token or will they call out any more of his major league whoppers. After all they even fact checked an obviously hyperbolic statement made by Trump that they had so many hamburgers at an event that if they were stacked they would reach the moon, so there is no excuse for not keeping old Joe's feet to the fire.

From what I've seen so far, the NYT, WaPo and CNN have not held any punches continuing with the fact check paradigm and calling Biden out when what he says does not comport with the facts.

[oxmixmudd]

It also doesn't differentiate between a gift of $100 to those sitting in line from son, daughter, group, or organization.

Why is that?

Because it is pretty hard to justify giving someone cash to vote under any circumstances at all. Now I suppose one could make some sort of a case against delivering meals or grocery bags full of food on the same grounds, but prohibiting bringing someone a drink or snack, especially if it is a relative or friend, on the grounds it 'might' function as a bribe is absurd. If one goes and anticipates a 3 hour wait, and that turns into 7, you're going to need some water and maybe some food. A call to someone to deliver it so as not to lose ones place in line is reasonable too, and the person delivering it should not have to fear arrest over it. Now perhaps the GA lawmakers are just not smart enough or eloquent enough to be able to codify the difference into their law, but in the end, it is absurd as it stands.

[Sparko]

The article gave a couple of very plausible reasons that it could have been a mistake rather than in intentional lie.

...some experts feel Biden may have been briefed on an outdated version of the bill.

Kessler also wrote Biden may have gotten confused because the new law clarifies that early voting can be conducted "beginning at 9:00 AM and ending at 5:00 PM," as opposed to the previous framing that simply noted early voting "shall be conducted during normal business hours."

Get back to me if Biden continues repeating false information long after it has been pointed out as false, like TFG.

You mean like this?

White House Doubles Down On Lies About Georgia’s Election Law

April 1, 2021 By Jordan Davidson

President Joe Biden’s stated multiple lies about Georgia’s newest election law on Thursday. When a reporter asked White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki if she would be correcting the president’s false statements, she doubled down on the lies.
Psaki stood behind the false narrative pushed by Democrats that the law would make it harder for people to vote by cutting poll hours and preventing people from getting food or water while waiting at the polls.


“[The law] standardizes the ending of voting every day at five, right?” Psaki asked. “It just gives options. It gives options to expand it, right, but it standardized it at five. It also makes it so that outside groups can’t provide water or food to people in line, right? It makes it more difficult to absentee votes, are those things all correct?”
The reporter quickly corrected Psaki that voting on election day is a standardized 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., a fact that even leftist Washington Post fact-checkers acknowledged, but she would not budge when he also asked if the White House’s tone concerning the law would change.
“The tone for a bill that limits voting access and makes it more difficult for people to engage in voting in Georgia?” Psaki asked before accusing Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp of making comments about the law that are “not based in fact.” “No, our tone is not changing.”



https://thefederalist.com/2021/04/01...-election-law/

[oxmixmudd]

You mean like his claim that he's the first Biden to ever attend college? He has regularly told that demonstrable lie for several decades (the mid 80s) now. Is that a long enough track record for you?

This is spin, not fact. Biden was the first to go to college on his Father's side. It requires a dismissal of family dynamics and personal pride to call that a 'lie'. His dad would have been very proud of that fact, and Biden would have carried that pride with him. We all have attributes that are true only of one side or the other, but we don't always worry about making the distinction - both sides are 'our family'.

And then there is the issue of shame. It is possible that singling out his 'fathers side' could be embarrassing in some way to his father. Not that compassion or mercy would ever factor into this sort of thing.

Given the pedantic nature of his critics, however, he should be sure to add 'on my Father's side' to any future references to that fact.

[Sparko]

The law actually expands voting options for Georgians:

• It expands access to early voting statewide by requiring two mandatory Saturdays and allowing local election officials the option of up to two Sundays during early voting. This change would apply to all 159 counties in Georgia for the first time and result in hundreds of hours of increased early voting opportunities across the state.
• SB 202 requires all voters to provide a driver’s license or a free state ID card number to request and submit an absentee ballot. This would replace the cumbersome signature match process, thereby significantly streamlining – and securing – absentee ballot verification and tabulation. Every Georgia voter must already present some form of photo ID to vote in-person.
• For the first time ballot drop boxes – which were not available to Georgia voters prior to the COVID-19 pandemic – are mandated in every county, while also ensuring all drop boxes are secured around the clock.
• SB 202 protects polling locations from electioneering by private individuals. Within 150 feet of the precinct, election officials may provide water at stations. Beyond 150 feet, as previous Georgia law allowed, private individuals may campaign and provide food and water for voters.
• It also requires local election officials to continue tabulating votes until counting is complete and mandates the use of security paper to ensure complete authentication of ballots.

https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/geor...gov-brian-kemp

[Cow Poke]

Apparently Biden was still making the same claims on ESPN Wednesday night^[1] (so much for merely being confused), ...

I think everybody pretty well knows that Biden is just the empty suit that his handlers use to pedal their narrative - I doubt Biden even thinks about checking anything out for truth.

[CivilDiscourse]

Because it is pretty hard to justify giving someone cash to vote under any circumstances at all. Now I suppose one could make some sort of a case against delivering meals or grocery bags full of food on the same grounds, but prohibiting bringing someone a drink or snack, especially if it is a relative or friend, on the grounds it 'might' function as a bribe is absurd. If one goes and anticipates a 3 hour wait, and that turns into 7, you're going to need some water and maybe some food. A call to someone to deliver it so as not to lose ones place in line is reasonable too, and the person delivering it should not have to fear arrest over it. Now perhaps the GA lawmakers are just not smart enough or eloquent enough to be able to codify the difference into their law, but in the end, it is absurd as it stands.

You can tell from the way it's written the intent is the same. You might not agree with that, but the law has the same intention for both.

[oxmixmudd]

You can tell from the way it's written the intent is the same. You might not agree with that, but the law has the same intention for both.

What I see is an attempt to make it harder for people that have to stand in line a long time to vote. There was no reason to without qualification bar anyone from bringing food and drink. Given that the areas where voting lines are long tend to be areas where voters are black and/or predominantly Democratic voters gives a window into why such an absurd limitation would have been codified into law. So from my perspective it is clear that there is a different intent involved - because it is such an outlandish and petty limitation.

But beyond you seeing that as reasonable, yeah, I tend to think we just will have to disagree because proof of intent will be impossible to establish.

That its implementation is likely to affect more black voters than white voters, OTOH, can be established objectively.

[oxmixmudd]

The law actually expands voting options for Georgians:

• It expands access to early voting statewide by requiring two mandatory Saturdays and allowing local election officials the option of up to two Sundays during early voting. This change would apply to all 159 counties in Georgia for the first time and result in hundreds of hours of increased early voting opportunities across the state.
• SB 202 requires all voters to provide a driver’s license or a free state ID card number to request and submit an absentee ballot. This would replace the cumbersome signature match process, thereby significantly streamlining – and securing – absentee ballot verification and tabulation. Every Georgia voter must already present some form of photo ID to vote in-person.
• For the first time ballot drop boxes – which were not available to Georgia voters prior to the COVID-19 pandemic – are mandated in every county, while also ensuring all drop boxes are secured around the clock.
• SB 202 protects polling locations from electioneering by private individuals. Within 150 feet of the precinct, election officials may provide water at stations. Beyond 150 feet, as previous Georgia law allowed, private individuals may campaign and provide food and water for voters.
• It also requires local election officials to continue tabulating votes until counting is complete and mandates the use of security paper to ensure complete authentication of ballots.

https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/geor...gov-brian-kemp

The first item is absolutely a good thing.

The second is controversial, but I'm not convinced it should be.

The third is a mixed bag because the ballot boxes are limited to a maximum number regardless of population (the number of polling places).

The fourth is a subject of controversy because of the fact it makes no exceptions for private citizens bring food and water to other private citizens and subjects them to the same penalties as groups trying to manipulate the election.

The fifth sounds good.

The worst provision is not in this list:

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaig...w-election-law

Source: above

The law allows the State Elections Board to temporarily suspend county elections directors and boards that it deems in need of review. At the same time, the secretary of state will be removed as chair of the state board and will be made an ex-officio, nonvoting member.

© Copyright Original Source

It effectively gives the majority party in the state the power to control the election outcome.

[kccd]

Biden earns ‘Four Pinocchios’ from Washington Post for false claim about Georgia voting law

Liberal paper awarded Biden the designation reserved for ‘whoppers’

The Washington Post Fact Checker knocked President Biden on Tuesday for falsely claiming a new Georgia law "ends voting hours early," giving him its harshest rating of Four Pinocchios for spreading the misinformation.

Biden repeatedly claimed last week a law signed by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, R., would make it harder for working-class people to vote.

"What I’m worried about is how un-American this whole initiative is. It’s sick. It’s sick," Biden said. "Deciding that you’re going to end voting at five o'clock when working people are just getting off work."

Biden doubled down the following day in a written statement: "Among the outrageous parts of this new state law, it ends voting hours early so working people can’t cast their vote after their shift is over."

Washington Post fact-checker Glenn Kessler wrote Biden's claim couldn't be substantiated.

"One could understand a flub in a news conference. But then this same claim popped up in an official presidential statement. Not a single expert we consulted who has studied the law understood why Biden made this claim, as this was the section of law that expanded early voting for many Georgians," Kessler wrote.

"On Election Day in Georgia, polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and if you are in line by 7 p.m., you are allowed to cast your ballot. Nothing in the new law changes those rules. However, the law did make some changes to early voting. But experts say the net effect was to expand the opportunities to vote for most Georgians, not limit them," Kessler continued, noting some experts feel Biden may have been briefed on an outdated version of the bill.

Kessler also wrote Biden may have gotten confused because the new law clarifies that early voting can be conducted "beginning at 9:00 AM and ending at 5:00 PM," as opposed to the previous framing that simply noted early voting "shall be conducted during normal business hours."



"But, as noted, the law also allows individual counties to set the hours anywhere between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. So the practical effect of the 5 p.m. reference in the law is minimal," Kessler wrote. "We sought an explanation from the White House for the reason for Biden’s remarks but did not receive an on-the-record response."

Kessler explained why Biden earned the dreaded four Pinocchios for his falsehood.

"Biden framed his complaint in terms of a slap at working people. The law would ‘end voting at five o’clock when working people are just getting off work’ or ‘ends voting hours early so working people can’t cast their vote after their shift is over,’" he wrote. "Many listeners might assume he was talking about voting on Election Day, not early voting. But Election Day hours were not changed … an additional mandatory day of early voting on Saturday was added and two days of early voting on Sunday were codified as an option for counties.

"Somehow Biden managed to turn that expansion into a restriction aimed at working people, calling it "among the outrageous parts" of the law. There’s no evidence that is the case," he wrote.

?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftse1.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DOIP.IpySKSjvuAWrG_KQHlMOfwHaBq%26pid%3DApi&f=1.jpg

https://www.foxnews.com/media/biden-...ashington-post

original wapo article: https://www.washingtonpost.com/polit...g-hours-early/

Actually the law states that counties can choose to have early voting open as long as 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. or they can be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Who thinks that majority white districts will get the 7-7 time frame, and majority black districts will get 9-5?
If this happens, after the fact complaints will do nothing much.