Donald Trump (and Fox News) are dog-whistling on Joe Biden
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Donald Trump (and Fox News) are dog-whistling on Joe Biden
Washington (CNN)For anyone who watches Fox News Channel, it's not at all surprising that its anchors and hosts (with few notable exceptions) talk up President Donald Trump while knocking down the Democrats running against him in 2020.
While that position puts Fox somewhere in the gray area between journalism and activism, it's not exactly new. There are ratings in partisanship -- so Fox News engages in partisanship.
But even partisanship should have its limits. And one of those limits should be raising entirely unfounded questions about a presidential candidate's health. Which is exactly what two Fox News personalities -- Kennedy and Sean Hannity -- have done, according to this terrific piece by the Daily Beast Justin Baragona:
"Since the end of May, Fox Business Network and Fox News star Lisa 'Kennedy' Montgomery and Fox News prime-time host Sean Hannity have speculated on-air, on at least four separate occasions, that the current Democratic presidential frontrunner is secretly dealing with health issues, often comparing his condition to illness-related conspiracy theories the network pushed about Hillary Clinton during the 2016 election."
Kennedy claimed that conversations among Democratic opposition-researchers all center on "you know there is something wrong with the former vice president." She offered no proof for this claim.
Hannity, Fox's biggest star, said this: "Joe Biden's tired. He does not have the energy for this. He's not up for this challenge. They're already hiding him like they hid Hillary. They don't want him out there."
Those baseless attacks echo how Trump attacked Hillary Clinton during the 2016 campaign. "She doesn't have the look," Trump said of Clinton in late September 2016. "She doesn't have the stamina, I said she doesn't have the stamina, and I don't believe she does have the stamina." (Trump's attack came two weeks after Clinton was caught on video shakily leaving a September 11 anniversary commemoration .)
Trump himself has hinted at similar themes in his early attacks on Biden, the current frontrunner for the 2020 Democratic nod. "Joe Biden got tongue tied over the weekend when he was unable to properly deliver a very simple line about his decision to run for President," Trump tweeted in March. "Get used to it, another low I.Q. individual!" And his nickname for Biden -- "Sleepy Joe" -- isn't accidental either.
The President kept up that dog-whistle drumbeat on Biden's health before heading to Iowa on Tuesday. "I think he's the weakest mentally," Trump said of Biden, adding: "I like running against people who are weak mentally."
Trump also said, without evidence, that Biden is "slower than he used to be."
These attacks clearly are designed to raise questions in voters' minds about electing Biden, who would be 78 on Inauguration Day 2021. That would make Biden the oldest president elected to a first term, breaking the record of -- you guessed it! -- Donald Trump, who was elected at age 70. Which makes the he's-too-old-to-do-the-job argument a little tin-eared.
The Point: Trump -- and his surrogates, including those at Fox -- showed they were willing to do anything and everything to get him elected in 2016. These baseless hits on Biden's health -- more than a year before the election -- suggest they'll be following that same blueprint again.
I wonder if local Trumpsters will try and post fake news about Biden's health?
Do bears shit in the woods?
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Well we had "Clinton health" fake news seeded here from Infowars, Before It's News, Gateway Pundit, and other known fake news sites, including a fake letter from Clinton's "doctor" saying she was medically unable to be president, and videos purporting to be of her having a seizure and accompanied by an aide who carried some anti-epilepsy equipment. It was all fake.
They are no problem. The only problem is that we are not allowed to respond to them in the way they deserve.
They wanted to motivate Trump voters and demoralize Democratic voters.
It worked in 2016. There is no reason it won't again unless they're stopped.
I agree, Trump will not stop Russia from interfering in our election, again...
I don't know about concerns over his health or age but I do know that Fox News has focused on Biden's flip flopping. Most recently the man has been up and down over like a yo-yo on the threat China poses. Before that he renounced his support for the Hyde Amendment. What does he stand for?
The only question is how many Fox news viewers will be stupid enough to believe this? The figure could be anything.
Hmmm...Your'e talking about most of America
Fox commentators could be right !
Joe "I Feel you" Biden sure does have a bunch of No-Shows, for someone running for President.
OR
Is Joe just staying away from the Nut shows the others go to, so he isn't seen as a Nut too soon ?
Being "Nutz" is a big health issue for most regular folks on this planet.
According to the article....the "Experts" are still baffled, even with all the "Word Salad" thrown in !
Not much to see in that article for sure.
Psychology ---- Tell me about your Mom ....was she hot ? Did she touch you ?
I haven't been following Biden because it's too early, but ultimately I would make my own judgment based on what I saw.
OK but that has a basis in fact. She did kind of collapse, and she did need to be physically helped along in places, she did cancel several events, she did pare down her campaigning to a few days a week in contrast to Trump who was out there every day.
Well, I hope this writer feels the same way about unfounded accusations that Trump is suffering from mental illness so severe that he should be removed from office, because that shit has been going on since he was sworn in and even months before.
MSNBC's Mika Brzezinski: A Mental Health Professional Should Diagnose Trump; "I'm Very Serious"
Democrats raise questions about Trump’s mental health
As Presidents Live Longer, Doctors Debate Whether To Test For Dementia
The 25th Amendment Solution for Removing Trump
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Still stands only more so.
I will give you a slight break because I know you were not on Newstalkers in 2016, and not knowing what news you were looking at, you may not have seen all the fake videos and fake news about Hillary's health during that campaign. We had numerous fake news stories about Hillary's health posted on this forum, and I'm not talking about her having the flu.
A lot of Trumpsters are low lifes, thats just the reality of the matter.
There is no evidence then or now that Hillary Clinton is ill.
Oh golly Mister thank you that is so kind. What would mindless dummies like me do without your generosity?
I would hate to have Trump's nerve in a tooth.