Why Does Joe Biden Have to Lie? Fact checks on a politician’s claims are nothing new.
At the end of his presidency, the Washington Post famously published an article on Donald Trump, claiming he had made more than 30,000 false or misleading claims during his four years in office. That equates to around 20 false or misleading statements a day, whether it be on social media, in interviews or in press conferences.
The general consensus in the mainstream media is that President Biden is the more honest of the two likely adversaries for next year’s presidential election. That was, of course, until last week.
Joe Biden’s CNN Fact-Check
CNN, a broadcaster which typically avoids heavy scrutiny of Democrats, produced a fact-check on President Biden’s claim that he visited Ground Zero the day after 9/11. As part of the segment, fact-checker Daniel Dale confirmed – after contacting the White House – that the then-Delaware Senator did not visit Ground Zero until nine days after the attack on September 20.
In a break from usual fact-checking segments, Dale explained the context and significance of the claim.
“Nine days later, maybe he forgot,” said Dale, when articulating potential objections. “And maybe he forgot. But look, it’s 9/11. It’s sensitive. He’s speaking to military and first responders. So, I think the facts matter.”
Dale homed in on the President even further, stating the 80-year-old “has a pattern at this point of either inventing or embellishing stories about his own past, his biography.”
“Whatever his intentions, whether it’s, you know, foggy memory about stuff that’s going on decades ago or deliberate embellishment, this is an unfortunate pattern that keeps coming up again and again with Joe Biden,” he concluded.
Why Does Joe Biden Lie?
Forgetting an exact date for an event 22 years ago would be forgivable in most instances, but not when it comes to a terror attack which changed the direction of the United States forever. Even if the President had forgotten the date from memory, there’s no doubt that spin doctors or aides would remind Biden of his involvement around the anniversary of the attacks.
President Biden talks a lot, and his monologues are not often known for their quality. When he’s rambling on, he becomes undisciplined, and that means false claims are more likely to slip out. Any counterclaims can be dealt with later, either by a press secretary or follow-up interview.
Since his presidential campaign and electoral success, Biden has been compared to his predecessor. If two sides are calling each other liars, voters are conflicted as who to trust. Trump’s history of false claims has been prominent for years, while Biden’s have often slipped under the radar; a few false truths here and there can be released while the outspoken former president rants on his social media site.
That could change. Media outlets are increasingly scrutinizing Biden’s claims, highlighted most prominently by CNN’s latest fact-check. If this trend continues, Biden could be in deep, deep trouble come 2024.
Shay Bottomley is a British journalist based in Canada. He has written for the Western Standard, Maidenhead Advertiser, Slough Express, Windsor Express, Berkshire Live and Southend Echo, and has covered notable events including the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
