| | | | Donald Trump is averaging 7.6 mistruths a day | | I've written -- a lot -- about how the most enduring legacy of Donald Trump's presidency, whether it lasts four years or eight years, is his unapologetic assault on facts and the idea of truth. We have simply never had a president who says as many things that aren't true as Donald Trump. Or a president who, once it's clear what he's saying isn't accurate, takes such pleasure in repeating falsehoods.
Which brings me to The Washington Post Fact Checker's running count of how many things Trump has said -- since being sworn in on January 20, 2017, that are either misleading or totally untrue. And to these two sentences in particular: "As of day 558, he's made 4,229 Trumpian claims — an increase of 978 in just two months. That's an overall average of nearly 7.6 claims a day."
The President of the United States is saying more than seven things that aren't true a day. SEVEN.
And, what's more, his tendency toward untruth is actually picking up steam. As WaPo's Glenn Kessler, Salvador Rizzo and Meg Kelly note, Trump was averaging less than five false or misleading claims in his first 100 days. (Only five!) But, between June and July Trump is averaging -- averaging -- 16 falsehoods a day. (As a thought experiment, try to lie -- or misrepresent -- 16 times tomorrow. I bet you can't.)
It's not just the raw numbers either. Trump has ramped up his disdain and dismissiveness of all forms of communication that don't originate with him. "Just remember, what you are seeing and what you are reading is not what's happening," Trump said earlier this month. "Just stick with us, don't believe the crap you see from these people, the fake news." On Tuesday, at a campaign rally in Tampa, Florida, Trump said: "You know, polls are fake, just like everything else."
That message is getting through. According to a CBS News poll released earlier this week, 91% of strong Trump supporters say they trust the President to provide them accurate information while 63% say they trust their family and friends to do the same. Just 11% of them trust the mainstream media to provide accurate information.
The problem here is clear: Lots and lots of Americans are getting their "facts" from a person whose disdain for facts is unparalleled in American political history. And whatever Trump says is being amplified -- almost entirely without context or questioning -- by Fox News, ensuring that millions and millions of people are living in a universe composed of "alternative facts."
The Point: This set of facts might depress you. It should. But it should scare you -- no matter your political leanings -- even more.
-- Chris | | "Some feel that we as a society are sitting in a burning room, calmly drinking a cup of coffee, telling ourselves 'this is fine.' That's not fine."
-- Sen. Richard Burr, referencing a very popular internet meme (one we all know and overuse) during a committee hearing about Russian efforts to interfere in the 2018 elections | | | TRUMP TO SESSIONS: END 'WITCH HUNT' | | President Donald Trump on Wednesday once again called special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian election interference a "witch hunt." This time, however, Trump went a step further in his criticism of the probe and suggested on Twitter that Attorney General Jeff Sessions, should end Mueller's investigation "right now."
"This is a terrible situation and Attorney General Jeff Sessions should stop this Rigged Witch Hunt right now, before it continues to stain our country any further," Trump tweeted. "Bob Mueller is totally conflicted, and his 17 Angry Democrats that are doing his dirty work are a disgrace to USA!"
As Chris writes, "The President of the United States asked the top law enforcement official in the country to end an investigation into a) Russia's active-measures campaign to interfere in the 2016 presidential election to benefit Trump and hurt Hillary Clinton and b) the possibility that a member (or members) of the Trump campaign colluded with the Russians to aid that end goal. This is a bridge further than Trump has been willing to go in the past." Read more in his analysis here.
At today's briefing, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders repeated multiple times that Trump was simply "expressing his opinion" in his tweet this morning. | | | ICYMI -- which Saba did last week -- NPR brought in The King's Singers, who are in the midst of their 50th anniversary tour, for its Tiny Desk Concert series. For all you a cappella nerds out there, you can watch here. | | Vice President Mike Pence is in Hawaii today, where he will greet 55 flag-draped cases of what are believed to be the remains of American service members killed in the Korean War. The remains are being repatriated as part of a historic agreement last month between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
CNN's Elizabeth Landers reported from Hawaii Wednesday: "Pence described to reporters on Air Force Two on Tuesday what it meant to him personally to be speaking at the ceremony. He called the event "deeply meaningful" and said he was honored that President Donald Trump had asked him to attend the ceremony.
Pence told reporters: "My father was a combat veteran in Korea. And as I said to them, my father, anytime the war came up and anyone used the word 'hero,' my dad would say, the heroes were the ones that didn't come home. So, to be able to be with them and the sacrifice their families have made to defend our freedom, to defend the freedom of South Korea, (I'm) just very humbled."
Read more in CNN's full story here. | | CNN's Caroline Kenny -- the South Carolina expert -- reports that former Vice President Joe Biden is wading back in to South Carolina politics, this time endorsing his longtime ally Dick Harpootlian for SC State Senate.
"I've known Dick for a long time," Biden says in a video endorsement. "He's a fighter who stops at nothing to get things done and makes South Carolina a much better place. He has a reputation for fighting hard against crime and supporting public education."
Per Caroline: "It's unusual for someone like Biden to get involved in such a local race, especially ahead of a primary. But if Biden does decide to run for president in 2020, Harpootlian will be a key ally who will surely be a leader in forming an organization and supportive base in the Palmetto State for the former VP." | | Hillary Clinton is adding "executive producer" to her resume. The former Democratic presidential nominee and secretary of state confirmed Wednesday that she will be "joining forces with Steven Spielberg" to adapt Elaine Weiss' book "The Woman's Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote" for TV.
The Hollywood Reporter first reported the news, which Clinton and Weiss both confirmed on Twitter. Clinton is also guest starring in an upcoming episode of CBS' "Madam Secretary" alongside fellow former Secretary of States Colin Powell and Madeleine Albright. | | All eyes will soon be on Ohio, with a special election race in the state's 12th district turning into a close race. CNN's Terence Burlij and Dan Merica reported:
"A Monmouth University poll released Wednesday shows Republican Troy Balderson receiving 44% support and Democrat Danny O'Connor pulling 43% with 11% of respondents saying they are undecided. That's a shift from a little over a month ago, when Monmouth found Balderson leading O'Connor by 10 points."
The election is on Tuesday. President Trump is headed to Ohio Saturday to stump for Balderson. Read more here. | | | From Brenna: "It had been weeks since I last witnessed a proper Trump handshake. Luckily he had a meeting with faith leaders today and he came into a classic handshake right out of a prayer. The transition was seamless. This is my equally seamless transition into asking you to share The Point." Tell people to subscribe here. | | We'd love to share our other newsletters with you. Follow this link for daily coverage of the world's top stories, savvy market insights, an insider's look into the media, and more. Our authors for The Point are Chris Cillizza and Saba Hamedy. Send your tips and thoughts via email to Chris or Saba. Follow on Twitter: Chris and Saba.
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