The BIG LIE trumped by the HUGE LIE
One of the major issues in the 2024 presidential election has been politicians lying. They always do, but this time the prevarications were on steroids. The accelerated focus on lies is a carryover from the 2020 campaign – with Donald Trump being the primary target. The issue had become so prolific that the Washington Post established a ledger of lies and awarded one to four Pinocchios to the newpaper’s perceived offenders. Most of the Pinocchios went to Trump. And yes, he is prone to exaggerate, engage in hyperbole, misstate facts, and fib, but the lack of balance in calling out the lies of others was nothing less than gross media bias.
Among all of Trump’s dubious statements, the Democrats and the left-wing media branded one claim as the BIG LIE — and that was Trump’s insistence that he won the 2020 election. I have never engaged in the debate over the outcome of the 2020 election because it was settled when the Electoral College voted Joe Biden the winner. That was the ball game. Whether Trump could have won Pennsylvania or not — whether there were enough questionable votes to flip the election or not – became immaterial.
While I thought – and occasionally wrote – that Trump should drop the whining about the past election and talk more about the future, I saw a much bigger lie – a HUGE LIE — being promulgated to a much greater extent throughout the campaign. This one is coming from the Democrats and their media cronies – and none of those so-called fact checkers were calling it out. In fact, the HUGE LIE was more than one lie repeated over and over — but rather a family of lies supporting the initial falsehood. It also had to do with the 2020 presidential election,
The HUGE LIE started when Democrats and their media cronies began to characterize the riot on Capitol Hill on January 6, 2021, as an insurrection. It was an example of what is known the news business as “story creep” – the same event getting described in more sensational terms with each new reporting. It crept further as some left-wing news outlets started reporting the event as an ongoing attempted coup – an overthrow of the government. There were false claims of police officers being killed. A lie within a larger lie. From that point, the initial lie evolved into a nest of lies and actions in support of the central HUGE LIE.
So, what was the HUGE LIE?
It was the political narrative that Trump’s election would literally lead to the end of the American democratic Republic. That he had assembled of a cadre of cultists – a movement — hellbent on violently overthrowing the government. To reinforce the HUGE LIE, Trump was cast as a Hitler-style fascist who would declare himself a dictator. He would end free elections.
As ludicrous as that may seem, many folks believed the HUGE LIE – largely because those on the left followed the Joseph Goebbels propaganda approach of repeating the falsehood over and over again.
The HUGE LIE was not only directed at Trump. Everyone who supported him was demeaned as militants ready to rise up and overthrow the Republic. Democrats and their media allies declared Trump an existential danger to democracy itself.
The left-wing press spread fear mongering speculation, predicting more violence at the Capitol and across the country on the first anniversary of the January 6 riot. To underscore the fear mongering aspect of the HUGE LIE, the House Speaker had fencing placed around the Capitol Building and called on the National Guard for security – something she failed to do in 2021.
On that anniversary day, about 200 Trump supporters appeared on Capitol Hill with a permit. They heard a few speakers and went home. There was no outbreak of violence at the Capitol or around the country.
As the 2024 election neared, the HUGE LIE took on hyperbolic proportions – and the fear monger lies continued. We were told to expect violence and disruptions at the polls. Polling places in Arizona were secured with fencing, cameras and even rooftop snipers. There was no violence and not even credible threats of violence. The election went off peacefully – and against all odds, Trump won.
Now here is where the HUGE LIE gets interesting. It not only ceased to exist once the election was over, but those who propagated it have – indirectly and even directly – admitted it was all just one humongous HUGE LIE from beginning to end. It was a mendacious campaign propaganda narrative without a scintilla of truth to it.
How do we know this? Because since the election, Democrats and those on the left dropped the end-of-the-Republic bullpoop – and are talking about planning for the next election.
In response to the election, President Biden assured the nation that “the American experience endures. We are all going to be ok.” Vice President Harris called on followers to carry on the fight into the next election. MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough assured Americans that there will be a future election – which usually favors the party out of power. Senate leader Chuck Schumer is talking about taking back the Senate in 2026. That has been the perspective of Democrat speaker after speaker. Suddenly, the end of the Republic is no longer an operative theme. The HUGE LIE has lost whatever political value it had. It has been exposed for what it was … a HUGE LIE.
The HUGE LIE could not have prevailed over so many months without the explicit help of a corrupt news media. If there were hints of fascism in the 2024 campaigns, it was the left-leaning media operating as an arm of the Democratic Party. Controlling the media is the hallmark of fascist authoritarianism. The HUGE LIE could not have existed without media compliance.
The silver lining in this dark cloud is the fact that most Americans saw through the HUGE LIE. They saw it for what it was. We can now rest assured that the American Republic is rock solid – and the only threat to democracy comes from those who peddled and empowered the HUGE LIE.
The Trump presidency will be controversial. There will be the natural partisan squabble. But the Republic endures because it was never endangered. That was just a HUGE LIE.
So, there ‘tis.
What about-isms and whining about past history like the aftermath of 2020 and your mischaracterization of the facts on Jan 6th, 2021. The events are of record and in plain sight on video.
You have opined in previous commentary opuses the same malarkey that this event was a mere “riot” and an innocent over reaction to Trump’s call to arms and defend his right to be President.
Well, it’s your opinion, but yours is a minority report that’s been filed under the label “fiction”.
PBP sycophants will lap it up like it is a true fact. We all know it’s political fiction and Trump’s pardoning the jailed participants will not alter the truth.
What your defense will be is your boilerplate answer and you look weak when it appears. You only think the GOP won. Trump has you all in his soupz
This is just gibberish as we won’t know until he takes office. The appointments seems to point to a Project 2025 set of ideologies, projects, and plans. The author seems to hand out mulligans with wild abandon and rejects that 1/6/2021 was anything but an insurrection, although he never notes what he thinks it was. That would be taking a stand.
As I have said, 1/6/2021 was an insurrection hidden inside a riot hidden inside a protest hidden inside a rally. There is no doubt that a rally was held, that Trump sent them to the Capitol to protest where a riot broke out while insurrectionists, eight convicted of seditious conspiracy, attempted an insurrection. However, aiding and abetting makes you part of the affair.
Worse yet, Trump sent them and then sat watching on TV for over three hours doing nothing as, figuratively, Rome burned.
Did Trump know? We will never know in court. However, we do know that these folks had been practicing since just after the Summer of Floyd where a half dozen State Capitols were overrun and taken over by the exact same groups that took the Capitol. Practice, practice, practice. Soon Trump may release them to do it again. Or worse.
To use this to politic against what or what not Trump may do seems wrong. If the author did not recognize that a failed insurrection took place on 1/6/2021, then I am doubtful he will even notice the Republic has disappeared if he is not exuberantly applauding the demise .
Frank Danger… as a purveyor of the HUGE LIE, I understand that you need to support your position with innumerable little lies. You say “The author seems to hand out mulligans with wild abandon and rejects that 1/6/2021 was anything but an insurrection, although he never notes what he thinks it was. That would be taking a stand.” Contrary to you disinformation, I have called it a riot — and have called for the rioters to be property punished. This is just another example of how you lie and lie and lie … about me and what I write. You seem to always have your hair and pants on fire. at the same time. LOL
Yes Larry, you called it a riot. Most Americans called it an insurrection, some call it a failed coup, but few just think it was a riot. Most think it was more than just a riot . You are actually in the smaller group that has worked over the past four years to diminish the event in the minds of Americans. GOP as late as this last election cycle was telling its candidates to avoid calling 1/6 and insurrection. But we Americans saw what we saw. And to most of us, it was an insurrection as defined by Mirriam Webster, not Donald Trump or Larry Horist.
Yes, you did call it a riot here, I blew it. I admit it. Does that still make it a lie?
I have never seen you call for punishment for the rioters, show us.
Can you show another example as if it happens all the time as you say? “Innumerable little lies” you call it here. Show us a baker’s dozen, please. But you won’t, you can’t and you will just deflect, if you respond at all. And then you would be a liar, eh?
Again, you laugh at the thought of my hair and pants on fire. Amazing, you don’t even know me, have never met me, but laugh at the thought of me on fire.
The 1/6/2021 affair was an insurrection hidden in a riot hidden in a protest hidden in a rally. PROVE THAT WRONG.
It was preceded by a number of assaults on State Capitols by the very same groups in the second half on 2020. PROVE THAT WRONG.
If you can’t prove it, they again, you be the liar, eh?
Larry, As per usual you are speaking out of your ass. It is clear (should be even to ignoramuses like yourself) that trump would love to be a dictator. Will he succeed? Unknown at this point, and democrats need to proceed as if their vote will matter in 2026. The people he has chosen for cabinet positions are clearly the most unqualified ever nominated, who will allow him to do whatever he wants. Will he declare a national emergency on day 1, so he can start rounding up illegals? Unknown at this point, but that’s certainly trying to take powers he doesn’t have to accomplish something that will cost the country dearly. It would be nice if you would wake up from your stupor and write something other than bullshit, but we both know you are incapable of that.
Mikef … Have not heard from you for awhile. Are you over you shock? And thanks for proving the point of my commentary — that you oddly claim is bs. The bs was about Trump ending future elections — and here you are talking confidently that there will be a future election. Thanks for helping me prove all that end of the Republic bs coming from Democrats and their media palls was .. bs.
Most of his Cabinet appointments are okay. I think Gaetz is a bad pick — as I wrote. I am a little iffy on a couple of others. But you sound like one of those folks who finds nothing positive to say about Trump. That just makes you a partisan hack. You would be more credible if you were a wee bit more objective. No .. I did not know that I was incapable of “writing something other than bullshit.” LOL Look in a mirror, old man.
Speaking of looking in the mirror, have you done that lately? Perhaps you are just planning to open a chicken restaurant to supplement your social security, having found that windbag post doesn’t pay too well. The reason I don’t write about positive things regarding trump is-there are none! He accomplished nothing to benefit our great nation during his first tenure. The only reason he didn’t create more problems was he picked some people for his administration who quickly realized the danger he presented to the nation and worked to hamstring his actions. (Perhaps you recall all the Republicans who had worked with him who said he was totally unfit to be president?). Despite his overall stupidity, he did learn from that experience and the main criteria to work in his administration is a fondness for trump’s ass. He poses an extreme threat to the national security, talking point #1 being the theft of classified information which he stashed throughout his private club. Of course this has been downplayed by conservative spinmeisters such as yourself, but this transgression makes him totally unqualified to sit in the Oval Office. You cannot be a patriot and if you voted for the orange idiot…
Frank Danger …. And another thing. You write “State Capitols were overrun and taken over by the exact same groups that took the Capitol.” Are you that big of a liar or that stupid?
Larry, Trump supporters and opponents gathered outside the capitol in Albany, New York. Two men were stabbed and one man was charged with assault, criminal possession of a weapon, and menacing. The man’s defense attorney said he was defending himself against the men he stabbed, who the attorney said identified themselves as members of the Proud Boys.[13]
Columbus, Ohio. For a complete list of over 20 capitals affected by sympathetic riots, see *https://ballotpedia.org/Events_in_state_capitals_during_electoral_vote_count_(January_6,_2021)#Atlanta,_Georgia*.
Many fact checks seem to call you a liar and that people were injured and killed on 1/6. See *https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/04/politics/fact-check-capitol-insurrection-january-6-lies/index.html* Not to mention the chief of the capital police said 149 police were attacked and injured.
I am not sure why we are not on the list but we did have a riot or protest or whatever you want to call it in Raleigh.
Larry, who’s the stupid or liar now? And if you could so easily lie about this, then what else don’t you know?
This was on PBP months ago. For my Xmas wish, I hope Joe breaks down and invests in a decent search engine to save time and space for readers and PBP. In review:
I was surprised after 1.6.2021 to learn how many State Capital protests turned ugly with building takeovers and more all during 2020. Sure, it wasn’t 1968, but in hindsight, all of us should have put this all together better. It’s a miss for sure. Many times, the same people pulling these stunts turned up at our Nation’s Capital on 1.6.2021. Often, they published results to their friends. Some say these were rehearsals, I say they were teachable moments. The protestors learned that cops give white guys in camo with guns a break in these affairs teaching they had little to fear from the law. That too happened on 1.6.2021 as no arrests were made on that day. Twas OUR fault for thinking these a “one off” and not realizing a possible trend that turned into a reality on 1.6.2021. Perhaps a conspiracy theory, but those charged with seditious conspiracy were active in State Protests too.
Here are some of the goings on during 2020 and the run up to 1.6.2021: In sum, protestors forced their way into state capitols in Idaho, Michigan and Oregon. Each instance was an opportunity for them and us to learn. They learned.
On 4/30, days after Trump tweeted “LIBERATE MICHIGAN” for previous festivities, protesters outside the Michigan Capitol swarmed the building demanding an end to the stay-at-home order put in place by Gov. Whitmer to combat COVID-19. The group numbered in the hundred including several heavily armed men. Few wore masks or observed social distancing. A line of state police troopers and other Capitol employees held the mob back from entering the House floor. “We had hundreds of individuals storm our Capitol building,” state Rep. Sarah Anthony said. “No, lives were not lost, blood was not shed, property was not damaged, but I think they saw how easy it was to get into our building and they could get away with that type of behavior and there would be little to no consequences.” They saw that a small group could easily hide in the crowd. The Boogaloo Boys were there. And William Null and his brother were later charged for their alleged roles in the plot to kidnap the state’s governor, according to the FBI. Armed invaders entered the Senate gallery. While none of the protesters faced charges, two of the men seen in a photo looking down on lawmakers would be among the 14 people charged months later in a plot to kidnap Whitmer and bomb the state Capitol. “It made national and international news, what happened in our Capitol,” Representative Polehanki said. “People saw that, and it’s no coincidence that the storming of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 had the same feel.”
In August of 2020, an angry mob didn’t need to break down a door to enter the Oregon Statehouse in Salem to disrupt a one-day special session. A surveillance video released two days after the U.S. Capitol insurrection revealed that Republican state Rep. Mike Nearman, of Independence, opened a locked side door to let in some violent protesters. Dozens of rioters streamed into the building and attacked police officers.
One of the Patriot Prayer supporters who carried an AR-15 rifle into the Statehouse was charged with pepper-spraying six police officers. Five other protesters were also taken into custody.
Nearman would later issue a statement defending his action by noting the state Constitution mandates open public legislative proceedings. He was removed from legislative committees and billed for damages caused by the rioters.
“They couldn’t have done what they are doing without some notion of impunity around it,” said Lawrence Rosenthal, chair and lead researcher of the Center for Right-Wing Studies at the University of California-Berkeley. “The type of wink-wink quality that these guys experienced.”
At least three men involved in the effort to invade the Oregon Statehouse appeared to have joined the insurrection at the U.S Capitol, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting.
One of them, Tim Davis, 59, of Springfield, Oregon, told ProPublica he “couldn’t comment” about whether the riot in Salem inspired him to travel to the nation’s capital. He insisted he did not join those who entered the U.S. Capitol building or break any laws.
“The president asked people to come, and I felt it was my constitutional duty to go,” he said.
It was Trump supporters who practiced, learned and broadcasted the results: It was possible — even easy — to breach the seats of government to intimidate lawmakers. That police would not meet them with the same level of force they deployed against Black Lives Matter protesters. They could even find sympathizers on the inside who might help them like Josh Hawley fist pumping their breach of Congress and then running away like a frightened school child.
And they learned that criminal charges, as well as efforts to make the buildings more secure, were unlikely to follow their incursions. They could even get help like in these cases and the “tourist tours” that Mikey Sherill NJ saw Republicans giving camo-clothed “tourists” the days before the incursion. In the three cases, police made only a handful of arrests.
Here’s a tidbit on some violence elsewhere around 1.6, pretty minor except the risk of all those long guns and God knows under the coats. But government, businesses, were shut down because of these disturbances.
*https://ktla.com/news/nationworld/pro-trump-demonstrators-swarm-state-capitals-across-u-s-forcing-evacuations-in-2-states/*
Hey, I left out Idaho, sorry. In that one they actually busted some glass doors on their way in. Can’t remember if Republicans helped them in or not, but it was basically the same old same old.
This article gets a Stop The Spin” (STS) rating of 5+. Here is why this article is such a bologna sandwich:
1) Larry is one of the biggest windbag opines in the business. Larry says, “And yes, he (Trump) is prone to exaggerate, engage in hyperbole, misstate facts, and fib, (WE CALL ALL THIS A LIE!!!) but the lack of balance in calling out the lies of others was nothing less than gross media bias. FUNNY!!! LARRY WHO CONSISTENTLY ONLY CALLS OUT DEMS IS CALLING OUT OTHERS FOR LACK OF BALANCE!!! LMFAO!!!! so with these opening sentences, you know the rest of the article will be unbalanced double pattie sandwich of bullshit.
2) Why does Larry use the word “fibs” to describe Trump and “lies” to describe Dems? Bias? Evidence of unbalance?
3) Larry goes to great lengths to deny the 1/6 “insurrection and leaves it open as to what it was. Miriam Webster defines insurrection as “an act or instance of revolting against civil authority or an established government.” HEY LARRY, THAT IS WHAT WE SAW ON TV!!!! EVEN ON FOX!!!
Larry claims nobody died. Fact check disagrees. *https://www.factcheck.org/2021/11/how-many-died-as-a-result-of-capitol-riot/* There were at least one death, and, within three days after, several cops committed suicide attributed to PTSD caused by the insurrection violence.
4) Larry says about Dems/left, ” those on the left followed the Joseph Goebbels propaganda approach of repeating the falsehood over and over again.” So now according to Larry, the left follows Nazi. HEY LARRY, TRUMP HAS SAID FOR YEARS HE DID NOT LOSE THE 2020 ELECTION – SO IS HE FOLLOWING NAZI TOO???
5) Yes Larry, casting doubt on our democratic election processes is a form of diminishing democracy which would be a threat!
6) Larry actually gives credit to the Dems running a peaceful election process. But Larry LIES in that there were thirty bomb threats, said to be from Russian emails addresses – These are the people that Trump wants to cozy up to and periodically praises.
7) Larry claims that it must have been a lie because afterwards Dems got quiet. NOT TRUE!! After 1/6 there was a Select Committee hearing that lasted months, there were over 1000 arrests by DOJ, The dems passed several laws dealing with elections integrity, one of them being that the VP is a ceremonial position and is not involved in electoral vote counting and cannot stop the count, cities strengthened their election security procedures, GOP tried much gerrymandering and voting rights denials such as in Georgia and Pennsylvania. Many things happened on the legal fronts which caused the silence – and Trump’s lie still remains!!!
8) Larry just admitted that Trump, MAGA, and GOP are FACIST and wanting an AUTHORITARIAN STATE when he says, “Controlling the media is the hallmark of fascist authoritarianism. ” HEY LARRY, WHO IS TALKING OPENLY ABOUT PUNISHING THE MEDIA NOW???!!! WHO IS TALKING OF PUNISHING MILITARY GENERALS???!!! WHO IS TALKING ABOUT INVESTIGATING THE DEM PARTY???!!! WHO IS TALKING ABOUT BYPASSING SENATE ADVISE AND CONCENT POWERS TO APPROVED CRONIES???!!! YES, TRUMP!!!!
9) Actually, it is not an issue of many Americans seeing through Larry’s imaginary big lie. What actually happened is that 10% less voters showed up because they did not like either choice. Also, now, many are having buyer’s remorse as they watch the goofy cabinet picks by Trump. People that voted for lower inflation and lower price of eggs are now saying they did not vote for what Trump is doing.
10) I never heard Dems say “The republic was at risk.” What I heard was Dems saying our democracy and democratic institutions are at risk. AND THEY REMAIN AT RISK AS EVIDENCED OF TRUMP WANTING A SENATE RECESS SO HE CAN BYPASS SENATE POWERS OF ADVISE AND CONCENT. TRUMP’S GAETZ PICK TO ELIMINATE THE DOJ. LAP DOG KENNEDY FOR NATIONAL HEALTH DIRECTOR TO GUT THE SCIENCE BASED APPROACH AND INSERT JUNK SCIENCE THEORIES. GABBARD FOR DNI WHILE BEING A SUSPECTED RUSSIAN ASSET OR AT LEAST VERY WARM TO RUSSIAN VIEWS. THESE ARE JUST FOUR EXAMPLES.
Tom … you lie. You write “LARRY WHO CONSISTENTLY ONLY CALLS OUT DEMS …” That is your mantra … and it is a big lie. I have criticized Trump for his personality. I have called him out for his tariffs….and his policy on Ukraine. I have called Gaetz a sleazebag. On the other hand, I have challenged you to give me a short list of things that Trump did that you like. Crickets. You are what you criticize. And all that cyber screaming … and name calling. You seem to be getting more and more irrational and unhinged. I am beginning to see you as a pile of … what is it? Oh yeah. Petrified Whale poop. LMAO (That one still cracks me up —and also everyone I tell it to. How did you ever come up with that piece of shit? literally. LOL) Keep peddling you Chicken Little sky falling crap. Even most of the Democrats on the telly have already given up on that one.
To Ashli Babbitts family it was MURDER!
She had NO weapon and was shot by police.
There are other cops in prison across the country for doing the same thing as a Black kid
in the dark holds a box of candy.
The the Democrat’s gave him a Medal!
To Ashli Babbitts family it was MURDER!
She had NO weapon and was shot by police.
There are other cops in prison across the country for doing the same thing as a Black kid
in the dark holds a box of candy.
The the Democrat’s gave him a Medal!
ASS HOLES!
Darren, yes, she was unarmed. And he was the last and only man between our Congress and the mob. He repeatedly yelled orders for them to move back, move back. He pulled the trigger as a last resort not knowing whether she was armed, or that she was a she even.
Your opinion is it was murder. My opinion is that he saved countless lives of our leaders and the government of our country.
We all hate the violence of that day. Republican leaders saw no wrongdoing in the immediate aftermath and only glommed onto the concept of murder weeks after the affair when the PR advantage was seen. It was found to be a good shot, a tragedy, but a good shoot.
QAnon says false flag, still alive. Trump says no reason and he will get DOJ to prosecute. Gosar said execution. Putin said assassination.
On 1/24 Judicial Watch filed a wrongful death suit funded for $400K by crowdfunding. Filed past the 2 year statute of limitation, the lawyers are fighting that until the 400 runs out.
In the fog of war, shit happens. This guy was the last guy between the unarmed good guys and the mob. They had broken into the building, they had arms, they had gallows, they were mad. Some were convicted of sedition, they were there too. They were beginning to smash the final doors into the chamber. He yelled orders to back off, back off, back off, and he fired. A good shoot. Unfortunate, but a good shoot.
Darrren … I wrote about that shooting shortly after it happened. It was a tragedy for sure. She seemed to be a very nice person from the various post-shooting reports. Unfortunately, she did not use good judgment on that day. She was among a violent mob that was attempting to violently break into the inner chamber of the House, where scores of members and staffers were huddling. There is a standard for the use of lethal forces. Did the officer have a reasonable expectation that the person posed a bodily threat of injury or death to himself and others. I think situation met that test. Could the situation have been resolved without the shooting. I do not know. But I do think the shooting was unfortunate but justified by the circumstances. I do not agree with Frank’s spin that the officer saved a lot of lives. We do not know. All we know is that the officer saw the possibility of injury or death if he did not stop those trying to break in — and she got the bullet because she was in the lead. People die in riots… always a tragedy, but many times they were in the wrong place and the wrong time doing the wrong thing. Darren, what would you do if an angry mob was breaking into your home with your family and you had a gun. Would you just let them in to see what they would do? I am not violent person, but I would use the gun … if I had one, but I do not.
Larry, it was my opinion that it saved many lives. That’s not spin. It is your opinion that I’m wrong. That’s OK, but does not change the. validity of my opinion. It is certainly not spin, it is my opinion.
In my defense, there was a raging mob, trying to violently break down the doors where all those people are huddling. We have no idea what would’ve happened if they got in the room. as you said, it was a righteous shoot so, somewhere in your soul, you believe lethal force was justified because there was an imminent threat of danger, of a lethal nature.
I rest my case. However, your opinion stands, But the spin comment is unwarranted