From the woman who brought you Alternative Facts, here now is Alternative Evidence. Well, not so much evidence as a distraction to not having any. When questioned repeatedly over the weekend over whether the White House would provide the requested evidence to meet the House Intelligence Committee’s Monday deadline, Kellyanne Conway (KAC, because it sounds about right) bobbed, weaved, then threw this little tidbit out there in an interview with the Bergen Record on NorthJersey.com—
“There are many ways to surveil each other now, unfortunately,” she said. “There was an article this week that talked about how you can surveil someone through their phones, certainly through their television sets, any number of different ways. And microwaves that turn into cameras, et cetera. So we know that that is just a fact of modern life.”
When further pressed by different news outlets, her answer evolved. According to this statement on CNN was, apparently, no longer her job to give any pertinent information.—
“I’m not Inspector Gadget,” Conway said. “I don’t believe people are using the microwave to spy on the Trump campaign. However, I’m not in the job of having evidence; that’s what investigations are for.”
In his article, Philip Bump, Political Analyst for the Washington Post, he lays out a perfect answer.—
“You are in the business of having evidence, Ms. Conway. You are a representative of the president of the United States, and your business is presenting accurate information to the American people on his behalf. Providing accurate information is predicated on having evidence — public or private! — to bolster the arguments you’re making.”
The greatest issue with alternative facts, alternative evidence, or even alternative testimony to congress, is that no one seems to be held accountable for backing them up. There is little chance that any action will be taken by the Republican controlled congress. The clearest hope of ensuring this administration is held to task on its policies and allegations is overwhelming Democratic victory in the 2018 mid-term elections. But, can the Democrats pull themselves together enough to pull this off amid their own divides? Let us hope, for the sake everything we value, that they can have this window of solidarity. If not, well, let’s not talk about the Alternative Future.
The lying and ridiculous examples (microwave???) make my head hurt.
So, when she says she is not in the job of having evidence, that means she does not have a job and we can just quit listening to her and quit reporting what she says. Right? BTW – I would have put the words – not in the job of having evidence – in quotes, but I don’t know what quotes mean anymore after the “wiretapping” story. Maybe now we have quotes and alternative quotes.
The clearest hope of ensuring this administration is held to task on its policies and allegations is overwhelming Democratic victory in the 2018 mid-term elections
But Democrats need to start making the case now. With his horrible approval rating, it seems that this is a perfect time to start asking for accountability and talking about what accountability should look like.