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Alternative facts

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This article is about the first 100 days of Donald Trump's presidency. For Alternate facts, see Counterfactual thinking. For the general topic, see Deception, Propaganda, and Fake news.

Alternative facts is a term used in 2017 by Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway during a Meet the Press interview to describe claims asserted by White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer regarding the attendance at Donald Trump's inauguration as President of the United States.[1][2][3][4] When pressed during the interview with Chuck Todd to explain why Spicer "utter[ed] a provable falsehood", Conway said "Don't be so overly dramatic about it, Chuck. You're saying it's a falsehood, and they're giving — our press secretary, Sean Spicer, gave alternative facts to that."[5][6] Todd responded by saying "Alternative facts are not facts. They are falsehoods."[7]

Background

Spicer at press conference

On January 21, 2017, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer held his first press briefing. He accused the media of deliberately underestimating the size of the crowds for President Trump's inaugural ceremony and stated that the ceremony had drawn the "largest audience, ever to witness an inauguration, period."[8] According to all available data, Spicer's allegations were false.[9][10] Spicer also gave incorrect information about the use of white floor coverings during the inauguration. He stated that they were used for the first time during the Trump inauguration and were to blame for a visual effect that made the audience look smaller. The white floor coverings, however, had been used in 2013 when Obama was sworn in for the second term.[11] Spicer took no questions from the media at the press briefing.[8] Trump's campaign strategist and counselor, Kellyanne Conway, defended Spicer's statements, telling NBC's Chuck Todd that the press secretary was simply giving "alternative facts" and that Trump's crowd numbers could not be proved nor quantified.[4][12]

Reaction

Spicer's press conference and Conway's follow-up comments drew quick reactions on social media. Journalist Dan Rather posted a scathing criticism of the incoming U.S. Presidential administration on his Facebook page.[13][14] Rather wrote:

These are not normal times. These are extraordinary times. And extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures.

When you have a spokesperson for the president of the United States wrap up a lie in the Orwellian phrase "alternative facts”…

When you have a press secretary in his first appearance before the White House reporters threaten, bully, lie, and then walk out of the briefing room without the cajones to answer a single question…[15]

he concluded,

Facts and the truth are not partisan. They are the bedrock of our democracy. And you are either with them, with us, with our Constitution, our history, and the future of our nation, or you are against it. Everyone must answer that question.[15]

The New York Times responded with a fact check of statements made during Mr. Spicer's press conference.[16] This included a side by side photographic comparison of the crowds from Obama's 2009 inauguration and Trump's.

See also

References

  1. ^ CNN, Eric Bradner. "Conway: Trump White House offered 'alternative facts' on crowd size". CNN. Retrieved 2017-01-22. {{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  2. ^ Graham, David (January 22, 2017). "'Alternative Facts': The Needless Lies of the Trump Administration". The Atlantic. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  3. ^ Swaine, Jon (January 22, 2017). "Trump presidency begins with defense of false 'alternative facts'". The Guardian. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  4. ^ a b Jaffe, Alexandra (January 22, 2017). "Kellyanne Conway: WH Spokesman Gave 'Alternative Facts' on Inauguration Crowd". NBC News. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  5. ^ Blake, Aaron (January 22, 2017). "Kellyanne Conway says Donald Trump's team has 'alternative facts.' Which pretty much says it all". Washington Post. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  6. ^ Conway: Trump spokesman gave ‘alternative facts’ (New York Post, 22 January 2017)
  7. ^ Stableford, Dylan (22 January 2017). "Kellyanne Conway cites 'alternative facts' in tense interview with Chuck Todd over false crowd size claims". Yahoo! News. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  8. ^ a b Cillizza, Chris (January 21, 2017). "Sean Spicer held a press conference. He didn't take questions. Or tell the whole truth". Washington Post. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
  9. ^ "White House press secretary attacks media for accurately reporting inauguration crowds". CNN.com. January 21, 2017. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
  10. ^ "Trump's Inauguration vs. Obama's: Comparing the Crowds". New York Times.
  11. ^ "President Trump's Spokesman Just Lied About The Size Of The Inauguration Crowd". buzzfeed.com. January 22, 2017. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  12. ^ Bennett, Brian (January 22, 2017). "Trump aides defend inflated inauguration figures as 'alternative facts'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  13. ^ "Dan Rather takes to Facebook to blast President Trump's 'alternative facts'". Tampa Bay Times. January 22, 2017. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  14. ^ Calfas, Jennifer (January 22, 2017). "Dan Rather on Trump: 'These are not normal times'". The Hill. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  15. ^ a b Rather, Dan (January 22, 2017). "Dan Rather Facebook post". Facebook.com. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  16. ^ Fandos, Nicholas (January 22, 2017). "White House Pushes Alternative Facts. Here Are the Real Ones". nytimes.com. Retrieved January 22, 2017.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alternative_facts&oldid=761525411"