Staff Reports
In a development that would make any fourth grader’s writing teacher cringe, the White House has found itself mired in a scandal reminiscent of a poorly scripted political drama. Joe Biden’s recent comments that labeled supporters of Donald Trump as “garbage” have not only sparked outrage among Republicans but prompted a desperate damage control effort by the administration. However, it seems the cover-up may have crossed legal lines, potentially placing those involved in hot water.
During a video call with Latino activists, Biden attempted to express his disdain for a joke made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who, in reference to Puerto Rico, made a remark that was later termed “racist” by the ever-so-astute media. Interestingly, Puerto Rico isn’t a race, but let’s not confuse the left with facts. As the transcript prepared by government stenographers made clear, the president’s comments were a direct criticism of Trump supporters, yet the White House decided to sprinkle a little magic dust over the transcript, inserting an apostrophe to supposedly clarify that only one “supporter’s” garbage was being referenced. It’s a narrative shift that even an amateur magician would roll their eyes at.
White House altered Biden’s “garbage” quote in his transcript despite the stenographer opposing.
Now there are two conflicting records.
The Stenography Office transcript (that goes in the National Archives) is now different than the transcript released by the WH Press Office. pic.twitter.com/ytWT1CHtis
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) November 1, 2024
The scandal deepened when it was revealed that the editing occurred despite vehement objections from the stenographer who felt that the addition of the apostrophe was unwarranted. This blatant disregard for protocol and integrity of official records is not just unethical; it may well fall under the category of tampering with federal documents. Federal workers are tasked with keeping accurate accounts for historical perspective, not playing the role of political spin doctors. Yet here we are—watching the Biden administration attempt to rewrite history one misplaced punctuation mark at a time.
This is a good reminder that, unlike the Democrats, Republicans have historically respected the rule of law—even when out of power. Democrats, however, seem determined to insulate their leadership from any real accountability. A letter from notable Republican figures like Elise Stefanik and James Comer highlighted the potential legal ramifications of this little charade, noting that such tampering is a straight-up violation of the Presidential Records Act. It certainly takes a special kind of arrogance to think they could sweep this under the rug without anyone noticing.
Now, one can’t help but wonder what the Biden administration’s next move will be. Will the Department of Justice, spearheaded by the Biden administration, pursue this issue with the fervor seen during the last four years against their political opponents? Spoiler alert: it’s highly unlikely. The double standards within federal law enforcement have become painfully evident, and while Republicans seem poised to bring this to light, the chances of Democrats facing any repercussions are slim. If Donald Trump secures a second term, one can expect an entirely different approach to this and other matters of legal indiscretion—let’s call it a much-needed rebalancing.
The irony in all of this is thick. The White House has not only shown a lack of respect for its own record-keeping but has also insulted the intelligence of the American public by pretending a single apostrophe could change the substance of a clearly incendiary remark. If political theater is the name of the game, Americans deserve a more entertaining show than this amateur hour operating under the guise of a presidential administration.
