Staff Reports
House Republicans are raising eyebrows and calling for accountability after the White House allegedly altered transcripts of President Biden’s recent comments, which were described as “garbage” by the lawmakers themselves. In a letter addressed to White House Counsel Edward Siskel, major figures in the House, like Elise Stefanik and James Comer, have accused the administration of engaging in political gymnastics so audacious that it may just border on illegal—specifically violating the Presidential Records Act of 1978.
According to the Republicans, this is no simple case of miscommunication. The transcript seems to have been scrubbed clean to make the President’s words more palatable. It’s a shocking maneuver that raises the question of whether the White House thinks it can just clean up after their boss like he spilled grape juice on a white rug. The belief that White House staffers have the right to rewrite the President’s words to spin his message is not just unsettling; it also reeks of desperation—much like a dog that can’t find its tail.
White House’s ‘false transcript’ of Biden ‘garbage’ remarks may violate federal law, Republicans sayhttps://t.co/LgdCVM6h6V pic.twitter.com/sgEx7jZa8D
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) October 31, 2024
The catalyst for this uproar was President Biden’s comments during a Hispanic outreach call, where he lamented a joke made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, insinuating that the only trash floating around was Trump supporters. However, the official transcript curiously changed “his supporters” to the possessive form, which could imply some bizarre fixation on just one individual’s junk left behind. Perhaps one should prepare for the upcoming Biden family reunion with a garbage bag in hand, just in case.
Moreover, the White House attempted to shovel some cover onto this slip-up, suggesting Biden was only referring to the comedian and not launching a broadside against the former President’s loyal following. Nevertheless, this narrative fell flat, particularly after it was pointed out that Vice President Kamala Harris and other Democratic candidates seemed to interpret the remarks distinctly. Blame it on the fog of war—or in this case, the fog of Democratic spin.
In a classic display of transparency (or lack thereof), the House Republicans have demanded that all documents and communications related to Biden’s statements be preserved. They’re not just kicking up a fuss; they are actually trying to hold the administration accountable for what might just be the wildest episode of ‘The Biden Show’ to date. Given the political climate, one can’t help but chuckle at the thought that this isn’t the first time the White House has had to scrub a transcript clean—let’s hope they stocked up on the Clorox.
