Prominent Reporters Spread Out of Context Quote Claiming Sen. Tommy Tuberville Wants to Delay Biden Administration
A host of big-name D.C. journalists spread an out of context quote which portrayed freshman Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) as wanting to delay President-elect Joe Biden’s swearing in.
The comment was made during an interview with Birmingham, AL CBS affiliate WIAT. In their write-up of the interview, the station’s website quoted the senator as saying, “We probably could have had a swearing-in and inauguration later after we got this virus behind us a little bit.”
But that transcription leaves out key context. A look at the video reveals that Tuberville actually said the following (Key words bolded for emphasis):
“We probably could have had a swearing in, and done an inauguration a little later on after we’d got this virus behind us a little bit.”
The additional context shows Tuberville was not opposed to the Constitutionally-mandated swearing in of Joe Biden on Jan. 20, merely that he was looking to delay a more public ceremonial event. But the out of context version of the quote, which made it seem as though Tuberville was opposed to Biden taking office on Jan. 20, quickly caught fire on social media:
A newly elected U.S. senator proposed delaying Biden’s inauguration until “after we got this virus behind us a little bit.”
First problem is the Constitution. Second problem is we’re … not really close to that?https://t.co/rsHJu2NSyD pic.twitter.com/9N7MSOxtcg
— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) January 15, 2021
Mr. Tuberville doesn’t seem to know what the three branches of government are either …
“Our government wasn’t set up for one group to have all three branches of government — wasn’t set up that way,” Tuberville said. “You know, the House, the Senate, and the executive.” https://t.co/jeXqXFyjHv
— Jonathan Karl (@jonkarl) January 15, 2021
Tuberville says delay inauguration, but date is set by Constitution https://t.co/mDn7CDkQXv
— Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) January 15, 2021
We need to improve history and civics education in our schools. https://t.co/qDjkAaH7an
— Abby D. Phillip (@abbydphillip) January 15, 2021
Tuberville. https://t.co/eDAZ3y2Hfs
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) January 15, 2021
“We probably could have had a swearing-in and inauguration later after we got this virus behind us a little bit,” Tuberville told WKRG in Mobile. “Again, we’re talking about Washington, D.C.” https://t.co/yUxrQulTve
— Burgess Everett (@burgessev) January 15, 2021
A prominent newspaper called Tuberville “dumb as a bag of hammers.” A Bag of Hammers is suing for defamation. https://t.co/a2ssGlxfFu
— Jeff Greenfield (@greenfield64) January 15, 2021
There’s a hell of a pine box joke here to be made
— Ben Jacobs (@Bencjacobs) January 15, 2021
Also seems to think that the three branches of government are House, Senate, Executive. Constitution ain’t his thing. https://t.co/EQFIkOqgXz
— Nia-Malika Henderson (@niaCNN) January 15, 2021
Tommy Tuberville, meet the Constitution. Constitution, Sen. Tuberville.https://t.co/RcdB5QkjIQ pic.twitter.com/foBypOFi5F
— Chris Cillizza (@CillizzaCNN) January 15, 2021
Tuberville, the former football coach at Auburn, has already had his share of gaffes during his brief time in politics — including, notably, misidentifying the three branches of government as “the House, the Senate, and the executive.” On this one, however, Tuberville did not drop the ball.
Watch above, via WIAT.
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