No surprise here: White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders used her first press briefing in weeks to spew lies from a podium that's supposed to be dedicated to informing the American people. Now it's just a lie mill.
"The president was stating the facts," Sanders told reporters Wednesday of the derisive attack Donald Trump launched on Dr. Christine Blasey Ford Tuesday night during a rally in Mississippi.
Trump’s rally ridicule wasn't one of those moments that's open to interpretation. He sardonically mocked Dr. Blasey Ford for not being able recollect certain details of the night she was assaulted by Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh more than 30 years ago. Supposedly mimicking her responses during last week's hearing, Trump rattled off, "How'd you get there? I don't remember. Where is the place? I don't remember. How many years ago was it? I don't know." The crowd howled with laughter once everyone caught on to the scorn he was leveling at Blasey Ford.
Not so, said Sanders. "The president's simply pointing out the facts of the matter," she offered repeatedly during the briefing. In some ways, the statement was a tour de force in lying. Not only was everyone at the rally clearly in on Trump's joke, but what he said also wasn't factual. Here are some answers to Trump's questions taken from Ford's testimony, courtesy of NBC's Mark Murray.
Trump at the rally: "How many years ago was it? I don't know."
Blasey Ford testimony:
"In the summer of 1982..."
Trump at the rally: "Upstairs, downstairs, where was it? I don't know."
Blasey Ford testimony:
"Early in the evening, I went up a very narrow set of stairs leading from the living room to a second floor to use the restroom. When I got to the top of the stairs, I was pushed from behind into a bedroom across from the bathroom."
Trump at the rally: "But I had one beer. That is the only thing I remember."
Blasey Ford testimony:
Ford: I tried to yell for help. When I did, Brett put his hand over my mouth to stop me from yelling. This is what terrified me the most, and has had the most lasting impact on my life. It was hard for me to breathe, and I thought that Brett was accidentally going to kill me. [...]
Sen. Leahy: What is the strongest memory you have, the strongest memory of the incident, something that you cannot forget?
Ford: Indelible in the hippocampus is the laughter, the laugh — the uproarious laughter between the two, and their having fun at my expense. [...]
Sen. Durbin: Dr. Ford, with what degree of certainty do you believe Brett Kavanaugh assaulted you?
Ford: One hundred percent.
Sanders must enjoy her job. There’s just no other way to explain defending a serial predator for mocking a traumatized sexual assault survivor who’s getting death threats from maniacs for having the gall to tell the truth.
Check out Trump’s “just the facts” rant below.
Aaaaaannnnnd… Sanders!
