The Associated Press determined a video showing a child yelling an expletive at First Lady Jill Biden while she reads a story to a group of students is fake.
The video was edited to include audio of a child yelling "Shut the f**k up!"
You can see the manipulated video below.
A kid yells at Jill Biden just as she begins to read to them. 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/fzOsXPbftt
— 3sidedstory 🇺🇲 (@3sidedstory) November 29, 2021
The Associated Press' fact checkers noted a video of the First Lady's full remarks show she was able to speak without being interrupted, adding:
"The inserted audio has spread online for years, and first emerged in a video that appeared to show a young child cursing during a school graduation ceremony as adults tried to quiet the situation."
"It is unclear where the video was taken, but it has since become a widely-shared sound effect and has been edited into other videos, often in a comedic way."
A clip of Jill Biden reading a book to students during a White House holiday event has been manipulated to insert audio of a child yelling a disparaging comment. But the first lady wasn't interrupted. The added audio came from an old, unrelated video. https://t.co/Yi2ojyFvwn
— AP Fact Check (@APFactCheck) November 30, 2021
The fact that the video has already been debunked has not stopped those on the right from taking it at face value.
Smart kid. https://t.co/ULeLlGu3bN
— Bearicho 941 (@941_jericho) December 1, 2021
YES! Please! STFU!!! https://t.co/WUip3fl2Gg
— John Q. Publik (@WotDePhok) December 1, 2021
Many offered criticisms for whoever made the manipulated video, saying its existence is further evidence of an ongoing disinformation campaign orchestrated by the right wing that has further polarized society.
WTF? No respect for @FLOTUS who is so full of grace & intelligence. Who does this mess? https://t.co/Kxb8uo7ZlS
— Janette Williams (@janettewms) December 1, 2021
WHY?! 😡 Can we all act like ADULTS PLEASE?! Good grief. I’m over childish people who believe garbage like this is acceptable and funny. It’s neither. You’re just an asshole. #growup #dobetter #enoughisenough https://t.co/hF3zi728TI
— The Anxious Paralegal ⚖️ (@SCparalegallife) December 1, 2021
That’s always the same thing from Fox News. Always trying to edit something to make it seem like people hate democrats when we know the truth. https://t.co/10YJx3vOW9
— 🍂🍂Redeyes55🍂🍂 (@Redeyes02789579) December 1, 2021
You'll know when the right-wing nuts are desperate. https://t.co/CsMmsRjXk2
— JaneGI Republicans are the Separatist Party (@JaneGI309) December 1, 2021
It's getting disgusting at this point. https://t.co/iBudBNGifx
— Darius E. Bennett, Esq. (@TotalTennisGeek) December 1, 2021
The conservative media will lie, distort and do any and everything to character assassinate decent people! https://t.co/85bfAf7a2L
— Jack Noble (@NobleJtnalger) December 1, 2021
I said spreading death and disease by killing vaccine mandates was the only conservative strategy, but I forgot the role grotesque lying plays in their program. https://t.co/ZlxN1AjkN3
— Roy Edroso (@edroso) December 1, 2021
The first lady sat down on Monday with a group of second grade students from Maryland to introduce her 2012 book, Don’t Forget, God Bless Our Troops, as part of the annual unveiling of holiday decorations.
The Biden White House Christmas décor, unveiled that afternoon, was met with positive reception; The New York Times noted that this year's decorations aren't "nearly as stylized or surreal as the Trump-endorsed looks that preceded them."
The First Lady said that she wanted to use the unveiling as an opportunity to honor those who've persevered during a difficult year as the nation continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic.
In an official statement, she said that "faith, family, and friendship; a love of the arts, learning, and nature; gratitude, service, and community; unity and peace" transcend "the constraints of a pandemic."
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