Earlier this week, President Joe Biden appeared in a joint press conference with Justice Stephen Breyer to deliver remarks about the latter's retirement from the United States Supreme Court.
Though both Biden and Breyer reflected at length on the Justice's 27 years serving the Court, the most pressing issue to reporters was, of course, who Biden would nominate to replace him.
On the campaign trail in 2020, Biden promised he would nominate the first Black woman to ever be considered for a seat on the nation's highest Court.
Biden reiterated that promise during the joint appearance, saying:
“While I've been studying candidates' backgrounds and writings, I've made no decisions except one: The person I will nominate will be someone with extraordinary qualifications, character, experience, and integrity, and that person will be the first Black woman ever nominated to the United States Supreme Court.”
Biden told reporters that he wouldn't be taking any more questions regarding Breyer's successor at the press conference, noting that the Justice is still on the bench.
Biden: I’m not going to take any questions because I think it’s inappropriate to take questions with the Justice here.
Reporters: *shout out questions* pic.twitter.com/ZRwvPV8j1q
— Acyn (@Acyn) January 27, 2022
Biden said:
"I'm not gonna take any questions, because I think it's inappropriate to take questions with the Justice here. He's still sitting on the bench, but you'll have plenty of opportunities to get me later today and for the rest of the week, the next week too."
Shortly after the appearance, the Republican National Committee's so-called "Research" account posted a deceptively edited video of Biden's comments down to a three second clip.
BIDEN: “I’m not gonna take any questions because I think it’s inappropriate.” pic.twitter.com/22HYZ03Arq
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) January 27, 2022
The account lied that Biden had simply said he wouldn't be answering questions at all—the continuation of a conservative talking point that Biden, who gave the longest presidential press conference in American history less than two weeks ago, doesn't feel confident taking questions.
Republicans repeatedly decry critical reporting of their party's personalities as "fake news," but now the RNC is being called out for deliberately deceiving its followers.
This is so freaking dishonest. Biden's whole quote was: "I'm not gonna take any questions, because I think it's inappropriate to take questions with the justice here. He's still sitting on the bench."
The RNC is out here just blatantly lying to people. https://t.co/6QqDordn9u
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 27, 2022
Misquoting BY Purposeful OMISSION, is LYING. https://t.co/3QXsmvavwM
— Pres Biden: US ECONOMY grew faster than China’s (@buccos4vr) January 28, 2022
Wow, a 3-second clip that cuts off in the middle of a sentence. The Republican National Committee out here just blatantly lying their asses off on Twitter. https://t.co/vocBKemZtI
— Charles Johnson (@Green_Footballs) January 28, 2022
why not show the truth... the whole quote??? because the RNC has nothing without misinformation ..it is what they thrive off of https://t.co/ylO5xSqEO1
— 🌜Kimberly is in retrograde🌛 (@bierhere) January 27, 2022
Someone at @RNCResearch needs to be fired for this tweet. Putting a "period" in the middle of the quote and cutting it off to purposely mislead, lie, and fool the idiot rubes. https://t.co/MvtQNiZUTq
— Cheri Jacobus (@CheriJacobus) January 27, 2022
Social media users encouraged others to report the tweet as manipulated media.
Reported for misleading political speech. I hope others do the same. They deserve to be banned for this crap. https://t.co/nQULNQSgtD
— Biden/Harris Stan 💛⚖️🍩🔯 🍩🍩🍩 (@BlueWave2020NY) January 27, 2022
Please report this tweet.
It needs to have a "manipulated media" tag on it. 👇 https://t.co/si9l3zigsJ
— Jo (@JoJoFromJerz) January 28, 2022
.@RNCResearch needs to be reported for spreading misleading information. There must be accountability for these blatant lies & misrepresentation. https://t.co/THjhbk9CkT pic.twitter.com/01puFmqPks
— The Lincoln Watchman👀🇺🇸 (@LincolnWatchman) January 28, 2022
Manipulated video. Report this tweet. https://t.co/fJc3DHseg1
— April in TX (@BGHeaven) January 28, 2022
The account has yet to clarify the misleading video.
