"Stories about Biden’s age swamped the media [with Hur's report]. Judd Legum of Popular Information found that in the four days after Hur’s report appeared, the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal together published 81 articles about Hur’s assessment of Biden’s memory, suggesting that Biden was sliding into dementia and should not be running for reelection."
"Hours before the hearing was about to begin, the Department of Justice released a transcript of Biden’s interviews, held in the two days after Hamas attacked Israel as he rushed to respond to that crisis. The transcripts belied Hur’s portrayal of Biden’s answers; among other things, he clearly knew the exact date Beau died."
Hur is a Republican hitman, doing what GOP hitmen always do. And the media remain shamefully pliant as these games are played.
"Hur wrote a slanderous report that claimed Joe Biden was 'an elderly man with a poor memory.' The primary evidence for Hur’s slander was Biden’s alleged inability to recall the date of his son Beau’s death.
The transcript shows that Hur’s claims are despicable lies. In fact, Joe Biden volunteered the month and day of Beau Biden’s death—May 30."
"The media lapped up Hur’s lies and slander without question. The revelation that Hur lied about and distorted Biden’s testimony is receiving a fraction of the media attention that Hur’s weaponized lies received in the first instance.
That outcome was predictable because Hur is a MAGA political partisan."
"First came the transcript, in which Joe Biden was clearly documented to remember the date his son Beau died, if not the year (that’s normal for most people). And then came the hearing in which Robert Hur could not remember complementing Biden on his memory until Democrats read him the transcript."
~ Greg Dworkin
Robert is a Republican hitman. Hitmen typically have no shame.
"Today, March 12, the full transcript of Hur’s interview with Biden was made public in advance of the special counsel’s testimony before the House Judiciary Committee. And as reporters noted, the Biden of the transcript looks quite different from the forgetful Biden described in the report. 'Biden doesn’t come across as being as absent-minded as Hur has made him out to be,' wrote the Washington Post."
Full #transcript of #Biden’s interview paints nuanced portrait #POTUS doesn’t seem as absent-minded as #Hur said
Biden was in the early stages of his interview w/ SC #RobertHur when the topic of #BeauBiden came up — initially w/Biden raising it & later as Biden was attempting to get his chronological bearings.
“What month did Beau die? [to introduce the topic] Oh God, May 30,” he said, naming the correct day, acc/to a transcript of the exchange.
“What I understood is the regulations” #Hur referred to #DOJ policy that says special counsel reports should be #confidential to the AG. But AG #MerrickGarland had made clear BEFOREHAND he would release much of Hur’s report.
“You must have understood the impact of your words” Schiff said & accused Hur of injecting “your own personal #prejudicial#subjective opinion of the president, one you knew would be amplified by his #political opponent. You had to understand that & you did it anyway”
#RobertHur said that AG #MerrickGarland did not interfere w/his investigation or attempt to modify his report. Rep Joe #Neguse asked #Hur a series of yes/no questions about whether #Garland —or any #DOJ ofcls— attempted to impede the investigation.
The appointment of a #SpecialCounsel is intended to make high-profile, sensitive investigations as #independent & #apolitical as possible. A SC has more independence from DOJ ldrs than other fed prosecutors, but still ultimately answers to the #USAG.
“Attorney General #Garland did not interfere w/my efforts, & I was able to conduct a fair, thorough & independent investigation,” #Hur said. #Neguse was attempting to draw a distinction between how Garland acted in regard to the Hur investigation & how AG #BillBarr acted when special counsel Robert #Mueller completed his investigation & report examining #Trump & #ForeignInterference in the 2016 #election results.
#Barr wrote a 4-pg memo to #Congress describing the principal conclusions of the investigation into #Trump that #Mueller later complained “did not fully capture the context, nature, & substance” of the special counsel team’s work.
“Very different approach as you said from the way in which the Department of #Justice, unfortunately, tragically functioned under [Trump],” #Neguse said.
"So Hur said that Biden couldn't remember when his son died within several years and that was proof that his memory was shot but now the transcript has been released and it turns out Biden immediately recalled the MONTH and DAY."
I think #Biden’s State of the Union address last week and #Hur’s immolation today will go down in political history as Reagan’s “I am not going to exploit … my opponent’s youth and experience” moment … only on steroids.
SWALWELL: You want to be perceived, understandably, as credible, so I want to 1st see if u will pledge to not accept an apptmt from #Trump if he is elected again as pres. #HUR:..I'm not here to testify today about what will happen in the future
Acyn:
Swalwell: You said to Pres #Biden, “u appear to have a photographic understanding & recall.” Did you say that?
@GottaLaff@joycebell I think my brain is not capable to understand what happens in America, sorry, I am not that smart. But can anybody explain how it is possible that in american politics someone can lie this much while anybody can see he is lying? #hur#biden#voteblue
So #Hur said that #Biden couldn't remember when his son died within several years and that was proof that his memory was shot but now the transcript has been released and it turns out Biden immediately recalled the MONTH and DAY
@GottaLaff Perhaps #Hur is a smug sociopath who has never loved anyone enough to understand what grief feels like. Like #Biden, I can't forget the day my first baby died, but I'd have to do some calculations to tell you how long ago it was--and it still doesn't make any sense! #Grief isn't 33 years ago, grief is now. Your child is dead now.