3 ms·

It is ridiculous. But like I said, it's a litmus test for whether the Trump administration can look at fact and tell the truth. I struggle to understand how an

by knz 10y ago

It is ridiculous. But like I said, it's a litmus test for whether the Trump administration can look at fact and tell the truth. I struggle to understand how anyone can look at photos/video taken from the same perspective and claim it was bigger than Obama (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdantUf5tXg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdantUf5tXg - the gaps at the back are clear). No one doubts it was a large crowd - as your photo shows, there were clearly hundreds of thousands of people there - and both sides definitely put a spin on everything, but the Trump administration clearly tried to play 2+2=5 on this issue, either for his ego or for more serious reasons. Either way, it's not part of a healthy society.

beaconstudios 10y ago
For context, I'm not trying to claim it was bigger. I don't think you were trying to say that, but just so there's no misunderstandings. Trump has been elected precisely because he's not a focus-group-groomed super-careful politician who never says anything concrete. He was elected as a "real person" who, as a business magnate, should be able to apply his knowledge of negotiation and wealth accumulation to the nation at large. As such, there are going to be jarring incidents like this for those of us who are used to groomed politicians, where Trump says something off-hand and it turns out to be inaccurate. I think that's fine, as a non-politician he's going to make mistakes, but it's also an asset (IMO) to be able to signal intent with concrete statements, or to be able to make initial statements and then revise them when more facts come to light. The characteristic that made him slip up on the inaug. crowd size is the same characteristic that has led to him fulfilling campaign promises at record speed. I think it's a good trade-off.

3 ms·

It is ridiculous. But like I said, it's a litmus test for whether the Trump administration can look at fact and tell the truth. I struggle to understand how an

by knz 10y ago

beaconstudios 10y ago
For context, I'm not trying to claim it was bigger. I don't think you were trying to say that, but just so there's no misunderstandings. Trump has been elected precisely because he's not a focus-group-groomed super-careful politician who never says anything concrete. He was elected as a "real person" who, as a business magnate, should be able to apply his knowledge of negotiation and wealth accumulation to the nation at large. As such, there are going to be jarring incidents like this for those of us who are used to groomed politicians, where Trump says something off-hand and it turns out to be inaccurate. I think that's fine, as a non-politician he's going to make mistakes, but it's also an asset (IMO) to be able to signal intent with concrete statements, or to be able to make initial statements and then revise them when more facts come to light. The characteristic that made him slip up on the inaug. crowd size is the same characteristic that has led to him fulfilling campaign promises at record speed. I think it's a good trade-off.