The Washington paper Politico faced backlash after the website reported "nasty" attacks on ex-President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.
The example the site used was Harris calling him a "crook" when speaking to campaign staff on Monday. Trump attacked Harris as "dumb as a rock" on social media.
Users on X complained that while they're both insults to the candidates, only one of those insults is an actual fact.
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"This framing is horrific. Kamala Harris is an objectively brilliant former prosecutor who Trump is trying to smear. Donald Trump is actually a 34-time convicted felon. One is a lie, one is a fact — and yet Politico treats them as the same thing," complained BPIMedia's Steve Pierce.
Writer and actor Robert McNamara agreed, "Actually, Trump is an old crook… and Harris is very smart. The only nasty person is Trump, the old narcissistic sociopath with 34 felony convictions who is also an adjudicated rapist. Now that is nasty." He is not to be confused with the late secretary of the Defense Department.
"Fix the headline," demanded Janice Fuller. One is a fact. The other is an insult being thrown at a woman who has been an AG, a Senator, and is the sitting VP."
"Yeah, except 'Trump the Crook' is an adjudicated fact," complained Jackie Wollner. "And the slur against Harris is demonstrably false and childish."
Others alleged that the story was nothing more than clickbait. One predicted Harris would "wipe the floor" with "the former guy."
Trump began calling Harris, a former prosecutor, attorney general, and U.S. Senator, "dumb" on Monday when he took to his Truth Social site.
Actor and activist George Takei called the comment "peak Trump. Every accusation is a confession! Trump is so dumb, he thinks Hannibal Lecter came from a 'political asylum.'"
National Review editor Jay Nordlinger complained, "Trump has a great advantage. Because people expect gross insults from him, no one bats an eye over them. People don't even hear them. If Biden or Harris called Trump or Vance 'Dumb as a Rock,' it would be news. Trump enjoys a lower standard than others."
