With the world dangling on the precipice of nuclear cataclysm, it’s comforting to know that Newsweek fact-checkers have nothing better to do than watch “The View” and report on any information they deem “misleading” as it falls from the lips of a Republican guest.
Were the once-relevant magazine’s intrepid reporters not hanging on every word Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said to Whoopi Goldberg, Americans may not have learned that Antifa doesn’t actually exist and those who watched people in black hoodies and masks burn down buildings and beat up conservatives in 2020 were wrong to think the George Floyd “mostly peaceful” protesters spent a year setting fires.
It’s a level of ludicrous gaslighting that proved too much for Twitter to bear.
Antifa is like Fight Club: ‘There is no such thing as Antifa.’ pic.twitter.com/9tEpFlOfnE
— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) October 26, 2022
The drama started during an interview in which host Whoopi Goldberg made the dramatic — and insanely disingenuous — claim that the left “doesn’t storm” things when they lose.
“Did I miss an entire year of Antifa riots where cities across this country were burning?” Cruz asked her.
To which Goldberg simply pretended she had no idea what the senator meant.
“I don’t know what an Antifa riot is,” she stated.
https://twitter.com/Sheckyi/status/1584607962953568256?s=20&t=j4tWRNYp06Ol6YDUdV6eAg
As Twitter rushed to remind Goldberg of the year she apparently missed, Newsweek set aside any sense of shame and lept to the comedian’s defense.
“In Minneapolis, where Floyd was killed, more than 1,500 businesses were damaged through a combination of fires and vandalism in the days that followed his death,” fact-checker Tom Norton wrote. “There were also reports of fires after Floyd protests in Washington D.C., St Louis, Kansas City, Oregon, Atlanta, Seattle and New York City.”
“In Portland, Oregon, protests continued for 100 days following Floyd’s death, although not all of these were typified by fires or arson,” he continued. “A report by The New York Times said protests continued in the city for almost a year. This may be the basis for Cruz’s claim.”
Norton then went on to list “other violent, fiery clashes” that occurred that year in response to the deaths of Breonna Taylor and Duante Wright, but concluded that Cruz was exaggerating when he said that “cities across this country were burning.”
“While many businesses were damaged or destroyed as a result of arson, Cruz’s characterization that ‘cities’ burned for a year is significantly stretching the truth, even if taken figuratively,” Norton writes.
He also took issue with Cruz calling out Antifa for the entire, violent year, choosing instead to point his pernicious pen at Black Lives Matter.
“Notwithstanding that antifa is not a formalized group or association, Black Lives Matter was largely recognized as having galvanized protestors across the world following Floyd’s death,” he bravely writes.
“In short, Cruz appears to have grossly mischaracterized both the nature, scope and length of time these protests took,” the fact-checker decreed. “While Cruz may have been referring to protests in Portland which continued for almost a year, it is inaccurate to describe or imply that these happened across the country with each beset by arson.”
As American Wire reported, the Newsweek nonsense comes as Antifa clashed on Tuesday with alleged members of the Proud Boys and shut down a Turning Point USA event at UC Davis in California, featuring guest speaker Stephen “MAGA Hulk” Davis.
On Oct. 25, #Antifa gathered outside the TPUSA conservative event at @ucdavis to assault student attendees wanting to hear black speaker @Stephend1776. The event was cancelled by organizers due to violence. Antifa maced people, including a young woman. pic.twitter.com/HTcO0DhC0E
— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) October 27, 2022
Despite Norton’s best efforts, Twitter saw through Newsweek’s attempt to rewrite history.
“Newsweek claims that Antifa didn’t burn down cities in 2020, because not all cities burned down and Antifa doesn’t exist,” tweeted Chris Rufo. “Remember: fact-checking is a scheme to launder left-wing messaging through a pseudo-scientific process and pressure tech firms to censor conservatives.”
Newsweek claims that Antifa didn't burn down cities in 2020, because not all cities burned down and Antifa doesn't exist.
Remember: fact-checking is a scheme to launder left-wing messaging through a pseudo-scientific process and pressure tech firms to censor conservatives. pic.twitter.com/1L9OQQKhwO
— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) October 26, 2022
Steve Guest, Cruz’s special advisor for communications, reminded Newsweek that the internet is forever.
“According to Newsweek, in November 2020, Antifa is real,” he tweeted. “But I’m October 2022 after @tedcruz blasts Antifa for burning cities, Newsweek has Antifa doesn’t exist.”
To Norton, Guest had a blunt message: “You’re not a journalist.”
According to Newsweek, in November 2020, Antifa is real.
But I’m October 2022 after @tedcruz blasts Antifa for burning cities, Newsweek has Antifa doesn’t exist. @tomsnorton you’re not a journalist. pic.twitter.com/Om6AEZOq22
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) October 26, 2022
As for Cruz?
Well, after surviving a session with the ladies of “The View,” the senator chose to simply laugh the whole thing off.
https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1585332023866298369?s=20&t=DVqPk-tsmvKhK29BIwLJJw
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
Melissa Fine is the former executive editor of Casino Player, Strictly Slots, and Poker
Digest magazines. She is a UCLA graduate, news junkie, and dedicated Stargate SG-
1 fan. Melissa currently lives with her dog and two cats in a tiny town in the Sierra
Nevada foothills.
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