Why Do Journalists Let Lawmakers Get Away With Baldfaced Lying?

The headline is enough to leave one slack-jawed: “Speaker Johnson: Possible Biden Actions on Border Amount to ‘Election Year Gimmicks.’”

Yeah, he said that.

Multiple media outlets reported last week that President Joe Biden might use his executive authority to address immigration and border issues.

When asked about it, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) called it “election year gimmicks.”

You’re kidding, Mike, right?

Do you mean like the election-year move to scuttle a bipartisan bill addressing the border crisis that had much of what Republicans wanted with significant concessions by Democrats to boot? Do you mean like that kind of election-year gimmick? You know, like the part where people in your own party proudly announced they wouldn’t do anything that would “enable Joe Biden” or “help Joe Biden’s approval rating.”

I mean, it is an election year.

Let me make sure I have this right, too. You said we don’t need new legislation because the president has the power to do something about the border without it.

Here’s what you said on social media:

“He can and must take executive action immediately.” So now that Biden is talking about taking unilateral action, it’s an “election year gimmick.” Do I have that right, Mike?

Here’s the president doing exactly what Johnson said “he can and must do,” and now it’s an election year gimmick.

The balls on this guy.

My apologies for that comment. By now, Mike’s family jewels are neatly tucked into Donald Trump’s hip pocket. (Don’t feel bad, Mike. You’re in good company with a lot of other invertebrate Republicans.)

It must be a basic tactic in the MAGA playbook. Demand something, then trash it when someone meets the demand.

Without question, Biden is making a political move, but