I want to take a moment today to talk about how the right wing misinformation machine works, how it churns up outrage, how supposedly “civil” Republicans fuel it…and what the real world consequences are for innocent people caught in its trap.
Last week a ton of people sent me a screenshot from a Twitter/Instagram account called @deuxmoiworld. They track supposed celebrity sightings - basically a completely unverifiable gossip account.
The particular post in question claimed to be a picture of the daughter of @GovPritzker
at a restaurant in Chicago seated outside in a large group of people for a birthday party. Only problem is that’s not the Governor’s daughter (and doesn’t even look like her.)
I dutifully clarified this for people sending me the picture but, like clockwork, it soon made its way to the army of Twitter trolls invested in combatting the Governor’s Covid mitigations. Kicked off with tweets like this…
Putting aside the absurdity of the statements made in this tweet and the fact that this account self identifies as a “parody” account - the right wing media machine took the picture and ran with it as fact.
Our friends at a local “news” radio show trolled Chicago doctors trying to correct misinformation with the fake picture. The statewide network of propaganda publications (recently profiled by the @nytimes for their spread of disinformation) posted this article…
Real news publications mostly ignored this or helped debunk it - but unfortunately their reach is much more limited than the right wing online outrage machine.
And then there is GOP state Senator-elect Darren Bailey who shared the “news” on his Facebook page - truly helping spread the lies about the Governor’s daughter to a whole new reach of people.
And so over this past week, @GovPritzker HIGH SCHOOL age daughter started getting hateful and threatening DM’s on her social media accounts directly linked to the pic - prompting her parents to spend the weekend trying to make hard decisions about her safety & welfare.
Which brings us to [Monday] when the Governor got a (legitimate) question at his press conference about where he was celebrating Thanksgiving. He’s human, he & the First Lady hadn’t made a decision yet about how they were dealing with Thanksgiving, & he gave an unsure answer.
Today, @GovPritzker clarified his plans with this statement (which you should read before moving on): https://capitolfax.com/2020/11/17/pritzker…
Here is where the right wing outrage machine really grinds into action, breaking through to “mainstream” Republicans. @RodneyDavis - who likes to talk a lot about “civility” - posted this after the presser yesterday
This is from the Congressman’s official Twitter account. It’s nice how he added the coda about where he will be celebrating - just to really twist the knife. Super civil. Lest you think this is an errant tweet - his account reposted it today
Then there was this FB post from the ambulance chasing lawyer who has gone all around IL trying to invalidate the Governor’s Covid orders (unsuccessfully - he’s been beaten in almost every case) - offering $1000 bounty for pics of the Gov celebrating Thanksgiving with his family
A bounty. A BOUNTY. For pics of the Governor’s family. In a post that was shared over 1000 times. Who do you think that incites?
I see the threats that come in to our office ever day. The governor is like every other father who loves his children, and hurts when they hurt and gets angry when his children are threatened.
I agree wholeheartedly that the Governor (and his family) should live by the rules he sets for the state. But notice how no rules have been broken here, just a lot of lies and innuendo that by the time it reaches Joe Q. Citizen look real.
And given credence and validity when - say - the Illinois GOP’s official Twitter account posts things like this:
I realize people think every single thing an elected official does is scripted down to the moment. It’s not. And right now, in the middle of this pandemic, we are lucky if we find time for meals - much less the full time image machine some folks seem to expect.
Notice also how supposedly responsible office holders jump to spread the innuendo - and will do nothing to correct the spread of lies when they are called out. Notice how we went from a fake picture to “GOVERNOR PRITZKER IS BREAKING THE RULES!!”
At the heart of this is a kid. A teenager. Who has every right to expect privacy no matter who her Dad is. This didn’t used to be controversial! When did we lose the common decency to keep kids off the table??
There is also a sentiment amongst some political folks and journalists that elected officials need to just ignore these things. That they should expect social media attacks on their family. And that they shouldn’t do anything to try & combat them bc that just fuels the machine.
That might have been true at some point - but it isn’t anymore. I’ve seen firsthand how things have gotten out of control. Elected officials can’t be silent anymore - we are charging towards a dangerous place. And we need to start calling a spade a spade.
I don’t have great answers for how we solve this. But we at least need to start combatting it aggressively and stop pretending that the misinformation spread online doesn’t matter or doesn’t hurt people.
- The Way I See It - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 9:54 am:
One if a billion examples of how social media has made us dumber and meaner
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 9:54 am:
Despicable. This just shows the true character of these people. They should be absolutely ashamed of themselves.
- Amalia - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 9:55 am:
I’m so sorry that the family has to deal with this irresponsible and inflammatory social media trash.
- thunderspirit - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 9:57 am:
Grant Wehrli, remaining very on-brand.
- Nuke The Whales - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 9:59 am:
Legitimate question. Is the child of an elected official who has not engaged in sufficient activism considered a private figure or a limited public figure? If so, I would not risk defaming a billionaire’s child.
- Annonin' - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 10:00 am:
Glad to see we were not the only ones confused by Whirls’ comment and tweet. Perhaps not speaking out of both sides of his mouth can be put on the retirement “to do” list?
- Concerned Dem - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 10:01 am:
Looks like Rodney is getting an early start to the 2022 Primary he’ll have w/ Bost & Miller.
- Dee Lay - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 10:01 am:
Hilary was wrong, Deplorable wasn’t a strong enough term.
- fs - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 10:02 am:
The question from Rodney is completely fair. If you don’t like the question, Anne, then have your boss ready to answer a simple question about whether he will abide by his own request of others not to travel for the holidays. He wasn’t, gave a terrible answer on Monday, and was rightly called out for it.
- Cheryl44 - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 10:02 am:
People who attack children ought to be publicly shunned.
- Keyrock - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 10:02 am:
I’m looking forward to seeing apologies from the “journalists” and GOP officials.
- Larry Bowa Jr. - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 10:03 am:
“social media has made us dumber and meaner”
Disagree. I think it’s just given people a vehicle to show you who they always were. Before now, we were only kidding ourselves.
- Jason - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 10:04 am:
The sad thing is that this happens to all sides from the Left and the Right to the Middle. No side is innocent in this mess of inappropriate behavior. I support the Governor but also support civility on all sides. Rauner was my worst nightmare but I just wanted him to go away and never attacked him and/or his family only policies that I didn’t like.
I avoid social media and Capitolfax is my go to for news
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 10:06 am:
Let’s start here;
The Illinois General Assembly will be a better place without Grant Wehrli.
Rarely has a member squandered so much promise, with a base of politics that founded a town… but Wehrli is still an embarrassment to what he should’ve, or could’ve been.
The founders of Naperville will rest easy with a Wehrli rebuked, and that’s saying something.
To the post,
What I’ve always appreciated about Caprara is the ability to walk things through progressions, the twitter, while also comedy gold, has highlighted, not just here, but in other instances, how social media takes the slantedly partisan and weaponized it into a false truth, and the necessity to push back hard.
For me, it’s easy;
Until truth, and honesty to truth, is not only accepted but undisputed in the facts…
…it’s imperative to push back at those either pushing “alternative facts”… or outright fabricating hurtful, malicious, falsehoods and lies.
That’s the ball game. That’s all of our charge.
What’s most telling is this now move to “alternative social media”, those I refuse here to name or list, but these new platforms will peddle… alternative facts”… or outright fabricating hurtful, malicious, falsehoods and lies… and sell these platforms as the “safe place” for it.
We, as a society, as a body politic, should be wholly rejecting these smears, lies, “alternative facts” because the true arguments to policy and politics should always begin and end with given, admitted, accepted facts… and argue the merits to the differences.
What we had with this radical smearing of the governor’s daughter is one side deciding facts and thoughts to the merit of the argument they want *must* be built around lies and smears… and by breaking down how they did it here in this micro example… is disgusting.
Well done, Caprara. It was needed, and it was dry educational to the process. Thank you.
- Candy Dogood - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 10:10 am:
This behavior is reprehensible and is the kind of thing that encourages people on the right wing to resume blowing up buildings and murdering doctors with the same gusto that they did in the 1980s and 1990s.
I will certainly appreciate when new leadership is at the help of the FBI and the Justice Department.
I also think its telling that a member of the United States House of Representatives has to make rules about banning the discussion of politics at the table for Thanksgiving. If he can’t talk to his own family about politics in a civil fashion, why should we expect him to engage with anyone else in a civil fashion?
- Steve Rogers - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 10:12 am:
@Jason, “this happens to all sides from the Left and the Right to the Middle.” I’m tired of hearing whataboutism. The great majority of this kind of vitriol comes from the right.
- Lt Guv - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 10:12 am:
Dee Lay wins.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 10:12 am:
If Rodney Davis isn’t embarrassed by his own tweets, then Davis has continued to be on brand as a phony to a want of bipartisanship… because only saying it during campaign season is a phony crutch.
- Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 10:13 am:
Twitter tough guys.
In person, all smiles and ‘how you doin’.
- Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 10:14 am:
Agree with Larry Bowa Jr.
I give 2020 credit for one thing.
It’s revealed people for who they truly are.
Only a fool will forget it.
- Stu - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 10:15 am:
Darren Bailey should be formally censured for that post.
JB stepped in it when he waffled about possibly traveling out of state for Thanksgiving…but he ultimately did the right thing by committing to staying in Chicago.
- JS Mill - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 10:15 am:
This stuff is awful. I have been through it albeit, on a much smaller scale. I was attacked on social media and on websites created to attack me. That I could handle. When they started going after my family, that was a game changer and I had to respond. All because of a referendum to make things better for all kids.
The governor is trying to help everyone. he may make mistakes (welcome to the human condition) but I believe he is trying to do what is right.
Add Wherli, DeVore, and Bailley to the very short list of people whom I never want to be in close proximity to. Just disgusting people.
- Lucky Pierre - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 10:18 am:
Does the “right wing outrage machine” include Mary Ann Ahern?
Real news publications would be stunned to hear their reach is much more limited than the right wing online outrage machine.
- Candy Dogood - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 10:18 am:
I don’t want to distract too much from the point of this post — which is right wing nutjobs supported by GOP elected officials are targeting a child — A CHILD — in an effort to create false outrage at his father…
But does everyone remember that time Bruce Rauner traveled to a foreign country without notifying the public about his plans and spent TWO weeks on a luxury desert excursion before having to return EARLIER than planned to address a natural disaster that occurred in the state because he was so irresponsible he fled the state without making any arrangements for who would cover his responsibilities while he was on an extended vacation?
The GOP in this state is fomenting a real problem that could have real consequences in their behavior.
- Eastside - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 10:19 am:
Is it just me, or does she incorrectly state that Rodney Davis’s comments came “after the presser” (meaning the one where the Governor clarified his Monday statements yesterday at his 2:30 press conference on Tuesday). It appears to me that all of Congressman Davis’s comments were before this clarification was issued by the Governor.
- @misterjayem - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 10:20 am:
Everything that Anne wrote needs to be read in light of the very recent and very real domestic terrorism plot to kidnap the governor of Michigan.
– MrJM
- Norseman - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 10:21 am:
I wish I could believe this admonition would have some effect on politicians behavior, especially those GOP who traffic in lies and phony conspiracy theories. Like Grant the griper, who swims in the muck and then pretends he’s not dirty.
- illinifan - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 10:27 am:
This keeps reinforcing why I a once proud Republican will never vote again for a Republican. Instead of focusing on scoring political points lets begin to focus once again on basic human decency and doing the work needed to benefit the citizens of this state and country.
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 10:28 am:
==reach is much more limited than the right wing online outrage machine==
And that’s the problem. Ignorance. That says a lot about the intelligence of some people.
- JS Mill - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 10:29 am:
=Twitter tough guys.=
Seems to be the GOP M.O. these days.
Some of these guys profess to being christians. Would jesus want them to behave this way? @WWJD?
- thoughts matter - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 10:31 am:
I am increasingly of the opinion that social media is a means to an end that none of us want. How does anyone put the genie in the bottle? How does the Governors’ daughter ever get something like this to go away? Because the internet is forever. It’s bad enough when the story about some teenage activity is true- but even worse when it’s not. Same question about the Twitter account of the Prez. The court of public opinion isn’t interested in facts.
- walker - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 10:33 am:
When trying to recruit and encourage talented people to run for office, those with youngish children will often point to this risk as a reason to pass on it.
- @misterjayem - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 10:34 am:
Plus and we’d all do well to understand what Stochastic Terrorism is and how it works.
– MrJM
- zatoichi - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 10:38 am:
Where is the law saying the Governor needs to tell where he will be for Thanksgiving? Especially when he is getting threats. He should get 2 pictures on Thanksgiving with a couple of adult friends:
1. Outside in his backyard grilling something.
2. Watching football on TV.
Let someone put them on FB then demand the $1,000 from Devore and tell Rodney he had a great day.
Hands off children.
- @misterjayem - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 10:39 am:
“How does the Governors’ daughter ever get something like this to go away? Because the internet is forever.”
It doesn’t have to be this way — the citizens of the European Union have a (limited and regulated but better than nothing) Right to be Forgotten.
– MrJM
- estubborn - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 10:43 am:
It’s time for Wehrli Rd.in Naperville to be renamed Black Lives Matter Road.
- Socially DIstant Watcher - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 10:45 am:
==The question from Rodney is completely fair. If you don’t like the question, Anne, then have your boss ready to answer a simple question about whether he will abide by his own request of others not to travel for the holidays. He wasn’t, gave a terrible answer on Monday, and was rightly called out for it. ==
The question was “how are you spending the holidays?” The question was not, “will you abide by your own rules?”
The anwser was “I don’t know yet.” How does anyone turn that into, “he’s not going to abide by his own rules?” Without a prior agenda to stir the pot, regardless of whether or not there’s a basis for stirring the pot.
- DirtLawyer - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 10:47 am:
Re the DeVore bounty: He may want to re-read the preamble to the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct, which provide in pertinent part:
“A lawyer’s conduct should conform to the requirements of the law, both in professional service to clients and in the lawyer’s business and personal affairs. A lawyer should use the law’s procedures only for legitimate purposes and not to harass or intimidate others. A lawyer should demonstrate respect for the legal system and for those who serve it, including judges, other lawyers and public officials. While it is a lawyer’s duty, when necessary, to challenge the rectitude of official action, it is also a lawyer’s duty to uphold legal process.”
- Jibba - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 10:48 am:
Davis shows his true colors, again, for anyone who actually wants to see. Too bad so many are not willing to look.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 10:51 am:
===The anwser was “I don’t know yet.” How does anyone turn that into, “he’s not going to abide by his own rules?”===
That’s exactly right. While I think his answer was horrible on Monday, he wasn’t declaring any plan to violate any laws or rules.
- Responsa - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 10:52 am:
Probably 95% of Illinoisans would not ever have seen these social media posts or known about this “controversy” and would just be going on about their business had the governor and Caprara not reacted to it so publicly. They must be viewing this as crisis management for the governor to respond in this way but there are some very basic logical and longstanding rules of professional PR being ignored here by the administration- don’t participate in actually magnifying a message you don’t like or want to spread. That is exactly what is happening here.
- fs - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 10:53 am:
== The question was “how are you spending the holidays?” The question was not, “will you abide by your own rules?”==
I believe comparison to his own rules was exactly how the question was framed, with follow-up, by the nbc reporter. And it was absolutely a legitimate question.
- Lucky Pierre - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 10:53 am:
Simple answer would have been I will be complying with the Mayor’s advisory for non essential travel to keep everyone safe and will be staying in Chicago like for Thanksgiving and you all should too.
the right wing outrage machine would have had to find something else to be outraged about
With JB there is always a deflection, never a mea culpa
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 10:55 am:
=== I believe comparison to his own rules was exactly how the question was framed===
Your beef then is with those making the smears.
- Responsa -
So you seem cool with the smear unanswered. That’s an odd take.
- Name Withheld - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 11:00 am:
===Does the “right wing outrage machine” include Mary Ann Ahern?===
Apparently the “right wing outrage machine” included targeting children and minors. Or did you miss what the original post was about, LP?
- Lucky Pierre - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 11:04 am:
I never thought I would see the day where the chief of staff for a Democratic Governor from Illinois’s criticizes ambulance chasing lawyers.
I can’t wait to see what she posts tomorrow, she sounds like a true Raunerite.
- Socially DIstant Watcher - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 11:16 am:
It’s not just family of elected officials:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/11/18/health-care-worker-threats-coronavirus/?arc404=true
- Les Nessman - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 11:20 am:
Grant Wherli the Lindsay Graham of Illinois politics.
- supplied_demand - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 11:33 am:
==I never thought I would see the day where the chief of staff for a Democratic Governor from Illinois’s criticizes ambulance chasing lawyers.==
Anything to deflect from the substance of the post. Never a mea culpa.
- Club J - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 11:43 am:
Has anyone asked Rodney Davis where his Dad is spending Thanksgiving? His home in Springfield or Taylorville? He’s really the last person to be judging anyone. I’m sure these people will be given there 15 minutes of fame on the morning Bishop show.
- Leigh John-Ella - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 11:54 am:
I wish Rodney Davis were as concerned about local issues in his district as he is the governor’s holiday plans.
- Louis G Atsaves - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 11:57 am:
What happened to the Governor’s daughter with the social media smears a week ago is simply uncalled for. But the smear on the daughter doesn’t explain the Governor’s inability to answer a simple question on where he and his family were spending Thanksgiving.
What happened to the Governor fumbling a simple question yesterday is fair game. It also sounds by the follow up press release that the Governor suddenly changed some travel plans within literally minutes after he fumbled the ball. I saw nothing wrong with the questions posed by Congressman Rodney Davis or even the ILGOP quoted by Caprara. Pritzker stepped in it. He owned it.
- Scott Cross for President - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 12:16 pm:
The Gov’s COS performed an important and timely service here. As we all redouble our efforts to protect our public health system from being overwhelmed and enter Tier 3 mitigation efforts on Friday, the temperature will go up. The DeVore/IHSA/Bailey crew will foam at the mouth. Anne C is reminding them and everyone else where the lines are. They are red, bright red. For a reason. Because on the other side of the line are children, parents and the privacy of home that allows public servants to recharge to come back and serve us all.
Remember when Dr. Ngozi Ezike recently broke down at the daily briefing ? Everyone with a soul wept for her. The Gov has stood by her side and presented more than 150 daily briefings filled with death, sadness and loss.
Remember when the IHSA screamed outside Depty Gov Jesse Ruiz’s home night after night ? The IHSA needed to play basketball, so Ruiz doesn’t get quiet time with his family to talk about their days over another late dinner.
The Gov and his COS reminded us children and family are off limits. They are on the other side of the red line.
- Jason - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 12:31 pm:
Stating that it comes from both the left and the right is a fact and talking points won’t change this fact. There is too much of this.
- bball_coach - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 12:55 pm:
Well said Jason.
- Ike - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 1:05 pm:
Why’s the pritzker admin going after Davis and not Lahood?
- Ike - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 1:07 pm:
Are they scared of something?
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 1:32 pm:
==It also sounds==
You have absolutely no basis to say that. None. Zero. You’re spreading lies just like these people were.
==I saw nothing wrong ==
That says more about you.
- Cheryl44 - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 1:32 pm:
Everyone here attacking the governor for defending his minor daughter are exactly who I expect to do so.
- Cool Papa Bell - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 1:56 pm:
The acceptable level of meanness in our world continues to dishearten me.
- Lefty Lefty - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 1:56 pm:
I’d appreciate an example from the left.
- Frank talks - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 3:19 pm:
Maybe Grant Wehrli is applying to be Tim Schneider’s Chief of Staff. Going to need a job soon.
- Current Lurker - Wednesday, Nov 18, 20 @ 3:29 pm:
== I’d appreciate an example from the left.==
How about when opponents of Jim Durkin parked a billboard featuring a stripper across from his daughter’s high school?