The media’s coverage of political candidates is always under scrutiny, but a recent story has raised eyebrows for all the wrong reasons. As Vice Presidential candidate JD Vance spoke to a crowd in Phoenix, discussing the recent school shooting, it wasn’t long before headlines began swirling. His comments were quickly picked up by major outlets and widely shared on social media. However, as the story gained traction, questions about accuracy began to surface.

What seemed like a straightforward report soon became a point of contention, sparking debate across political lines. With millions of views and reactions pouring in, the story took on a life of its own. But, as often happens in today’s fast-paced news cycle, not everything was as it seemed.

From The Post Millennial:
The Associated Press (AP) deleted an X post and updated a false headline after getting busted by X’s Community Notes, but not until the post had over 2.5 million views. The headline claimed that JD Vance said school shootings are “a fact of life.” The Kamala Harris campaign, along with her running mate Tim Walz, also jumped on the story, making the same false claim…

… He said “I don’t like that this is a fact of life…And we have got to bolster security so if a psycho wants to walk through the front door and kill a bunch of children they’re not able.”

The Associated Press (AP) was caught red-handed misrepresenting Vance’s comments about school shootings. Their headline falsely claimed that Vance said school shootings are “a fact of life.” Of course, Kamala Harris’s campaign, along with her running mate Tim Walz, wasted no time in jumping on the smear campaign, pushing the same narrative.

But here’s the truth: JD Vance never said what the media claimed. Speaking in Phoenix, Arizona, Vance discussed the tragic reality of school shootings. He said, “I don’t like that this is a fact of life.” Vance then went on to explain that schools have become soft targets for psychos seeking attention, emphasizing the need for better security to prevent more deaths. But the media? They conveniently cut out the part where he expressed disdain for this grim reality.

The Associated Press ran with the misleading headline, which was posted on X (formerly Twitter), amassing over 2.5 million views before being called out by X’s Community Notes. Under pressure, the AP deleted the post and changed the headline to reflect Vance’s true sentiment—that he laments the frequency of school shootings and wants to improve security. But by then, the damage had already been done. Kamala Harris and Tim Walz had already shared the false headline to attack Vance.

Harris’s campaign tweeted a clip of Vance’s remarks, claiming he said school shootings are “just a fact of life” and accusing him of opposing common-sense gun reforms. Walz followed suit, sharing the same distorted message, calling Vance’s comments “pathetic.” The Harris campaign even released a statement saying Trump and Vance believe Americans should “get over” school shootings. This is a blatant lie.

In reality, Vance’s entire point was about preventing school shootings by bolstering security. He never once implied Americans should accept this tragedy as normal. But Democrats seized the moment, eager to paint Vance as heartless while pushing their own anti-gun agenda.

The AP’s retraction and updated headline acknowledged that Vance actually lamented school shootings. But it was too late—the Harris campaign had already weaponized the fake headline, and the media had moved on without much accountability.

JD Vance’s spokesman, William Martin, blasted the AP for their deceitful reporting. He told Fox News, “This is yet another case of the fake news media brazenly lying about a Republican politician.” Martin pointed out that the AP has long lost credibility, regularly lying to support the Democrats. Meanwhile, Kamala Harris has called for removing police officers from schools, leaving children more vulnerable.

Social media users didn’t let the AP off the hook either. X Community Notes swiftly flagged the post, clarifying that Vance’s full quote was, “I don’t like that this is a fact of life.” Conservative commentators like Mollie Hemingway of The Federalist weighed in, calling out the AP for peddling harmful propaganda.

This episode isn’t an isolated incident. The Harris campaign has a history of spreading misinformation, and this is just the latest in their ongoing effort to mislead the public. From taking Vance’s words out of context to pushing debunked hoaxes about Donald Trump, it’s clear that the truth is of little importance to them.

Key Takeaways:

• Media coverage under fire: A story about JD Vance’s remarks on school shootings quickly went viral, but questions about its accuracy soon followed.
• Viral headlines spark controversy: Major outlets and social media users widely shared the story, but the true context of Vance’s comments was called into question.
• Growing debate over accuracy: As reactions poured in, the story became a flashpoint for political debate, with concerns about the media’s role in shaping public perception.

Source: The Post Millennial