Quick Hit:

USA Today columnist Ingrid Jacques accuses the media of rewriting Kamala Harris' past and their coverage to align with the vice president's potential presidential bid, drawing parallels to Soviet tactics.

Key Details:

• Ingrid Jacques criticizes media for shifting from covering Biden to Harris.

• Claims media is "rewriting" history regarding Harris' role in border crisis.

• Points to GovTrack’s removal of Harris’ 2019 voting record page as evidence.

Diving Deeper:

Ingrid Jacques, a columnist for USA Today, has expressed strong criticism towards the media, accusing them of rewriting Kamala Harris' past and their own previous coverage to support Harris' anticipated presidential bid. Jacques draws a stark comparison to Orwellian and Soviet-era tactics, asserting that this manipulation is meant to erase inconvenient facts about Harris' record.

Shortly after President Biden took office in 2021, he appointed Vice President Harris to lead efforts at addressing the migration challenge at the U.S. southern border. At the time, major news outlets, including The Associated Press, reported on Harris' significant role, with some referring to her informally as the "border czar." However, Jacques notes that as Harris struggled to manage the crisis, the media began to downplay her involvement. She highlights Axios as a prime example, which originally reported Harris’ central role but recently claimed she was given only a “slice” of the crisis to manage, even appending an editor’s note to clarify their earlier reports.

Jacques criticizes this revisionism, stating, "It’s insulting." She further illustrates her point by referring to GovTrack’s removal of a 2019 page that detailed Harris' voting record, which had labeled her the most liberal senator, surpassing even Bernie Sanders. According to Jacques, this page was removed recently, with an editor’s note suggesting the decision was part of a broader shift in how the organization tracks congressional records. Jacques finds the timing suspicious, particularly as it coincides with Harris' rise as a potential presidential nominee.

"GovTrack doubled down on its disappearing act," Jacques writes, indicating that the organization has been less transparent about their motives. She believes these actions are part of a broader effort to sanitize Harris' past in preparation for the 2024 elections.

Jacques urges readers to be vigilant, warning that the media’s current behavior suggests a willingness to alter the narrative to suit political needs. "Expect a lot more of these shenanigans to continue in the coming months. Don’t let the media get away with it," she concludes.