Kamala And The AP Misquote JD Vance On Georgia Shooting, Here’s The Truth [WATCH]

Republican vice-presidential candidate JD Vance faced controversy this week after a misquote from the Associated Press (AP) led to backlash over comments he made regarding school shootings.

Vance, while speaking at a rally in Phoenix, Arizona, discussed the tragic realities of recent mass shootings and emphasized the need for greater school security.

However, the initial reporting from the AP misrepresented his remarks, causing a significant stir.

Holy crap, the @AP has become one of the most intentionally dishonest outlets in the entire country. Here is what @JDVance actually said: “I don’t like that this is a fact of life.”

CC @CommunityNotes https://t.co/EsjzdixsL6 pic.twitter.com/Z8uqRe9XUp

— Andrew Surabian (@Surabees) September 6, 2024

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At the Phoenix rally, Vance commented on the mass shooting that occurred at Apalachee High School in Barrow County, Georgia, just a day earlier.

He expressed his frustration with the frequency of such incidents, stating, “I don’t like that this is a fact of life, but if you are a psycho and you want to make headlines, you realize that our schools are soft targets. And we have got to bolster security at our schools.” Vance emphasized the urgency of addressing school security to prevent future tragedies.

However, the AP’s original headline presented a misleading interpretation of his remarks.

The headline read, “JD Vance says school shootings are a ‘fact of life,’ calls for better security,” which gave the impression that Vance was being callous or dismissive about the issue of school shootings. The AP also shared this version in a post on X (formerly Twitter), which added fuel to the controversy.

The backlash was swift, with many pointing out the incomplete nature of the quote.

A proposed X Community Note highlighted the misleading nature of the headline, clarifying that Vance had actually stated, “I don’t like that this is a fact of life.” In response to the backlash, the AP eventually updated both the headline and the post, acknowledging the need for context.

The corrected headline now reads, “JD Vance says he laments that school shootings are a ‘fact of life’ and calls for better security.”

This post replaces an earlier post that was deleted to add context to the partial quote from Vance.

— The Associated Press (@AP) September 6, 2024

Vance’s spokesperson, William Martin, sharply criticized the AP for the initial misrepresentation, accusing the outlet of perpetuating “fake news” to undermine Republican politicians. “This is yet another case of the fake news media brazenly lying about a Republican politician. Senator Vance said exactly the opposite of what the Associated Press claimed,” Martin said in a statement. He continued by saying, “It should come as no surprise that the AP lost any and all credibility it had years ago, because they will lie about literally anything in order to prop up the Democrats.”

The issue of school shootings remains a highly sensitive and contentious topic, especially as the 2024 presidential campaign heats up.

The Harris-Walz campaign responded to Vance’s comments, attacking both him and former President Donald Trump. Ammar Moussa, a spokesperson for the Harris-Walz campaign, criticized Vance’s stance, stating, “Donald Trump and JD Vance think school shootings are a ‘fact of life’ and ‘we have to get over it,’” while contrasting their approach with Vice President Kamala Harris’s position. “Vice President Harris and Governor Walz know we can take action to keep our children safe and keep guns out of the hands of criminals. Donald Trump and JD Vance will always choose the NRA and gun lobby over our children. That is the choice in this election,” Moussa continued.

Kamala is intentionally misquoting and taking JD Vance’s words out of context.

Watch the video for yourself: https://t.co/xnrels5H4O pic.twitter.com/RQKceCf444

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) September 6, 2024

The AP’s initial misquote of Vance’s remarks ignited a firestorm, leading to widespread criticism of the media’s handling of the situation.

Vance’s comments focused on the unfortunate reality that schools are often targeted by those seeking to commit violent acts.

He emphasized the need to improve security measures to protect students from potential threats.

Vance’s message was not one of acceptance but rather a call to action to bolster school defenses.

The controversy highlights the growing tensions between media outlets and conservative figures, particularly in the run-up to the 2024 election.

As the political climate continues to intensify, accurate reporting and clear communication of candidates’ positions will be critical in shaping public perception and debate on key issues like school safety.

The AP’s correction came after significant backlash, but the damage was already done, with many pointing to the incident as another example of media bias against conservatives.

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