Not lying! just doesn't know any better!

[struggle4progress]

By Aaron Blake
January 8 at 12:14 PM

Over the weekend, acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney tried to explain President Trump’s fanciful claim that other presidents told him they should have built a border wall. On Tuesday, Vice President Pence took a shot ...

Pence downgrades the claim severely by saying Trump merely got this “impression.” But Bill Clinton’s spokesman has said that the former president hasn’t spoken to Trump since the inauguration. Barack Obama’s has said he hasn’t done so except for a brief exchange at George H.W. Bush’s funeral. And George W. Bush’s and Carter’s aides have said those two former presidents hadn’t even discussed the broader topic with Trump. Not only are they denying telling Trump that they support a border wall, they’re saying there was no conversation in which Trump could have gotten such an “impression.”

Then Pence suggests maybe this is merely about seeing “clips of previous presidents talking about the importance of border security, the importance of addressing the issue of illegal immigration.” So the argument has shifted from “These presidents told Trump they want a border wall” to “These presidents spoke broadly about the need to combat illegal immigration” — not even specifically a border wall.

It’s probably not worth dwelling on this claim too much. It was pretty ridiculous when it was uttered, and everyone knew it. The fact that it hasn’t been substantiated shows that. But it is worth looking at just how powerful people around Trump — like Pence and Mulvaney — strain to square Trump’s version of reality with actual reality ...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/01/08/pence-explains-trumps-dubious-claim-hes-not-lying-he-just-doesnt-know-any-better/?utm_term=.b257f764f5d3

[guillaumeb]

1. One in a seemingly endless parade of lies.

Sad that so many Trump voters fall for so many lies.

[RKP5637]

2. When you see Mulvaney, Pence and tRump in one picture, it sure doesn't look like

a lineup of the sharpest tools in the tool shed!

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

3. Liars, qualifiers, enablers.

Americans in the cross hairs and rich people don't care. They, afterall, have a PILE of money to sit on and ride out any storm.

[maxsolomon]

4. "It's probably not worth dwelling on this claim too much".

Alternately, the press should ask every Trump lackey to substantiate it, and ask Trump directly why he lied about an easily verifiable claim, at every opportunity.

Over and over until they admit they're liars.

[BSdetect]

5. I'm afraid they will never have the sense to try that.

[maxsolomon]

6. I saw it happen once.

A group of reporters got him on the WH driveway when he was feeling cocky. Can't remember the context.

Kept coming at him with the same question - and he cracked in a minute.

[lunatica]

7. These arguments always make me remember my son and nephew

trying to twist a story to cover telling lies. They were in grade school, believing they could actually fool you.