It unfurls the same way nearly every time a Democrat commits an act of self-harm. In this instance, Stacey Abrams’s campaign tweeted out a picture of her flouting mask rules while administrators, teachers, and kindergarteners at Glennwood Elementary School were forced to wear masks. It’s difficult to think of a visual that better exemplifies the hypocrisy and absurdity of masking policies in schools, which is why Abrams deleted the tweet. And why Dr. Holly Brookins, the principal of the school, who tweeted out other shots of Abrams maskless with masked staff and students, deleted her account.
Rather than reporting on what Abrams did, outlets, as is their tendency, framed the incident in partisan terms, stressing what Republicans were saying about Abrams — which is apparently “pouncing” or some other synonym. “GOP rivals seize on Stacy Abrams’ maskless classroom photo as her campaign calls criticism ‘silly,’” writes the Washington Post. A Democrat gaffe is rarely an event unto itself. The Post story, remarkably, doesn’t even feature the picture in question, yet it gives Abrams’s reaction in the headline. Here is how the Post reported on another story the same day: “Youngkin campaign attacks high school student on Twitter.” Not “Democrats pounce on Youngkin tweet.”
Next, journalists will inform us that the pouncee has “fired back.” In this case, Abrams’s campaign insinuates that its racist to point out Abrams’s hypocrisy during Black History Month.
If necessary, there will be a pseudo-journalistic deep dive to prove that Democrats are being unfairly maligned. “Video footage of the event reviewed by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s shows Abrams arrived at the podium wearing a mask, taking it off just before she began to speak,” reporter Greg Bluestein tweeted.
Next tweet:
“Meanwhile, David Perdue’s campaign is already fundraising off the deleted tweet . . .”
While Abrams took off her mask just before taking a bunch of pictures, Perdue is already fundraising off a deleted tweet. Can you imagine?
Now, we’re just waiting on the fact-checkers to sweep up.