[A hurried, single post today. I have an MRI scheduled in a bit, and I'm terrified; I have the granddaddy of all claustrophobia cases. They have promised to use a horse's dosage of Versid via IV, but I tend to be sedative/narcotics-resistant. They added that if the Versid fails — i.e., if I start screaming "Get me out of here" — then next, someday, they'll use anesthesia. But why not first potentially waste $$8,000 or whatever an MRI costs these days before trying the sure thing? See you tomorrow.]
Joseph Stalin's photographic artistry involved airbrushing unwanted, executed or Siberian-chilling nonpersons out of history. Trump's White House, having several extra decades of photographic technology in its favor, has picked up on Stalin's creativity, but in reverse: It adds much-wanted nonpersons (literally) to the wannabe dictator's pictorial history.
A few dozen people turned out yesterday afternoon in FL to hear Tя☭mp upon his arrival. Pic 1: Wide shot of actual crowd. Pic 2: White House released image of the event. Pics 3 & 4: Notations of the same people cut and pasted into the image to make the crowd bigger. #TrumpLies pic.twitter.com/KraWl5OUhs
— Jim (@CommentOnTWLB) August 1, 2023
***
I always corroborate viral photos, but I admit, today was a bad day, from morning till night. But as to belated corroboration (which, as noted, is inexcusable), a couple commenters rightly questioned the validity of the photos above. All I can say is here is Vox.com's Aaron Rupar's original photo-tweet of Trump's Tampa turnout. Did the White House release an altered photo? I just can't say. I could find no corroboration of that. So I should not have disseminated what could be a fraud. My apologies.
not exactly an overflow crowd at Trump's speech in Florida pic.twitter.com/uS2o0fptNE
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 31, 2023