“Critics said that video — which sped up the movement of Acosta’s arms in a way that dramatically changed the journalist’s response — was deceptively edited to score political points. That edited video was first shared by Paul Joseph Watson, known for his conspiracy-theory videos on the far-right website Infowars.” Then it was shared by the White House to justify the suspension of Jim Acosta’s White House press credentials. The gaslighting of the American public is in full-effect and it’s being driven from the very top. A lot of analysts and armchair pundits argue that these kinds of attacks on the press are designed to be distractions and should therefore be ignored. In fact, the constant attacks on the truth intended to leave people unsure what to believe represent one of the key storylines of the Trump era. This strategy is the lynchpin of Trumpism. It’s bad for democracy and it’s terrible for journalists here and abroad.

+ Press Corps Backs CNN’s Jim Acosta, Calling Out Sarah Huckabee Sanders For ‘Complete Lie. (Fellow White House reporters should boycott the press room until Acosta’s credentials are returned.)