What could possibly motivate Maxine Waters to claim twice that she never called for Donald Trump's impeachment when the video evidence is so compelling? It is one thing for conservative websites to call her out, but even MSNBC, the broadcast leader in Trump-hatred, is taking notice of the absolute falsity of her claim.

But unfortunately, there is no cure for Alzheimer's, just as there is no cure for stupid. So it may not really matter all that much which is the source of her outrageous claims.

If it is Alzheimer's that is starting to afflict her memory, then I have compassion. There is no political aspect to this terrible disease, and the congresswoman deserves the excellent medical care to which her membership in Congress entitles her.

But most people get their news from video feeds, either via television or computer, especially social media. If Waters expected the media to cover for her, she is plain stupid – when compelling video proves her claim to be absurd.

Yesterday, I speculated that there is some mental disability, possibly organic, at work. She does seem to actually believe herself. But I neglected to consider the possibility that she simply "miscalculated" – assuming that the media would be so anti-Trump that they would cover for her. And, so far as I know, neither the New York Times nor the Washington Post has yet noticed her counterfactual claim never to have called for impeachment.

JACKSON: "... pretty strong words from somebody else on the other side of the aisle. Maxine Waters, right? The congresswoman [indecipherable] during that interview with Craig Melvin earlier in the week here on this network, but she seemed to back tracked off those called to impeach President Trump. Here's what she said." [clip starts] WATERS: "Well I have not – I have not called for impeachment." MELVIN: "You said, I'm going to fight every day until he's impeached. That's what you tweeted." WATERS: "Yeah. But here is what I've said. Here is what I've said. I've said that we need the information. We need to connect the dots. We need the facts in order to do the impeachment." [clip ends] JACSKON: "So, Mark, she's become kind of a vocal voice for this impeachment call. And you heard what she just said. Is she splitting hairs?" MURRAY: "More than splitting hairs, Hallie. Here's what she's actually tweeted in the past, saying that she's going to fight every day until he's impeached. Then you end up having another interview that she had where she said get ready for impeachment. And I believe we also have some sound of her using the 'I' word not too long ago." [clip starts] WATERS: "Impeach 45." CROWD (chanting): "Impeach 45." WATERS: "Impeach 45." [clip ends] MURRAY: "And, so, Hallie, you can be pretty clear that she has called for President Trump's impeachment there." JACKSON: "I think that does clarify it, Mark, thank you."

What could possibly motivate Maxine Waters to claim twice that she never called for Donald Trump's impeachment when the video evidence is so compelling? It is one thing for conservative websites to call her out, but even MSNBC, the broadcast leader in Trump-hatred, is taking notice of the absolute falsity of her claim.

Yesterday, in an on-air discussion among Hallie Jackson, Craig Melvin, and Mark Murray, the California congresswoman was explicitly called out for her denial of reality:

JACKSON: "... pretty strong words from somebody else on the other side of the aisle. Maxine Waters, right? The congresswoman [indecipherable] during that interview with Craig Melvin earlier in the week here on this network, but she seemed to back tracked off those called to impeach President Trump. Here's what she said."

[clip starts]

WATERS: "Well I have not – I have not called for impeachment."

MELVIN: "You said, I'm going to fight every day until he's impeached. That's what you tweeted."

WATERS: "Yeah. But here is what I've said. Here is what I've said. I've said that we need the information. We need to connect the dots. We need the facts in order to do the impeachment."

[clip ends]

JACSKON: "So, Mark, she's become kind of a vocal voice for this impeachment call. And you heard what she just said. Is she splitting hairs?"

MURRAY: "More than splitting hairs, Hallie. Here's what she's actually tweeted in the past, saying that she's going to fight every day until he's impeached. Then you end up having another interview that she had where she said get ready for impeachment. And I believe we also have some sound of her using the 'I' word not too long ago."

[clip starts]

WATERS: "Impeach 45."

CROWD (chanting): "Impeach 45."

WATERS: "Impeach 45."

[clip ends]

MURRAY: "And, so, Hallie, you can be pretty clear that she has called for President Trump's impeachment there."

JACKSON: "I think that does clarify it, Mark, thank you."

(transcript via Grabien)

Yesterday, I speculated that there is some mental disability, possibly organic, at work. She does seem to actually believe herself. But I neglected to consider the possibility that she simply "miscalculated" – assuming that the media would be so anti-Trump that they would cover for her. And, so far as I know, neither the New York Times nor the Washington Post has yet noticed her counterfactual claim never to have called for impeachment.

But most people get their news from video feeds, either via television or computer, especially social media. If Waters expected the media to cover for her, she is plain stupid – when compelling video proves her claim to be absurd.

If it is Alzheimer's that is starting to afflict her memory, then I have compassion. There is no political aspect to this terrible disease, and the congresswoman deserves the excellent medical care to which her membership in Congress entitles her.

But unfortunately, there is no cure for Alzheimer's, just as there is no cure for stupid. So it may not really matter all that much which is the source of her outrageous claims.