People walk outside CNN Center, Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2018, in Atlanta. CNN is now screening all people who enter after a suspicious package was delivered to CNN in New York. NYPD’s chief of counterterrorism says the explosive device sent to CNN’s headquarters in New York appeared to be sent by the same person who mailed pipe bombs to George Soros, Hillary Clinton and former President Barack Obama. (AP Photo/Ron Harris)

CNN political analyst and Clinton Administration Press Secretary Joe Lockhart tweeted about overhearing a conversation between two Republican Senators “who only watch Fox News.” Lockhart writes, “Is this stuff real? I haven’t heard any of this before. I thought it was all about a server. If half the stuff Schiff is saying is true, we’re up sh*t’s creek. Hope the White House has exculpatory evidence.”

Because, as they say, “a lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on,” Lockhart’s tweet went viral.

It should come as no surprise that Jen Rubin was one of the first to retweet the post.

Nine minutes later, Lockhart sent a second tweet which said, “Ok maybe I made up the convo, but you know that’s exactly what they’re thinking.”

Ok maybe I made up the convo, but you know that's exactly what they're thinking. — Joe Lockhart (@joelockhart) January 22, 2020

In the meantime, according to Matt Wolking, the Trump campaign’s Deputy Director of Communications, the lie was retweeted 4,600 times, but the correction only 389 times.

The reaction to Lockhart’s admission was swift. In response to one Twitter user’s comment that there should be a sarcasm button on Twitter, Lockhart replied, “agree. sorry people thought this was real. satire and sarcasm do help make these points though.”

Everyone relax. This is satire. Satire to make the point that Senators that are deciding the President's fate who only watch Fox News have never heard this stuff before. Because Fox is part of the coverup. https://t.co/ktCxCg1Irt — Joe Lockhart (@joelockhart) January 22, 2020

Is that all a liberal has to say after pulling a stunt like this? ‘Thought people would know this was satire.’ Gee, Joe, generally when satire is published, it is called satire. Think The Babylon Bee.

I suppose Lockhart thought this was okay because, after all, the esteemed Adam Schiff had delivered a parody version of President Trump’s infamous phone call with Ukrainian President Zelensky on the House floor and got away with it.

Here are some of the responses to Lockhart’s stab at satire:

Liberal podcast host Dave Rubin: “Hey @brianstelter , as a very serious “journalist” do you have any thoughts on your colleague (a former Clinton staffer, of course) sharing a totally made up quote? Maybe cover this on the next episode of Unreliable Sources?”

(Note: ICYMI, CNN’s Brian Stelter is producing an HBO documentary on fake news. That should be satire, but unfortunately, it’s not.)

Republican National Committee (RNC) Rapid Response Director Steve Guest: Is anyone surprised that @JRubinBlogger would push Joe Lockhart’s FAKE NEWS tweet to her followers?

The Hill reporter and Fox News contributor Joe Concha: “The former White House press secretary later admitted to making this whole conversation below up, but keeps up the tweet without deleting anyway (because accountability is basically dead).”

Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk: “Hey, @CNN —will there be any consequences for your Political Analyst sharing fake news on Twitter? Or will he continue to be allowed on air just like the rest of the Never-Trump liars you give a platform to?”

Fox News host Greg Gutfeld: “Yeah, this happened. Don’t take up screenwriting, Joe. You suck at dialogue.”

I’ll say it anyway. Can you imagine if a Republican had done this?



MBA, former financial consultant, options trader

Mom of three grown children, grandmother

Email Elizabeth at



Writer at RedStateMBA, former financial consultant, options traderMom of three grown children, grandmotherEmail Elizabeth at [email protected] Read more by Elizabeth Vaughn