After I smacked my eyes back into the front of my head, I realized Republicans really are trying to convince us of an alternate reality. It is incredibly important we not allow this gaslighting to stand. If I have to write this same piece every single week for four years, I will. Or if I have to write a similar article and merely substitute the action, I will. This defies belief.

First, the Republican who graduated from Ole Miss (and I apologize again on behalf of all sane Mississippians), Ben Ferguson, went on television and claimed John Lewis’ comments were “unprecedented.” Lewis told NBC Saturday he felt Trump’s presidency was illegitimate due to Russian involvement in the election process.

“I cannot imagine the fallout, the backfire you would have if a Republican would ever imply that Barack Obama, or Bill Clinton, or JFK or anyone else for that matter…” (Buzzfeed)

I’m disappointed he did not add anything about how Trump is a rank, milk-livered hedge-pig who has no business being anywhere near Twitter, much less the nuclear launch codes. Bless his heart. In his defense, Ferguson has always been a moron, so I really don’t expect a whole lot more than that out of him. Ole Miss is a Grade A party school. Based on his career, I imagine Ferguson spent more than his fair share of time killing off brain cells at frat parties.

For years, Trump was the leader of the Republicans questioning the President’s legitimacy. Although he publically stated a few months ago he now believes the President was born in the United States, he has not deleted the evidence from his Twitter account. Now the man who demanded Barack Obama’s birth certificate for years has been elected without even showing his tax returns. (Hang on, I need to slap my eyeballs back into place again.)







Also on Sunday, Reince Priebus went on television to blatantly state that Republicans never questioned the legitimacy of Obama’s presidency. Whaaaaa?

“We need folks like John Lewis and others who I think have been champions of voter rights to actually recognize the fact that Donald Trump was duly elected.” He called it “incredibly disappointing” and “irresponsible” for someone of Lewis’ stature to question Trump’s legitimacy as president. “I think in fact President Obama could step up,” Priebus said, suggesting that the White House should come out in Trump’s favor. (TPM)

I really do not understand this obsession with having President Obama fix everything for the incoming administration. Even if Trump had not treated him like shit on the bottom of his shoe for eight years, it makes no sense. But in this case, it is beyond absurd. They have overstepped the bounds of their position repeatedly, ignoring we still have a president. However, when it is convenient, POTUS needs to make it better! Fix my boo-boo!

“Donald Trump’s made it clear certainly over the last few years that President Obama was born in Hawaii,” Priebus claimed. “Not until the end of the campaign!” Stephanopoulos replied. “But hang on a second, George, we’re not questioning the legitimacy of the outcome of the election,” Priebus said. “You didn’t have Republicans questioning whether or not Obama legitimately beat John McCain in 2008.” “It is a fact that Donald Trump was questioning whether President Obama was eligible to serve as president under the Constitution,” Stephanopoulos countered. “And many people were, George, but that’s been resolved for years now, and it’s been resolved for at least two years in Donald Trump’s mind!” Priebus hit back. “Just a factual point,” Stephanopoulos interrupted, speaking over Priebus. “He didn’t stop raising those questions until late in this campaign, not two years.” “But look, George, that’s not the point!” Priebus said, visibly agitated. “The point is not where Barack Obama was born! The point is that we’ve got congressmen on the Democratic side of the aisle that are questioning the legitimacy of President-elect Trump.”

Irony is dead to them. Facts are dead to them. Truth is dead to them. These overrated white men think these things are dead to us. Do not let them get away with this.

Gaslighting: to drive someone insane by making them doubt their perceptions or memories. (M-W)