CNN anchor Jake Tapper recently criticized Trump administration judicial nominees for refusing to explicitly say that Joe Biden won the 2020 election, instead stating that Biden was certified as the winner. Tapper deemed this response unacceptable, questioning the integrity of the oaths those judges would administer in their courtrooms. However, commentator Larry Elder argues that Tapper and other Democrats are applying a double standard by ignoring comparable or higher levels of election denial among Democrats regarding the 2016 election.
Tapper's Criticism of Judicial Nominees
During confirmation hearings, several Trump judicial nominees declined to answer yes when asked if Biden won the 2020 election. They replied that Biden was certified as the winner. Tapper called this a dodge and questioned whether these judges would require witnesses to swear to tell the truth, unless those truths offend Donald Trump. Similarly, Michael Steele, former head of the Republican National Committee and co-host on MSNBC, argued that the nominees failure to answer disqualified them from serving, calling it a fundamental civics test.
Democratic Election Denial in 2016
Elder points out that comparable percentages of Democrats doubted the legitimacy of Trump's 2016 win. A 2018 YouGov poll found that 66% of Democrats believed Russia changed vote tallies to elect Trump in 2016, despite former Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson testifying that there was no evidence a single vote tally was changed. A 2018 Gallup poll showed 78% of Democrats believed Russian interference changed the outcome of the 2016 election, though Johnson stated it was impossible to know if it altered the outcome. A New York University study found no measurable changes in attitudes or voting behavior due to Russian interference.
Historical Objections to Republican Wins
Elder notes that House Democrats have disputed the certification of every Republican presidential victory since 2000. In 2001, nearly a dozen black House Democrats voted against certifying the 2000 election results. Rep. Maxine Waters stated her objection did not require a Senate signature. In 2005, then-Rep. Bennie Thompson joined 30 other Democrats and Sen. Barbara Boxer to object to Ohio's certification, citing voter suppression. In 2016, Hillary Clinton called the election stolen and described Trump as illegitimate. Former President Jimmy Carter said in 2019 that Trump did not actually win in 2016, claiming Russian interference put him in office. New York Attorney General Letitia James said she would never be afraid to challenge the illegitimate president.
Hunter Biden Laptop Story
Elder also references polling data suggesting that suppression of the Hunter Biden laptop story, in which CNN and Brian Stelter were allegedly complicit, may have changed the outcome of the 2020 election. He concludes that Tapper's stance makes him appear as fake news, a hypocrite, and a partisan.
