# White House likley altered video of Jim Acosta **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 9, 2018, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-likley-altered-video-of-jim-acosta/824242 "2018-11-09T15:06:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-likley-altered-video-of-jim-acosta/824242/41 "2018-11-10T15:07:44Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > I know you’re not a Trump supporter, so I don’t know why you’re apparently swallowing their lies about who put hands on who(m). It does seem like such an obvious, blatant (and video supported lie) that it’s absolutely mind boggling that anyone could possibly believe it. ---
**Author:** ![Chingon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chingon/32/17645_2.png) [@Chingon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chingon)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-likley-altered-video-of-jim-acosta/824242/42 "2018-11-10T15:09:03Z")
Pro tip: he is a Trump supporter. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-likley-altered-video-of-jim-acosta/824242/43 "2018-11-10T16:56:40Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > If so, what is the point of your post? Did I say that what Sanders re-tweeted was a good thing? Did I in ANY way defend the White House in my post? Did I in ANY way imply that I thought what the White House did was good, or proper? Yes, by implication, when you decided the most important thing to highlight here was a trivial error of attribution made by someone on the internet, and not the deliberate attempt by the White House to smear a reporter using doctored footage. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-likley-altered-video-of-jim-acosta/824242/44 "2018-11-10T17:02:09Z")
The white house using doctored footage is totally unacceptable, but Acosta was way out of line. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-likley-altered-video-of-jim-acosta/824242/45 "2018-11-10T17:32:31Z")
> [@Enola\_Gay](#): > > The white house using doctored footage is totally unacceptable, but Acosta was way out of line. No, he wasn’t, that’s ludicrous. If Acosta had just limply let go of that mike mid-sentence, without getting any questions answered, _everybody_ would have either been disappointed in him and/or would have mocked him for it, depending on their biases. He acted 100% properly and appropriately, even immediately begging for pardon from the person who directly put him in that awkward situation. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-likley-altered-video-of-jim-acosta/824242/46 "2018-11-10T17:55:55Z")
> [@Enola\_Gay](#): > > The white house using doctored footage is totally unacceptable, but Acosta was way out of line. If Acosta was out of line, so are many other reporters who question Sanders on an (until recently) almost daily basis. Regularly, after having even a few questions answered, do reporters try to squeeze in another and hold onto to the mic too long. Acosta is being singled out by the right because they don’t like his questions and he makes the Trump admin look bad. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-likley-altered-video-of-jim-acosta/824242/47 "2018-11-10T18:13:50Z")
I’m not convinced it wasn’t a specific setup of Jim Acosta, particularly with how resolutely the intern tried to snatch the mike from him, and with the way she immediately looked towards Trump as if to say she tried her best to do what he told her. Now, if Trump wanted someone to actually physically reposses the mike, I’m sure he would have no problem finding someone more qualified. But if what he wanted to setup was a characteristically lame attempt at a me-too gotcha, then we get what we saw here. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-likley-altered-video-of-jim-acosta/824242/48 "2018-11-10T18:26:17Z")
> [@MDfive21](#): > > frankly, the intern was in the wrong for invading acosta’s space, then grabbing the mic which he was obviously not giving to her. don’t they teach people not to snatch things in kindergarten too? The intern was in a tough spot being directed by POTUS on one hand and on the other, maybe trying not to be a total asshole to Acosta. It’s also a situation where some slight physical contact is not unexpected–Jesus… their arms brushed… Acosta’s a rapist! I think perhaps the WH uses young female interns for press room mic passing so any physical contact with them can potentially be called sexual harassment/abuse (more easily than if the intern were male). ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-likley-altered-video-of-jim-acosta/824242/49 "2018-11-10T18:32:30Z")
> [@iamthewalrus\_3](#): > > How do you feel about the White House Press Secretary spreading a doctored video to defame him? > > No big deal? Do you think anyone at the WH \*knew \*the video was doctored? It’s pretty subtle stuff. I’ve been a professional video editor for 20 years and I found some parts of the explanation of the doctoring a bit difficult to follow. I doubt Sanders or anyone else knew it was altered. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-likley-altered-video-of-jim-acosta/824242/50 "2018-11-10T18:53:05Z")
The White House attempting to smear the reputation of a reporter is pathetic. Period. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-likley-altered-video-of-jim-acosta/824242/51 "2018-11-10T19:34:17Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > Do you think anyone at the WH \*knew \*the video was doctored? It’s pretty subtle stuff. I’ve been a professional video editor for 20 years and I found some parts of the explanation of the doctoring a bit difficult to follow. I doubt Sanders or anyone else knew it was altered. Very possibly they didn’t. So where is the retraction from SHS? See. It doesn’t matter. They all lie now knowing that the only people they have to convince is their idiot supporters. ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-likley-altered-video-of-jim-acosta/824242/52 "2018-11-10T20:12:55Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > Do you think anyone at the WH \*knew \*the video was doctored? It’s pretty subtle stuff. I’ve been a professional video editor for 20 years and I found some parts of the explanation of the doctoring a bit difficult to follow. I doubt Sanders or anyone else knew it was altered. It’s not like the original unaltered video wasn’t available to them. They could have chosen to upload that copy. For some reason they chose to upload a copy from a third party or they doctored the original themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-likley-altered-video-of-jim-acosta/824242/53 "2018-11-10T20:37:56Z")
> [@Fiddle\_Peghead](#): > > If Acosta was out of line, so are many other reporters who question Sanders on an (until recently) almost daily basis. Regularly, after having even a few questions answered, do reporters try to squeeze in another and hold onto to the mic too long. Acosta is being singled out by the right because they don’t like his questions and he makes the Trump admin look bad. You may be right. I’m not on the right & think Trump is an national disgrace. But what frustrates me is that too often I see his opponents trying to get down into the mud with him by trying to out-asshole him. I’ll concede that I don’t watch a lot of press conferences, but from my vantage point Acosta was grandstanding & trying to make speech rather than ask legitimate questions. That’s not the purpose of press conferences IMO. YMMV ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-likley-altered-video-of-jim-acosta/824242/54 "2018-11-10T23:18:06Z")
> [@Enola\_Gay](#): > > but from my vantage point Acosta was grandstanding & trying to make speech rather than ask legitimate questions. That’s not the purpose of press conferences IMO. YMMV The trouble is unless you ask a very specific question, most politicians, and Trump in particular, will answer the question s/he wants to answer, often quite far off topic. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2018, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-likley-altered-video-of-jim-acosta/824242/55 "2018-11-11T15:46:49Z")
Problem solved. The video wasn’t altered or doctored. According to Conway, it was [just sped up](https://thehill.com/homenews/sunday-talk-shows/416108-conway-on-video-of-acosta-thats-not-altered-thats-sped-up). ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2018, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-likley-altered-video-of-jim-acosta/824242/56 "2018-11-11T23:54:28Z")
Just found out my cousin, who is a computer science prof at the University of Illinois, was on the team that investigated this video. He just put out a post describing exactly how the doctoring occurred. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2018, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-likley-altered-video-of-jim-acosta/824242/57 "2018-11-12T00:09:37Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > Just found out my cousin, who is a computer science prof at the University of Illinois, was on the team that investigated this video. > > He just put out a post describing exactly how the doctoring occurred. Link? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2018, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-likley-altered-video-of-jim-acosta/824242/58 "2018-11-12T00:25:23Z")
> [@Enola\_Gay](#): > > You may be right. I’m not on the right & think Trump is an national disgrace. But what frustrates me is that too often I see his opponents trying to get down into the mud with him by trying to out-asshole him. I’ll concede that I don’t watch a lot of press conferences, but from my vantage point Acosta was grandstanding & trying to make speech rather than ask legitimate questions. That’s not the purpose of press conferences IMO. YMMV As a journalist and a citizen, I believe you are wrong. We live in a democracy. Our officials work for us. The pool reporters are there to hold the president to account on behalf of the public, not to follow bullshit rules of etiquette made up on the spot for the comfort of the president. Every journalist should be doing what Acosta was doing at every single opportunity. And what we should be outraged about is the attempt to take the mike from his hand before he was ready to hand it over. Comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. That’s Acosta’s job. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2018, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-likley-altered-video-of-jim-acosta/824242/59 "2018-11-12T01:57:28Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Link? It’s a Facebook post. Not sure how to put it here so everyone can read it. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2018, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-likley-altered-video-of-jim-acosta/824242/60 "2018-11-12T17:24:31Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > Do you think anyone at the WH \*knew \*the video was doctored? It’s pretty subtle stuff. I’ve been a professional video editor for 20 years and I found some parts of the explanation of the doctoring a bit difficult to follow. I doubt Sanders or anyone else knew it was altered. I’m not sure. I would say it doesn’t matter that much: it’s negligent to treat anything from Infowars as worthy of coming from the White House. Or would be, in any sane reality. And, of course, there’s an easy way to fix this in the case of a genuine error. A public apology about sharing a doctored video, and, you know, disavowing Infowars as propagandist bullshit. I won’t be holding my breath. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-likley-altered-video-of-jim-acosta/824242.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-likley-altered-video-of-jim-acosta/824242.md?page=4)