Washington Post fact-checker Glenn Kessler stepped on a rake in his quick defense of former Vice President Joe Biden over his latest gaffe.

Kessler was slammed on social media after he claimed the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee “didn’t actually say” what he was being criticized for. Kessler’s attempt to carry water for Biden backfired when Biden’s own words seemed to turn the argument on its head.

The editor and writer of the “Fact Checker” feature for The Washington Post stepped up to defend Biden who was being slammed for insulting the African American community.

Biden’s controversial comment came during a video call with black and Hispanic journalists on Thursday.

“Unlike the African American community, with notable exceptions, the Latino community is an incredibly diverse community with incredibly different attitudes about different things,” the Democrat had said.

Hours later, Biden walked back the comments, taking to Twitter to attempt to “clarify” what he meant to say. In a video call later in the day, he addressed the comments again, insisting he didn’t mean to suggest “the African American community is a monolith.”

Biden’s attempt to ‘clarify’ comments on African American diversity raises even more questions https://t.co/1gLpLmS2tn

— Conservative News (@BIZPACReview) August 7, 2020

Team Trump joined the many voices condemning his 2020 opponent for the disparaging comment.

“Joe Biden just said that Latinos have diversity of thought, unlike Black Americans…This is disgusting!” the Trump campaign tweeted, paraphrasing the remarks.

Before Biden or his campaign had made any follow up comments, Kessler jumped in to defend the Democrat. He was very quickly called out for covering for him.

“If you listen to the clip, he didn’t actually say this,” he wrote in response to Team Trump’s tweet.

If you listen to the clip, he didn’t actually say this. https://t.co/sU7XeCuHim

— Glenn Kessler (@GlennKesslerWP) August 6, 2020

Though the Trump campaign had not quoted Biden exactly, Kessler was slammed for “lying” to protect Biden.

.@GlennKesslerWP is lying, he knows he is lying, his editors know that he is lying, but no one cares, because the ends justify the means. https://t.co/MF3Y12vLpY

— Reagan Battalion (@ReaganBattalion) August 6, 2020

Do you expect us to believe you over our own ears?

— Bongino Report (@BonginoReport) August 6, 2020

Kessler’s defense of Biden unleashed a tidal wave of backlash.

Obviously the Trump campaign will put this in the worst light possible, but I’m curious how you would paraphrase what he is saying.

— Jeryl Bier (@JerylBier) August 6, 2020

I genuinely do not understand how he can say he didn’t say the thing that you can hear him say with his mouth and the sounds that come out of it.

— Caleb Howe (@CalebHowe) August 6, 2020

If a journalist can’t even acknowledge that Biden said what he said while he’s watching the clip, why the f*ck does he still have a job??

This is more pathetic than the MSNBC guy who said the protests are peaceful while a building burns down behind him. https://t.co/bpSRCwa3s5

— Eric (@EDoubletheu) August 6, 2020

Dude, you’re supposedly a fact checker.

— Invisible Constituent (@JustGreggo) August 6, 2020

Bonus points for Kessler being wrong, again.

— Zaggs (@Zaggs) August 6, 2020

I listened. He did. Your statement is a lie. Be better.

— James ✝️🇺🇸 (@wjamesawill) August 6, 2020

I know you guys are really burning the midnight oil keeping Biden’s campaign afloat but this may be a little too desperate of a claim. Take a break. https://t.co/IpKU04MjcG

— Brandon Morse (@TheBrandonMorse) August 6, 2020

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Frieda Powers

Senior Staff Writer
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.

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