Joe Biden’s campaign raised suspicion with critics after securing a Twitter account named @truth to fact-check Donald Trump during Tuesday night’s debate.
After a campaign aide confirmed that the @truth Twitter handle would be used to fact-check Trump in real time, many critics questioned how they came to get the handle and whether it was responsible to let one political party use such a name when fact-checking an opponent.
“Be interesting story to know how exactly the Biden campaign ‘secured’ that handle from Twitter,” writer Stephen Miller tweeted, adding, “call it a hunch but don’t quite think it was as simple as trying to sign up with ‘@ truth’ and going ‘Holy cow guys, this one isn’t taken!’”
Call it a hunch but don’t quite think it was as simple as trying to sign up with “@ truth” and going “Holy cow guys, this one isn’t taken!”
“I’m not sure how responsible it is to let one political party tweet its positions from an account called ‘truth,’” podcaster Noah Blum added.
I’m not sure how responsible it is to let one political party tweet its positions from an account called “truth.” https://t.co/iNbuCDLins
Here was the prior iteration of @truth and the final tweet (9/8/20) before @JoeBiden “secured” the handle. pic.twitter.com/kAcOrhADVH
“The American people deserve to remember what it’s like to have a president who tells the truth again,” Biden campaign spokesman Andrew Bates said in a public statement.
The first tweet from the newly-minted account is a video of Joe Biden telling reporters his plan for the debate is to just tell the “truth.”
“Truth – and we can’t stress this enough, folks – over lies,” the account tweeted with the video.
Truth — and we can’t stress this enough, folks — over lies pic.twitter.com/sc8oWw1tzH
Twitter itself responded to accusations Biden bought the account straight from the social media platform by saying the takeover was handled privately with the previous account holder, who has controlled the name since 2015.
“There have been some Qs about the @truth account. It’s been in the same hands since 2015, anything after that would have involved the person who holds the account, not Twitter,” Brandon Borman, Twitter’s vice president of global communications tweeted, a message that was shared by the account.
“This is true. They wouldn’t even verify us,” the account said.
This is true.They wouldn’t even verify us ?#GiveTruthACheckMarkhttps://t.co/4VzBHMK98u
Biden supporters, including celebrities like Don Winslow and Alyssa Milano, have celebrated the account and driven it to over 200,000 followers.
The new DNC & Biden twitter account launched ahead of tonight’s debate @truth just surpassed 100,000. Thanks for everyone stepping up.
Well played, Team Biden.Following @truth now. https://t.co/iASlpKzkIU
Are you following @truth yet?
PLEASE follow this account: @truth
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