Democratic vice-presidential candidate calls opponent a ‘slick talker’ in first comments on Tuesday’s televised clash

The day after the only vice-presidential debate this year, Democrat Tim Walz called his Republican challenger, JD Vance, a “slick talker” who was trying to rewrite history and gaslight people about Donald Trump’s record.

During a rally in York, Pennsylvania, Walz made his first public comments on the debate, which polls show was essentially a tie between the two vice-presidential candidates. The Minnesota governor was on a tour through the swing state on Wednesday.

Walz said the two men “had a civil but spirited debate” and that he didn’t underestimate Vance’s debate skills.

But, he added: “You can’t rewrite history and trying to mislead us about Donald Trump’s record. That’s gaslighting. That’s gaslighting, on the economy, reproductive freedom, housing, gun violence.”


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  • queermunist she/her
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    363 months ago

    Ugh.

    He was just lying. Gaslighting is a specific thing in abusive relationships, can we not broaden the definition to be “anytime anyone lies about stuff”?

    • @[email protected]
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      3 months ago

      Ehh, lying is a wide thing with different motivations. Gaslighting is a malicious type of lying that is designed to undermine the victims sense of reality, their sense of self. It’s meant to increase dependency on the liar.

      Its normally used to describe abusive romantic relationships, but it’s not that specific. It can apply to jobs, families, and yes, government.

      Vance is 100% gaslighting the American public. He’s twisting what happened in a torturous way to make people afraid of trusting themselves and their lying eyes. Hes casting himself and Trump as the only people that “tell the truth” by lying. That’s gaslighting.

      • queermunist she/her
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        113 months ago

        It’s really troubling to me, that people’s relationships with politicians can be compared to intimate relationships.

        You’re not wrong I guess.

        • Flying Squid
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          163 months ago

          Gaslighting is a term that has been applied to non-intimate relationships all the time.

          In fact, you will see such accusations here on Lemmy.

            • Flying Squid
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              113 months ago

              I don’t know what to tell you- language is fluid. Calling someone silly used to mean you were saying they were blessed.

              • queermunist she/her
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                -93 months ago

                Clinical language should not be fluid. It should means something specific so that it can actually be used to help people.

                  • queermunist she/her
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                    -63 months ago

                    So what? It still creates confusion for no reason, gaslighting should mean something and not be muddied by popculture. That’s always bad every time clinical terms get trashed and used this way.

      • @idiomaddict
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        83 months ago

        I agree with you 100%, just wanted to say that you probably mean tortuous… though torturous is definitely metaphorically possible 😂