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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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”?
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.
It’s really troubling to me, that people’s relationships with politicians can be compared to intimate relationships.
You’re not wrong I guess.
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.