As if we haven’t had enough breaking news the past couple of weeks, a report surfaced that former President Jimmy Carter had died early this morning at age 99. Since Carter has been in hospice for over a year, we’ve been preparing for that moment for a long time. But there’s one big problem with the news: it’s fake.
Advertisement
This fake statement announcing President Jimmy Carter’s death is making the rounds and has even led media organizations to announce that Carter is dead.
Just read the highlighted part. pic.twitter.com/RvGpn7a9Vc
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) July 23, 2024
The long letter, purporting to come from the “Office of Jimmy Carter,” begins with enough detail to make it sound real. It even includes an alleged quote from one of Carter’s sons, as well as a link to a tribute site. But if you read enough of the supposed announcement, you’ll find nuggets that turn out to be hilarious satire.
Take this sentence from the second paragraph, for instance:
During his administation, [sic] President Carter championed human rights around the world, achieved significant foreign policy accomplishments including: selling the United States out to Panama: the Camp David Accords; a now-failing treaty of peace between Egypt and Israel; getting soft on the Soviet Union; failing to rescue several hostages from Iran; and the establishment of U.S. diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China. [emphasis added]
And from the fourth paragraph:
Despite these successes as President, all his life President Carter considered his marriage to former First Lady Rosalynn Carter his life’s greatest achievement. At her passing last November President Carter said, “Rosalynn was a baddie. Jill, Melania, even throat goat Nancy Reagan had nothing on Rosalynn. She was the original Brat. She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world. I always knew somebody loved and supported me.” They were married for 77 years. [emphasis added]
Advertisement
For Our VIPs: What’s the Real Reason Jimmy Carter Has Been in Hospice for More Than a Year?
Of course, since people don’t read beyond the headlines and ledes anymore, the news began to circulate. The New York Post briefly ran with a story. Journalist Yashar Ali used the Post’s deleted tweet as an example when someone asked him why he was sharing “propaganda.”
because people are falling for it!! what?! pic.twitter.com/DNgbJVtJ8L
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) July 23, 2024
The [sarc] always reliable Laura Loomer [/sarc] posted it as if it were true:
BREAKING NEWS:
Loomer shares parody post about Jimmy Carter and then deletes it in embarrassment, but I got the screenshot first lol pic.twitter.com/6gHuOc2Q9g
— Bx (@bx_on_x) July 23, 2024
Leftists began to share the story, complete with horrifically hideous photo collages:
Who’s behind this? We don’t know, at least not at the time of this writing. But it’s obviously someone who wants to sow more chaos in an already stressful news cycle. I can’t help but wonder the same thing my friend and colleague Athena Thorne asked in our PJ Media Slack channel: “Are they trying to kill editors?”
Instead of more bad news — at least for now — we have something we can laugh at.
That Jimmy Carter letter going around is fake. The real one says he’s challenging Kamala Harris for the nomination.
— Charles C. W. Cooke (@charlescwcooke) July 23, 2024
Advertisement
You can help us in our mission to report the truth by becoming a PJ Media VIP. Our members have access to exclusive content, podcasts, the comments section, and an ad-free experience; plus, PJ Media VIPs are investing in solid, truthful, conservative reporting.
There’s never been a better time to become a VIP because we’re running a limited-time summer special where you can get 60% off when you use the code MAGA24. Hurry, this offer expires soon!
