Gaffe-prone presidential candidate Michele Bachmann‘s supporters are changing history to support her claim that John Quincy Adams was one of our nation’s Founding Fathers.
Defending her erroneous comments that the Founding Fathers tried to end slavery, Bachmann told ‘Good Morning America’ host George Stephanopoulos today, “If you look at one of our Founding Fathers, John Quincy Adams, that’s absolutely true…. He tirelessly worked throughout his life to make sure that we did in fact one day eradicate slavery.”
Stephanopoulos rightly points out that Adams, a nine-year old when the Revolutionary War began, does not qualify as a Founding Father, to which Bachmann replied, “John Quincy Adams most certainly was a part of the Revolutionary War era. He was a young boy but he was actively involved.” So, Bachmann’s basically saying that since Adams was alive and his family was part of revolution, he was, too. That’s like saying that because my father fled Apartheid, I was a South African liberation fighter.
As the media attention about Bachmann’s Adams claim grows, her supporters are editing Wikipedia to make sure the Adams entry reflects the candidate’s anachronistic perspective.
Tanya Somanader reports: “One edit, for example, changes his description from ‘John Adams was the sixth President of the United States’ to ‘John Adams, a founding father, was the sixth President of the United States.’”
She also points out another, more amusing annotation, “But even as an embryo, John Quincy Adams could feel pain and was a Founding Father.”
The John Quincy Adams alterations have already spawned an irritated note from the page’s administrator, “Please don’t edit an historical article based on current events.”
This case is identical to when Sarah Palin’s fans rewrote Paul Revere’s entry to match her convoluted and equally untrue claim that the revolutionary “warned the British” of the colonial unrest, and further illuminates how revisionist history, especially in the digital age, can be used for political gain. It also reveals the lengths some people, in this case Bachmann’s backers, will go to save their candidate’s hide.
Just imagine what would happen if we had time machines.
Image via Gage Skidmore’s Flickr.
June 28, 2011 at 8:18 pm, Gregory Kohs said:
LOL at erroneous notion that the Wikipedia page about John Quincy Adams has its own administrator. (“an irritated note from the page’s administrator”)
June 28, 2011 at 11:02 pm, Kevin Rutherford said:
Not to mention that the IP is now an administrator after only four edits. If only it were that easy.
June 28, 2011 at 11:02 pm, Kevin Rutherford said:
Not to mention that the IP is now an administrator after only four edits. If only it were that easy.
June 28, 2011 at 9:13 pm, Eotow said:
Michele Bachmann, the Sarah Palin part II, coming soon to a theater near you in 2012.
June 29, 2011 at 12:53 am, Stan Chinus said:
She’s my favorite assclown!
June 29, 2011 at 3:45 am, Vernard Mercader said:
Why are conservatives always like this? They’re such habitual distorter of Truth. From Religion to history. Seriously. it’s absolutely asinine.
June 30, 2011 at 1:33 am, paytonb said:
Democrats are no different Vernard, we just don’t hear about it from our beloved media. What’s asinine is the hush of Obama and Biden gaffes and the over dramatization of Palin and Bachmann gaffes. I’m betting they both at least know how many states we have.
June 30, 2011 at 2:34 am, Vernard Mercader said:
oh really? Last time I checked (you know, the facts, not from FOX of course; everything FOX News is misleading) Obama and Biden didn’t mention anything absurd and incorrect correlating to History, so there’s no Obama supporters out there trying to edit out Online Encyclopedias to make it correspond to what Obama said. At least for Biden the only “gaffes” that I could remember is “This is a Fucking Big Deal”. So?
It’s just something about Religiosity and Lying that is so coherent. I can go 100,000 words citing more about the deep relationship of Liars and Religion, but that will be for a Blog.
June 30, 2011 at 2:40 am, paytonb said:
Apparently you only get your information from Colmes Vernard. That is no better than those getting their information only from Rush, Beck or Boortz. Open your eyes and toss aside your bias partisanship for just a minute and you’ll see just how much ignorance pervades DC. All this partisan nonsense is what is destroying this country piece by piece. If people can’t learn to work together instead of tossing around blame constantly than we are in for a very long bumpy road in our future.
June 30, 2011 at 3:29 am, Vernard Mercader said:
“Apparently?”
Let me guess*, based on how you over-analyze and committing sweeping Generalization means you might* be a Libertarian; and based on why you’re defending Bachmann and the Republican cause, you’re probably* slightly conservative (to appear you’re trying to be “in the middle” by claiming “Nyeh, democrats are no better, nyeh”).
Guess what? Here’s a fact about me:
1.) I’m a Centrist, and you haven’t even heard my Criticisms against the left; but of course in a general matter liberals make more sense and are less ‘evil’ than those of Republicans.
2.) I don’t know who Colmes is. Though, I get my information from National Geographic, Reuters, BBC, CNN, CBS, and C-SPAN.
Shut the partisanship nonsense. Of course, it is important not to be biased on one side, but to suggest that both parties are doing “wrong” (because Bachmann is an Idiot? WTF? are you Trolling?) doesn’t mean we have to abandon both. At least I choose the least Evil of the two = The Democrats.
Demmit. This is not an issue of Partisanship and or Bipartisanship. The issue here is Bachmann and most Republicans are idiots. Get back to the Topic troll.
July 02, 2011 at 5:33 pm, paytonb said:
You couldn’t be more wrong on your guess Vernard. I make no secret about being conservative. You are the one putting on a facade. You claim to have criticisms against the left but refuse to admit they distort the truth as well. Anyone who blinds himself/herself to that fact has clearly sold out to the party and is by no means a centrist. If anyone is exhibiting trollish behavior on here it is you my friend. I stand by my statement, get rid of the partisan nonsense and contribute to the solution and not the problem.
July 04, 2011 at 6:58 pm, Vernard Mercader said:
Oh, there you go, you’re telling me how to behave and judging me that I’m the one putting a facade?
Sounds very Conservative alright.
Says the one not contributing to the solution.
“Nyeh nyeh, democrats are no better, if you can’t support rebulikkkans, don’t support the democrats, nyeeeeeh”
I told you, I’d rather side with the less evil “distorters of truth” (you claim) – the democrats, and if that doesn’t make me a Centrist, WHO CARES, it’s oblivious conservatives like you pushing me on the other side.
July 06, 2011 at 11:43 pm, paytonb said:
Can you be anymore hypocritical Vernard? What exactly have you contributed to the solution? When did I ever say anything about needing to support the Republicans? My brother disagrees with Republicans on pretty much every issue but he isn’t blind enough to believe that the Dems whom he agrees with 90% of the time don’t distort the truth just as often in their fights to remain in or obtain office.
I told you, I’d rather side with the less evil “distorters of truth” (you claim) – the democrats and if that doesn’t make me a Centrist, WHO CARES, it’s oblivious conservatives like you pushing me to the other side.
You’re right Vernard, the Dems are angels and never stray from truth in their climb to power. No offense but no true centrist is that blind to reality. For you to call someone else oblivious is laughable.
July 07, 2011 at 12:36 am, Vernard Mercader said:
Sorry, still not convinced the Republicans are much better.
On the side note…
Looks like your Bachmann just made some pretty Hilarious statements the other week. “John Wayne”? Ha-ha. “Everything I learned was here in Iowa?” Ha-ha. Bunch of clowns. Even the “top” Republican candidate Romney is a Mormon. Ha-ha!
Had enough of this. I’m going to focus on another news.
July 07, 2011 at 2:35 am, paytonb said:
I’m not trying to convince you the Republicans are better, never said that. What I am saying is the Dems are no better. I just prefer to go into elections with a realistic view of things and make informed decisions rather than listening to the bs propaganda coming from both sides. They all lie and all say what they think will get them elected, it really is that simple. Once we see past that we can more easily decipher what they will actually do once elected. As far as Bachmann, I’m not a supporter so don’t see how she can be ‘mine’. As for Romney, what exactly is wrong with being a mormon Vernard? I don’t care what religion he follows, what I care about is his voting record and where he stands on the issues. It’s clear where and how you form your opinions based on these last two comments. Centrist… not likely.. not at all.
July 07, 2011 at 4:41 am, Vernard Mercader said:
You’re not trying to convince me into anything, so, all your talks really have no purpose. = TROLL
you’re telling us to hate democrats if we hate republicans for the same reason = TROLL
You keep replying to me to prolong a USELESS conversation and EVEN replied to the point I’m already bored and throwing out “JOKES” like “Romney is a Mormon”. = TROLL
Liking your own reply? = TROLL
There’s only one ending conversation for this: Shut the Fuck up troll. (Hey, at least I didn’t used the F word until the end.).
July 08, 2011 at 1:53 am, paytonb said:
Stop with all the troll nonsense Vernard, you lower the bar on this conversation by a large margin with statements like that. People can have opinions without having the need to bring everyone around to their point of view.
I never said anything about hating Democrats, I pointed out only that they are no more truthful than Republican politicians. You can twist that all you like but it doesn’t change the facts of what I actually said.
You keep replying to me even after you said you were moving on and done with the conversation.. according to you that would be the ultimate troll, as ridiculous as that logic is.
I can’t help if someone likes my reply, no idea how that equates to being a troll though.
Your ‘ending conversation’ only proves you are incapable of an adult conversation. Here’s a tip for you Vernard, if you don’t like the conversation, how about just not responding?
July 08, 2011 at 1:53 am, paytonb said:
Stop with all the troll nonsense Vernard, you lower the bar on this conversation by a large margin with statements like that. People can have opinions without having the need to bring everyone around to their point of view.
I never said anything about hating Democrats, I pointed out only that they are no more truthful than Republican politicians. You can twist that all you like but it doesn’t change the facts of what I actually said.
You keep replying to me even after you said you were moving on and done with the conversation.. according to you that would be the ultimate troll, as ridiculous as that logic is.
I can’t help if someone likes my reply, no idea how that equates to being a troll though.
Your ‘ending conversation’ only proves you are incapable of an adult conversation. Here’s a tip for you Vernard, if you don’t like the conversation, how about just not responding?
July 08, 2011 at 4:25 am, Vernard Mercader said:
TROLL.
July 17, 2011 at 10:33 pm, paytonb said:
Inhumane?? Your young age is becoming increasingly apparent so I’ll try and be nice here. If you don’t like responses you receive, it’s really easy, just don’t read them or stop posting.
July 17, 2011 at 10:37 pm, paytonb said:
By the way, as much as I hate not being able to get that 5minutes of my life back, I did read your blog post. Interesting reading. I I found your little yellow comments the most amusing. They proved you were completely lost in our conversation.
July 21, 2011 at 1:34 am, paytonb said:
Interesting that you felt all that was really necessary Vernard. Why do I need a ‘goal’? Do you have a goal on this forum? I didn’t realize it was required. You post to me and I respond, it’s really not difficult to understand and there is nothing ‘trollish’ about it. You really need to research what that term really means and take a long hard look in the mirror.
This little repartee is simply an amusing way to pass the time, by all means I don’t ‘demand’ a response. If you don’t want to respond feel free to go on your merry way. I promise I won’t be offended in the least. 
July 19, 2011 at 12:57 pm, Vernard Mercader said:
‘goddamn’ republican (and damn, I dont even believe in ‘god’). Can’t really seem to shut up when you don’t even have to talk. I won’t read them if I don’t get e-mail notifications from DISQUS, that means I can’t read them if you just keep it to yourself. You really have to shove it to me that “nyeh your age is apparent” – well you fucking moron, I only reserve this “Age” the stupider the people I talk to. So, the younger I look to you (4? 3 year old?) the stupid I think you are. Just like what I wrote in that blog (which you didn’t read) I’ve had more civil discussions with more intelligent people. Go blame yourself. Thanks for being “nice”.
Expect more insults and “young-age” response if you keep talking. I’m ‘gonna’ Troll you fucking-back, man.
July 19, 2011 at 5:26 pm, paytonb said:
You’re the only one trolling here Vernard. If you don’t like it, don’t respond. It’s really that easy. By responding when you claim to not want to talk it only reveals your own trollish behavior. As for your blog, I did read what little was there and I wasn’t impressed. Based on your readership, not many people were.
When I’m bored I don’t mind schooling youngsters, so by all means reply if you wish, but don’t complain about the conversation when you choose to continue it yourself. It really doesn’t do much for your whole troll thing you are so obsessed with.
July 20, 2011 at 8:23 pm, Vernard Mercader said:
What is it that you really want? Fame? Money? thinking maybe you’ll get these achievements if you successfully annoy me, embarrass me, or make people think you’re better than me because you’re a republican? So, what is your goal by talking? What are you trying to do? Are you still waiting for me to produce a signed, official document where I state that Democrats are capable of lying which, I, countless of times, have mentioned already that I acknowledge that though I still think republicans are worse? Are you still waiting for me to point out any wrongs you have said because apparently, such the republican you are, you can’t seem to figure out and so blind to see what wrong or explicitly stupid, out-of-topic things you said?
What is it that you want so we can close this debate? (If you’re so proud to call it your “Winning-debate”)
Oh, don’t you worry about my “readership”—that fellow, Pierre, was my neighbor who eagerly listens to my ranting about religion, and to tell you the truth, he didn’t mean he wasn’t impressed with my article, he was just there to say hi and he usually talks in an oblivious way but he means things as a jest. Not impressed? Well maybe you are, but that’s how I liked it to be.
Thank you for schooling me, old-fart, I learned well. I learned well that Republicans are really stubborn. You don’t seem to get that if I truly find your responses plausible, even if I disagree with it, I will stop responding and shut up in silence. But you don’t. You keep calling me ‘Childish’ but you are not so different with your infantile behaviour when you as well, respond to me with complete nonsense.
Since I’m asking a question on my first paragraph, I expect a response. But since I’m a 29 year old ‘kid’, I’m going to do the adult thing and just read your last response and dismiss it, because really, you don’t deserve it (unless, you demand a response).
July 08, 2011 at 4:31 am, Vernard Mercader said:
(This guy really speaks like a true republican. Void of facts and observation, unable to realize his own mistake and forces other people to admit mistakes. Narcissistic about how people likes his posts (when in fact, there’s 1 person for every comment – obviously him, according to a hacking add-on I have in my browser which showed the same IP address of the liker and the commenter).
What. a. republican.
July 08, 2011 at 5:41 pm, paytonb said:
I thought you were gone Vernard? I tell you what, you show me anything in my comments that is wrong and I’d gladly admit it. If you are too naive to believe Dems and Reps both lie, they are politicians after all, then there’s really no use in you continuing to comment is there? You seem extremely uptight for some reason, not a typical centrist attitude is it? While we’re on the topic of lies, you would fit right in with both sides, a hacking add-on? There’s only two facts getting in the way of your lie. The most obvious is the fact I haven’t ever “liked” any comments in here, certainly not my own. The second fact is you could check my IP address 100 times and never see the same one. It’s pretty pathetic when you have to resort to such childish lies to try and gain some kind of ‘win’ in your mind on a website. Don’t you think it’s time to grow up a little?
July 08, 2011 at 5:49 pm, Vernard Mercader said:
(See that? I’m not even talking to him anymore and still thinks it’s all about him. So much for talking to a third person reader.)
July 08, 2011 at 6:42 pm, paytonb said:
Actually it was all about me in a response to me, obsess much? Still not willing to admit to lying either I see. Whatever happened to all that other news you were going to start focusing on anyway?
July 09, 2011 at 6:41 am, Vernard Mercader said:
…ULTIMATE TROLL. (I should record this conversation and post it on my Blog (http://uncompromising-rhetoric.com)
July 11, 2011 at 1:33 am, paytonb said:
Don’t you think it’s time to grow up Vernard? The only thing your interesting little blog shows is that: 1) You have solidified the fact that you base all your rantings on pure emotion and are completely ignorant of the facts. 2) You sir, are no centrist, do you even know what that means? 3) You are by far the most self-righteous, arrogant poster I’ve run across in quite some time, and I’ve run across quite a few.
July 11, 2011 at 4:06 am, Vernard Mercader said:
Thank you, that was a compliment actually. I reserve this ranting behavior to people like you. Ignorant of the fact? Please. If there’s one fact I know, CONSERVATIVES are *fucking* annoying. Did you even read my post? You really are inhumane to even bother responding to someone begging you not to respond anymore “because you ‘won’ already”.
July 09, 2011 at 7:20 am, Vernard Mercader said:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2ZpX-wLafwg/TVojkJXd19I/AAAAAAAAAB8/uEmHNKYTHSk/s1600/Trollface%2B%25281%2529.png
July 07, 2011 at 6:15 pm, Mark Zuckerstein said:
You know, I kind of believe him how Evil the Democrats are and how they’re so Untrustworthy.
Remember that Anthony Wiener? Gosh, he lied at first about his underpants and it caused a LOT of unnecessary killings of civilians in Iraq when we have no reason to be there! Oh and that Nixon? He lies like a republican and looks like a republican, but he’s actually a Democrat Liar! All those things he said have caused an economic collapse in 2008! Oh noes!
July 01, 2011 at 8:05 am, Tim said:
The real question is, why does the American public give political credence to blathering idiots like Palin and Bachmann in the first place???
June 29, 2011 at 5:35 am, Anonymous said:
Even worse, Bachmann fans are altering John Wayne Gacy’s page to show that he was actually hiding young boys in his crawlspace to keep them safe from the Nazis.
June 29, 2011 at 7:43 am, Marc Awodey said:
andrew jackson was born 4 months before JQ adams, so old hickory was a founding father too. william henry harrison was born before the revolution in 1773, and his father signed the declaration of independence, so he counts. founding father martin van buren was born in 1782- we were still technically fighting the brits at that point- so he’s a founding father. zachary taylor was 1784 AND he was from virginia, just like washington and jefferson, so he was a famous founding father. i think the lamestream media is out to get bachmann… don’t forget james k polk. he was born while george Washington was actually president. and james buchanan 1791… and millard fillmore tirelessly fighting slavery… and franklin pierce wasn’t he related to benjamin franklin? i thought so…
June 29, 2011 at 11:21 am, AndrewBelonsky said:
Interesting how Bachmann backers are blamed without proof. Gee it would be way beyond reason to even suggest that liberals wanting to further damage republicans would actually edit the page themselves. No, no that’s just to indecent. Oh darn, I’m sorry that’s right when an ISP gives you an IP it’s labeled as Republican or Democrat, my bad.
Andrew Belonsky this is drivel.
June 29, 2011 at 4:01 pm, Anonymous said:
Are Corpsemen doing it in all 57 States? Are they writing it in Austrian? Can they remember which Medal of Honor winner is dead. …… All bow before the mistake proof Anointed One, Barack Hussein Obama.
June 29, 2011 at 6:20 pm, indepenent said:
Everyone is going to make mistakes when they speak. If you were under the microscope 100% of the time, every syllable you utter will be dissected. The difference between some of Obama’s gaffes and Bachman’s is that as a Tea Party Candidate she claims to wants to adhere to the constitution and a more traditionalist picture of America. When she makes such mistakes about basic US history, it undermines her claims to understand the constitution or how it was written. Also, it seems that both Bachman and Palin “double down” when they are proven wrong as opposed to simply saying that they misspoke in the heat of the moment and they were wrong. Obama clearly has not tried to convince all of us that there are indeed 57 states, and the last time I checked wikipedia, they haven’t changed it. My issue with Palin and Bachman is not their politics, its that they can’t admit they are wrong about something. Thats a scary quality in a potential president.
June 30, 2011 at 3:37 am, Vernard Mercader said:
That’s funny.
“Adhere to the constitution and a more traditionalist picture of America.”
Last time I checked Bachmann wants America to be a pure Christian nation and eliminate Muslims, Atheists, and faiths that are not Christian from America. Apparently she haven’t read the First Amendment either.
Why do conservative trolls pretending to be Independent are trolling around this Bachmann article and spewing that “democrats are no better” so we’ll lose focus on Bachmann?
At least provide a link where Obama commits an error in Historical facts so we can read it. Stop the Bipartisan pretense because you can’t defend this stupid Christian Clown.
June 29, 2011 at 8:05 pm, stevo said:
Please show me a wikipedia entry that has been changed to fit any historical fact that Obama has butchered?
/crickets
Yah didnt think so. Go back to your bridge, you partisan troll.
June 30, 2011 at 6:53 am, Obsidian said:
Obama said he had been one more state to go, but was unfortunately unable to visit Alaska and Hawaii. It is obvious from that, he meant to say 48 states, as in the lower 48. He however, had been through a long day and was probably tired, so it was an understandable gaffe.
As to the Austrian thing, get off the Fox News Kool Ade. What Obama said about not speaking Austrian was factually correct. While the language of the country is technically German, it is a different dialect than that of the Standard language used in Germany, with the different countries having different words for some objects. Similar to the differences between British English and American English, except the differences are greater in that it actually creates a language barrier between Austria and some areas of Germany. For example, Standard German uses Jahr for year, while it is heuer in Austria. Or sessel for chair, instead of the German Stuhl. So, saying he doesn’t speak Austian is indeed correct, due to the dialect differences. If you actually took the time to use what little brains you possess to learn stuff, instead of just reguritating GOP talking points like the trained parrot you are, you would know this.
The others are gaffes, but somewhat understandable and justifiable ones, and certainly not the worst that a President has made.
In short, you are a moron, and I’d behoove you to remove yourself from the gene pool for the sake of mankind.
June 29, 2011 at 4:06 pm, Swilliamrex said:
I guess we are ALL founding fathers! (Pardon my moment of levity).
This is why the Republican Party is in the funk it is in…while more levelheaded leaders (like Ron Paul) try to fix the damage, Bachmann-Palin Overdrive dominates the airwaves and message posts. It would ordinarily be just a humorous footnote, except there are high stakes in this election. Would you stake your country’s future on a candidate who can’t even keep their facts straight, or even outright LIE TO YOUR FACE? (I’m referring to the Medicaid quip here). This is why the GOP is doomed…when you confuse rallying around the leader with covering their collective @$$. This is why I am a FORMER member of the Republican Party.
There was a time when Republicans had good ideas, and were a great party. Sadly, those days are looooong gone.
June 29, 2011 at 4:15 pm, John Henry said:
This is sloppy, irresponsible reporting that does far more harm to liberal politics than good…and the more closely I look at it, the less it seems an accident that it happened the way it did.
On the right in this country, they’re down with artificially-created news based on lies that confirm their existing bias.
On the left, we are NOT.
I’ll be waiting to see if you retract the unsupported statements you’ve made in this article…but I won’t be waiting long.
June 30, 2011 at 11:42 pm, sinkone said:
If you support a tea party candidate you are a fukking retard. plain and simple.
July 06, 2011 at 2:16 pm, DannyK said:
If people had time machines and could witness Obama’s birth in Hawaii Donald Trump would still deny it happened.
July 06, 2011 at 3:33 pm, Lorik Morgan said:
This just shows how desperate she and her followers are for attention that they will try to rewrite history to support their facts. It’s a wikipedia page, and there are thousands of other reference books that state plenty to the contrary of Bachmann’s statements. IGNORE her. Stop giving her any credibility by even getting riled up about her ridiculous statements. Call her an idiot and MOVE ON!
July 07, 2011 at 12:16 am, John Henry said:
Another so-called “liberal news” site that cares more about sensationalist headlines and drawing traffic than facts.
The FACT is that the edits – all five or six of them – were tongue-in-cheek, one was an admitted vandalism attempt, and not one single attempt was defended. Nobody stepped up to claim Bachmann was right, or to harangue Wiki editors for reverting the edits.
This is a shameless and disgusting attempt to make marks out of liberal news-watchers by feeding them a story that has absolutely zero factual support. The case is not “identical” to the situation with Palin’s Revere gaffe – it is everything *but*.
Shame on you for pushing a lie on people so you can get web traffic. The left does NOT need Andrew Breitbart ethics to seep into our information stream.
I’ll tell you the same thing I told that clown at AddictingInfo who ran with the same headline: either publish a correction with a *factual* headline, or stop pretending you give a damn about truth or ethical reporting and just admit you’re making up sensationalist headlines to rake in CPM revenue off your display ads.
Shame on anyone who took this headline and story at face value without checking the edit history and discussion for themselves, and shame on you, D&T, for running it. There’s enough garbage polluting our discourse courtesy of the Fox Newses and Matt Drudges of the world. We don’t need that crap coming from the left, too.