A Tennessee gubernatorial candidate, Jerri Green, attempted to discredit her opponent, Senator Marsha Blackburn, with a pointed accusation on social media. Green suggested Blackburn selectively celebrated athletic achievements, highlighting the Senator’s congratulatory message to the U.S. Men’s Hockey team while implying a silence regarding the Women’s team’s victory.
Green’s post directly criticized Blackburn, stating the Senator hadn’t acknowledged the women’s gold medal and only showed interest in women’s sports when it served a political purpose. The message was a clear attempt to paint Blackburn as disingenuous and opportunistic.
However, the accusation quickly unraveled. A community-based fact-checking feature swiftly flagged Green’s claim as false, providing evidence of Blackburn’s congratulatory tweet to the U.S. Women’s Hockey team, posted just days before.
Faced with this direct contradiction, Green shifted her argument, focusing on the source of the congratulatory message. She pointed out the tweet originated from Blackburn’s campaign account, not her official Senate account, attempting to diminish its significance.
This defense proved hollow when it was revealed Blackburn’s congratulatory message to the Men’s team also came from her campaign account. The pattern indicated a consistent practice, not a calculated omission targeting women’s sports.
Blackburn herself responded with a separate post from her official Senate account, congratulating the men’s team and playfully teasing Canada. Meanwhile, her campaign account continued to offer broad, celebratory messages to both teams, demonstrating comprehensive recognition of their achievements.
The incident underscored a larger dynamic, revealing a willingness to seize upon perceived slights and a sensitivity to accusations of unequal treatment, even when demonstrably untrue. It highlighted the speed with which misinformation can spread and the power of community-based fact-checking to counter it.
