"Alternative Facts"

A short note on “alternative facts” and Chuck Todd's Interview of Kellyanne Conway on Meet the Press yesterday.

Can everyone please just calm down.

First, I do think this was a poor choice of words on Ms. Conway’s part.  But, if we are going to take the time to define “fact” let’s also consider what “alternative” means:  Other or additional.   It does not deny the first alternative stated, just says here is another way to look at it, perhaps here are more facts.  It does not mean false.  It does not mean that they are not facts.

An example:  Let’s say we have a proven fact that a police officer shoots a bystander.  An alternative fact might be that the bystander had pulled a gun and was about to shoot the officer.  That alternative fact is not a falsehood.  It is an additional piece of information that might create a different view of the entire situation.

So, can we calm down and give Conway the benefit of the doubt?  First, yes, a poor word choice given the climate in which the anti-Trump industry jumps at the chance to use any little tidbit to condemn the president.  But, let’s remember that there actually were alternative facts, facts beyond those stated by Mr. Todd, some presented by Ms. Conway, some not.  Assuming that Todd was correct in his statement that the crowd was less than for the last inauguration (and we will never have an actual, provable, and definitive crowd estimate, so we cannot take that statement as something that is indisputably true, even though it probably is), there is the additional (alternative) fact that the Nielson ratings were higher in 2017 than the last inauguration.  Ms. Conway did mention that.  A further alternative fact not mentioned by Todd or Conway in the interview is that there were demonstrators who chained themselves together or otherwise blocked entrances to the inauguration.  We do not know how many people did not enter because of that, but it is probably safe to assume that at least some turned back.

So, again, calm down.   I really can’t believe I am wasting my time writing about this, but I unfortunately feel compelled to do so in reaction to the over-blowing of this whole issue by the anti-Trump industry.   Don’t  people have anything better to do?