From Daily Distortions: The unfounded speculation that a candidate had a “secret earpiece” in a presidential debate is a charge that dates back to 2004.
From Daily Distortions: The unfounded speculation that a candidate had a “secret earpiece” in a presidential debate is a charge that dates back to 2004.
The Long History of ‘Hidden Earpiece’ Conspiracy Theories
A History of ‘Hidden Earpiece’ Conspiracy Theories
Want to know how a presidential debate is near?
Look and listen for unfounded rumors about “hidden earpieces” →
Ahead of Tuesday’s presidential debate, baseless rumors spread widely online that Joe Biden, the Democratic nominee, was being outfitted with a hidden earpiece in order to receive surreptitious help during the debate.
A member of Biden’s campaign staff called the rumor “completely absurd.”
In fact, rumors about earpieces have become something of a fixture during presidential races. A quick look →
The first real earpiece conspiracy theory dates to 2000, when Rush Limbaugh, the right-wing radio host, accused then-candidate Al Gore of getting answers fed to him through an earpiece during a “Meet the Press” appearance.
During the 2004 presidential debates, left-wing bloggers speculated about a “bulge” in George W. Bush’s jacket (above) while pushing rumors that he got help from an earpiece.
Rumors about a Barack Obama earpiece circulated in 2008, and then about Hillary Clinton (above) in 2016. Not a single one of them has been found to be true.
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