Schmitt's basketball-game claim about Jack Smith draws mockery from Chuck Todd
During Jack Smith's Senate Judiciary Committee testimony, Sen. Eric Schmitt accused him of perjury over a 2024 basketball game, in an exchange that appears to have involved a mix-up. Chuck Todd called it an embarrassing moment for the senator.
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The story, neutrally told
Former special counsel Jack Smith testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee about his investigations into President Trump. CBS NewsLC “There was some confusion during former special counsel Jack Smith's testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee on his investigations into President Trump.” Read at CBS News ↗ CBS News reported that Sen. Eric Schmitt accused Smith of perjury in an episode it described as a basketball game fumble. CBS NewsLC “Sen. Schmitt accuses Jack Smith of perjury in basketball game fumble” Read at CBS News ↗ The exchange concerned a basketball game that Smith attended in 2024, and The Hill described it as an apparent mix-up. The HillN “an apparent mix up relating to a basketball game former special counsel Jack Smith attended in 2024” Read at The Hill ↗
The Hill's headline refers to a gaffe involving the Hawks and the Hawkeyes, which suggests two similarly named teams were confused. The HillN “Hawks, Hawkeyes gaffe” Read at The Hill ↗ Chuck Todd, the former "Meet the Press" moderator, mocked Schmitt (R-Missouri) over the episode in a social media post on Tuesday. The HillN “Former "Meet the Press" moderator and political pundit Chuck Todd mocked Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Missouri)” Read at The Hill ↗ Todd wrote: "Just an embarrassing moment for GOP Sen. Schmitt. What a disaster." The HillN “"Just an embarrassing moment for GOP Sen. Schmitt. What a disaster," Todd wrote” Read at The Hill ↗
The coverage available does not set out Schmitt's own response or exactly what Smith said about the game, so the details of the mix-up remain unclear. CBS NewsLC “There was some confusion during former special counsel Jack Smith's testimony” Read at CBS News ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- CBS News (a video segment) leads with Schmitt's perjury accusation and calls the episode a fumble, noting confusion during the testimony.
- Emphasis
- The accusation against Smith and the confusion in the hearing.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not quote Todd or say what the mix-up was.
- Charged language
- “fumble”
- For example
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“Sen. Schmitt accuses Jack Smith of perjury in basketball game fumble” — CBS News
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- The Hill centres on Todd's mockery and treats the episode as an embarrassing gaffe for Schmitt.
- Emphasis
- Todd's reaction and the team mix-up.
- Leaves out or plays down
- The visible text does not mention the perjury accusation or the Senate hearing.
- Charged language
- “embarrassing moment”“What a disaster”“gaffe”
- For example
-
“"Just an embarrassing moment for GOP Sen. Schmitt. What a disaster," Todd wrote” — The Hill
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Sen. Eric Schmitt and Jack Smith were involved in a confused exchange about a basketball game.
- The game was one Smith attended in 2024.
- Smith's testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee concerned his investigations into President Trump.
Where accounts differ
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Whether Schmitt's perjury accusation was justified or a mix-up
- Left
- CBS News says Schmitt accused Smith of perjury in a basketball game fumble, and notes there was confusion during the testimony.
- Centre
- The Hill calls it an apparent mix-up by Schmitt and quotes Todd calling it embarrassing.
Eric Schmitt person
Schmitt is reported by CBS News to have accused Smith of perjury; the coverage does not give his own response to the mockery.
“Sen. Schmitt accuses Jack Smith of perjury in basketball game fumble” — CBS News
Jack Smith person
Smith is the witness whose testimony and 2024 game attendance were at issue; the coverage does not give his account.
“a basketball game former special counsel Jack Smith attended in 2024” — The Hill
Left1 article
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Sen. Schmitt accuses Jack Smith of perjury in basketball game fumble
Mixed Presents the exchange as confusion at the hearing, with Schmitt's perjury accusation ending in a fumble.
Centre1 article
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Chuck Todd: Hawks, Hawkeyes gaffe 'Just an embarrassing moment for GOP Sen. Schmitt'
Critical Reports Todd's mockery of Schmitt and frames the episode as an embarrassing gaffe.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 29 Sep 19:27 First The HillN Chuck Todd: Hawks, Hawkeyes gaffe 'Just an embarrassing moment for GOP Sen. Schmitt'
- 30 Sep 15:10 +19h 42m CBS NewsLC Sen. Schmitt accuses Jack Smith of perjury in basketball game fumble
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.