Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Altered Video That Makes Pelosi Seem Drunk Goes Viral
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 5 years ago on
May 24, 2019

Share

Video footage slowed down to give the false impression that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was slurring her words is circulating widely across social media platforms.

The distorted video is based on real footage from a Center for American Progress conference in Washington on Wednesday, showing Pelosi referencing her claim that President Donald Trump was engaged in a cover-up. As of early Friday, the altered version had raked in millions of views.

Associated Press journalists did a side-by-side comparison of the false video with C-SPAN footage and concluded that the altered video had been slowed down. AP journalists who monitored the event said Pelosi appeared coherent throughout.

Hany Farid, a digital forensics expert at the University of California, Berkeley, said the video had been slowed down by 75%, creating a significant distortion in Pelosi’s speech.

“It is not somebody using the latest technology,” Farid said. “Anybody can do this.”

Experts on “deepfake” videos have been warning about the potential of digitally altered videos to push fraudulent claims.

The video emerged as the relationship between Trump and Pelosi has deteriorated into her questioning his fitness for office and the president attacking her sanity. Early Wednesday, Pelosi said she believed Trump had engaged in a cover-up of the Russia probe. Pelosi repeated her comments about Trump later at the conference.

Posts claiming Pelosi appears drunk or sluggish during events often make the rounds on social media following her press conferences.

Not the First Case of ‘Dumb Fakes’

Contacted about the video Friday, a Pelosi spokesman referred to a tweet from the speaker the day before. The tweet was in response to Trump’s criticism of Pelosi. “When the ‘extremely stable genius’ starts acting more presidential, I’ll be happy to work with him on infrastructure, trade and other issues,” Pelosi’s tweet said.

Farid said the latest video is reminiscent of an altered video of CNN reporter Jim Acosta that was tweeted out by the Trump administration last year.

“What worries me is that these dumb fakes have whipped up the president, the White House, Giuliani and his supporters,” he said, referring to Rudy Giuliani, Trump’s personal attorney. “What is going to happen when you get these sophisticated fakes?”

DON'T MISS

Crescent View West High Celebrates New Clovis Home

DON'T MISS

Fresno Man Sentenced to 29 Years for Sexually Assaulting Children and Dog

DON'T MISS

Bulldogs’ Two-Position Standout Tommy Hopfe Signs With Rockies

DON'T MISS

Artists, Vendors Plan to Defy City’s ArtHop Crackdown

DON'T MISS

Former Bulldog QB Jake Haener: I Have a ‘Rare Form of Skin Cancer’

DON'T MISS

The Many Names of GOP Vice Presidential Nominee JD Vance

DON'T MISS

‘Fed Up’ Dyer, Councilmembers Unveil Plan to Crack Down on Street Campers

DON'T MISS

House Republicans Slam Trump’s ‘Worst Choice’ for VP Pick JD Vance

DON'T MISS

Companies Cut Prices to Boost Sales, Consumers Respond

DON'T MISS

Stay Cool, Fresno!

UP NEXT

Ex-State Department Official: Israeli Military Gets Preferential Treatment on Abuses

UP NEXT

Sacramento Prosecutor Sues California’s Capital City Over Failure to Clean Up Homeless Encampments

UP NEXT

Sacramento Prosecutor Sues California’s Capital City Over Failure to Clean Up Homeless Encampments

UP NEXT

Trump Arrives in Florida for History-Making Court Appearance in Secret Docs Case

UP NEXT

Trump Arrives in Florida for History-Making Court Appearance in Secret Docs Case

UP NEXT

Pence Testifies Before Election Probe Grand Jury

UP NEXT

House Republicans Pass US Debt Bill, Push Biden on Spending

UP NEXT

Mike Pence Wants Swift Execution of Mass Shooters to Combat Gun Violence

UP NEXT

As Defense Chief, Carter Opened Combat Jobs to Women, Ended Transgender Ban

UP NEXT

Israeli Forces Raid Gunmen’s Hideout in West Bank; 5 Palestinians Killed

Artists, Vendors Plan to Defy City’s ArtHop Crackdown

4 hours ago

Former Bulldog QB Jake Haener: I Have a ‘Rare Form of Skin Cancer’

5 hours ago

The Many Names of GOP Vice Presidential Nominee JD Vance

5 hours ago

‘Fed Up’ Dyer, Councilmembers Unveil Plan to Crack Down on Street Campers

5 hours ago

House Republicans Slam Trump’s ‘Worst Choice’ for VP Pick JD Vance

6 hours ago

Companies Cut Prices to Boost Sales, Consumers Respond

6 hours ago

Stay Cool, Fresno!

7 hours ago

Warner Bros. Discovery Sues NBA for Not Accepting Its Matching Offer

7 hours ago

Tanker Plane Crash Kills Firefighting Pilot in Oregon as Western Wildfires Spread

7 hours ago

Will Bonta Election Lawsuit Reverse the Will of Fresno County Voters?

7 hours ago

Crescent View West High Celebrates New Clovis Home

The arch of colorful balloons over the doorway of a storefront on Shaw Avenue in Clovis was a clue that something exciting was happening on ...

3 hours ago

3 hours ago

Crescent View West High Celebrates New Clovis Home

4 hours ago

Fresno Man Sentenced to 29 Years for Sexually Assaulting Children and Dog

4 hours ago

Bulldogs’ Two-Position Standout Tommy Hopfe Signs With Rockies

4 hours ago

Artists, Vendors Plan to Defy City’s ArtHop Crackdown

5 hours ago

Former Bulldog QB Jake Haener: I Have a ‘Rare Form of Skin Cancer’

5 hours ago

The Many Names of GOP Vice Presidential Nominee JD Vance

5 hours ago

‘Fed Up’ Dyer, Councilmembers Unveil Plan to Crack Down on Street Campers

6 hours ago

House Republicans Slam Trump’s ‘Worst Choice’ for VP Pick JD Vance

MENU

CONNECT WITH US

Search

Send this to a friend