57 Comments

The words “fake news” are a tell. In my experience the only people who use it unironically are deep in the bubble.

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Agree. Good catch.

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Truth

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Pepsi should make a clear public denunciation of the proposed Texas Republican platform and publicly insist that any signage or association with the Texas Republican Party is not true. They should also institute legal proceedings if it is discovered that they were improperly used to add legitimacy to the racist hateful Republican platform. Then I’ll gladly have a Pepsi in their honor.

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Nice work Judd. Whoever responded to your enquiry at Pepsi needs to be reassigned. To respond that it was “fake news” with a veiled accusation that the picture was doctored isn’t someone I’d like in charge of media in my organization, let alone a global brand like Pepsi.

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In other words, Pepsi lied. Then, it lied about the fact that it lied. Then, it lied about THAT.

Despicable corporation.

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I didn’t think it would be possible for Pepsi to be any slimier, but the statements to you makes me believe the company and the PR department is run by weasels. (My apologies to stoats, ferrets and four legged weasels who actually bring joy with their actions.)

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Using 'fake news' makes me believe Pepsi is the fake news source. Keep up the good work, Judd!

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Pepsi may have not realized that their “donation” would make them a “sponsor.” Maybe. But someone in the company had to approve the gift of $15,000. Lying about it is just stupid.

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I appreciate you offering corrections when you're proven wrong but I don't think that happened here. Their only comment was that it was 'fake news'? I don't know if I believe Pepsi here. At the very least they donated 15k and in a roundabout way, they do support what Texas Republicans are trying to do.

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Wow, the sleaze. Get your treason story right Pepsi

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Judd ❤️ Awesome!

Set your teeth in corporate weasel legs and never let go.

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CHOMP!

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GIT em Bill!!!

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I got teeth!

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What a lame response. How much do those flaks make and that's the best they've got? They must have put the intern on it. Testament to how little they care about what people think about their hypocrisy and focus on paying lip service to progressive causes while bankrolling hard-right, anti-democratic factions.

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Thinking about this further, considering the egregious and openly fascistic Texas Republican platform, every major consumer good company should make the same statement and pledge. Texan Republicans (and the rest of the vast majority of Americans who reject the hateful Republican platform) should put appropriate consumer boycott pressure on any corporation (bank, manufacturer, distributor, brand) who will not openly reject the hyper-rightwing takeover if the Republican Party.

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Go Judd Go. We don't know how you can plow through the numbers and info you do, assimilate it and keep us educated but we appreciate it and are proud to support you! Us

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Adds a "Hmmm" to the call and respond:

- Do you have Coke?

- No, will Pepsi be okay?

- Nope, I will just have water.

Not now, and not ever will Pepsi be okay after this response unless they come clean with some real answers and take responsibility for a poor choice in who they support.. I understand they are "tagged" as being closer to the right side of the aisle, but there is nothing right about supporting hatred.

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Great follow-up, Judd. Still another proof that corporations are not people: they are too big to know what they are talking about (one lawyer does not talk to the other), and too focussed on profit to care about truth.

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Don't really understand this. Has it been confirmed that Pepsi did NOT sponsor the convention? You say "that's why we're coming back to you with the rest of the story". But there isn't the rest of the story. It's still incomplete.

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Is the story incomplete? Really? Of course it has not been established that Pepsi did NOT sponsor the convention because... they DID! To be clear, that means it has been established that Pepsi did in fact sponsor the convention and then lied about it when caught.

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So what is today's new information? And why is yesterday's report described as "incomplete and potentially misleading" if it was in fact correct?

Maybe I'm reading too much into it.

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Today's missive is a bit tongue-in-cheek:

Incomplete, in that now after getting called out Pepsi lies about it, then lies about that, and also uses the term "fake news" which is a tell in itself.

Misleading, in that maybe some people thought that Pepsi was a better corporate citizen than they apparently are.

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You must read for context James. Here is the entire quote:

"Popular Information is committed to delivering you the truth. But that doesn't mean that we never make mistakes. Although we believe yesterday's piece was grounded in solid reporting, it turned out to be incomplete and potentially misleading. That's why we are coming back to you today with the rest of the story. "

Now do you see? That statement refers to YESTEDAY'S story being incomplete, etc which is why Pop-Inf returned to the same story TODAY as a means of confirmation.

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Maybe I'm not reading enough into it!

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