The Truth Behind the Viral Photo from JD Vance’s Rally in Michigan
Recently, a photo claiming to capture the audience at vice presidential candidate JD Vance’s rally in Byron Center, Michigan, went viral. The image only showed a small section of the crowd, leading to misconceptions about the event’s attendance.
Crowd sizes at political rallies have been a hot topic, especially in the run-up to the presidential election. The attendance at rallies for candidates like former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, as well as their running mates, has been closely scrutinized.
On August 14, JD Vance, the Republican vice presidential candidate, held a campaign event in Byron Center, Michigan. Social media posts claimed the rally was poorly attended, sharing a photo that appeared to show fewer than 20 people in the stands.
However, a closer look at the situation reveals a different story. The photo in question only captured a small portion of the audience present at the rally. Sources like The Detroit News reported that there were actually several hundred attendees at Cordes, Inc., the venue for the event.
Images from The Associated Press and footage from VERIFY partner station WZZM confirm that there were more than 20 people at the rally. C-SPAN’s broadcast also depicted a larger crowd than what was portrayed in the viral photo.
The original photo, taken by freelance photographer Chris Dumond for The Detroit News, was shared out of context on social media, leading to misconceptions about the event’s attendance. Additional photos from Cordes, Inc.’s Facebook page further corroborate the fact that the viral image only captured a fraction of the crowd.
This incident underscores the importance of fact-checking and verifying information before drawing conclusions based on viral content. While social media can be a powerful tool for sharing information, it’s crucial to ensure that the information being shared is accurate and not misleading.
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