In the world of political journalism, where every detail is scrutinized and every claim dissected, it’s easy to be swept up by sensational stories—especially when they involve political figures whose policies you fundamentally oppose. Recently, I came across a bizarre and troubling article that claimed Tim Walz, Kamala Harris’ newly announced running mate, had been involved in a disturbing incident back in 1995. The story, which alleged that Walz was hospitalized after ingesting horse semen, seemed too strange to be true. And as it turns out, it was.
I’ll admit, at first glance, the details of the story seemed plausible enough to warrant further investigation. The article was purportedly from a 1995 issue of the West Point Daily News, and it claimed that Walz had been treated at “West Point General Hospital” by a “Dr. Amanda Thompson.” Given Walz’s track record and my own disdain for his destructive policies, I wanted to believe that this story would reveal yet another example of his poor judgment. But as a journalist committed to the truth, I knew I had to verify the information before passing it on to my readers.
The Hoax Unveiled
As I dug deeper into the story, it quickly became clear that something was amiss. There is no record of a West Point Daily News ever existing, nor is there any hospital named “West Point General” in West Point, Nebraska. The supposed physician, “Dr. Amanda Thompson,” is also a complete fabrication with no medical credentials or history in the area. The more I looked into the details, the more the entire story began to fall apart.
The image of the newspaper article circulating online was revealed to be a poorly executed forgery. The photo of Walz included in the piece was desaturated, an effect that would not have been possible in a black-and-white newspaper from 1995. Further inspection showed that the layout of the newspaper used a digital background commonly found on the website Scribed, strongly indicating that the article was a modern creation rather than an authentic piece of journalism from the past.
Adding to the absurdity, the fake newspaper also featured a real article titled “International Moose Count Underway” by Bob O’bobston—an actual story that was published on September 16, 2020. The presence of a 2020 article in a supposedly 1995 newspaper was the final nail in the coffin, confirming that the entire scandal was nothing more than a hoax designed to deceive.
A Commitment to the Truth
Despite my personal and political disdain for Tim Walz and everything he stands for, I am a conservative journalist first and foremost. My commitment to the truth outweighs any desire to see my ideological opponents discredited by any means necessary. We conservatives pride ourselves on being better than the leftist journalists who often resort to fabricating stories or bending the truth to suit their agenda. Our opinions may be strong, but they must be grounded in facts. This is the foundation of credible journalism.
This incident underscores the importance of verification in journalism. It would have been easy to take the fabricated story at face value and use it as fodder to criticize Walz further. But doing so would have compromised my integrity and the trust my readers place in me. Our role as journalists is not to regurgitate sensational stories without evidence but to dig deeper, to uncover the truth, and to report it—no matter how inconvenient it may be to our own beliefs.
The Danger of Fake News
The rapid spread of this false story on social media highlights the dangers of fake news. In today’s digital age, misinformation can travel faster than ever, and once a lie takes hold, it can be difficult to undo the damage. For a brief moment, even I was nearly taken in by this hoax, which serves as a reminder that none of us are immune to the allure of a sensational headline.
However, as conservative journalists, we must hold ourselves to a higher standard. We can’t afford to make up stories or spread unverified information like some of our counterparts on the left. Our opinions are powerful tools for shaping public discourse, but they must always be supported by verifiable facts. When we stray from this principle, we undermine our credibility and weaken our position in the ongoing battle for truth.
A Lesson in Integrity
The exposure of this hoax should be a wake-up call to everyone involved in political journalism. For those of us who consider ourselves conservative journalists, it’s a reminder of our duty to maintain the highest standards of accuracy and integrity. We can—and should—express our opinions within the context of our reporting, but those opinions must be grounded in reality. When we allow ourselves to be swayed by falsehoods, we become no better than the very people we criticize.
This incident has reinforced my resolve to remain steadfast in my commitment to the truth. No matter how much I disagree with Tim Walz and his policies, I will not stoop to the level of spreading lies to score political points. We must be better than that. We must be vigilant, skeptical, and above all, honest in our reporting.
The truth matters. It is the foundation of a free and informed society. And as long as I have a platform to write from, I will continue to fight for it, even if the left doesn’t.