The social and cultural fallout from the revelation that Jussie Smollett staged a "hate crime" attack with the help of two friends is just now being assessed, as advocates and activists who blamed Trump, white supremacy, and homophobia for Smollett's "ordeal" find themselves in the unenviable position of having to support the actor who continues to lie about the incident or somehow make amends for their stupidity and bigotry.

But politicians who went out on a limb in supporting Smollett and castigating Trump supporters have a different problem. They must deal with the reality that they were wrong - dead wrong. And as we all know, politicians simply can't be seen as being "wrong" about anything." This is especially true when it comes to the issue of race and, to a lesser extent, sexual preference. There is only one "right way" to see these issues and that is blame whites for hating minorities and straight males for hating gays. Perish the thought that a black, gay actor would try to hoax them.

But it happened, and candidates who came out strongly supporting Jussie Smollett without any evidence and numerous questions about the incident have to say something.

As of now, they are silent.

In particular, three Democratic presidential candidates made especially strong statements on the fake attack.

The vicious attack on actor Jussie Smollett was an attempted modern-day lynching. I'm glad he's safe.

To those in Congress who don't feel the urgency to pass our Anti-Lynching bill designating lynching as a federal hate crime– I urge you to pay attention. https://t.co/EwXFxl5f2m

— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) January 29, 2019

.@JussieSmollett is one of the kindest, most gentle human beings I know. I’m praying for his quick recovery.

This was an attempted modern day lynching. No one should have to fear for their life because of their sexuality or color of their skin. We must confront this hate.

— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) January 29, 2019

This is a sickening and outrageous attack, and horribly, it's the latest of too many hate crimes against LGBTQ people and people of color. We are all responsible for condemning this behavior and every person who enables or normalizes it. Praying for Jussie and his family. https://t.co/eylvxhLT0u

— Kirsten Gillibrand (@SenGillibrand) January 29, 2019

Washington Examiner:

Democratic presidential candidates jockeying for position in 2020 had a lot to say when actor Jussie Smollett said he was attacked in Chicago by two white men who shouted racist and homophobic slurs as they beat him.

But they were silent on Saturday, when law enforcement sources said that Chicago Police believed "Empire" star Smollett, 36, who is gay, paid two black men to set up the assault. Police arrested the men, who are brothers from Nigeria, on Wednesday but released them Friday after discovering "new evidence."

A Chicago police spokesman said: "We can confirm that the information received from the individuals questioned by police earlier in the Empire case has in fact shifted the trajectory of the investigation." He added that police wanted to speak to Smollett again.

Incredibly, some journalists are excusing these responses as "acceptable" - despite the titanic smear against their political opponents that was based on zero evidence.

Twitchy:

A lot of tweets from politicians and celebrities wishing to get in on the story haven’t aged well, and Caleb Hull passed around a few screenshots from Nancy Pelosi, Kamala Harris, and Cory Booker, who called the alleged attack “a modern-day lynching.”

Broadcast journalist Shawn Reynolds, though, has volunteered to play defense for the Democrats, arguing that everything they said was a completely acceptable response at the time.

Given the information at the time, these are completely acceptable responses. If these were posted in the last 5 minutes, it would be entirely different. https://t.co/DChdlRQfo7

— Shawn Reynolds (@ShawnReynolds_) February 17, 2019

Not surprisingly, Reynolds has since deleted that tweet. But the responses are telling:

This might just be the worst take I've seen on the Jussie Smollett case.

Justifying celebrities, journalists, and politicians spreading total misinformation to smear Trump because the media ran with a fake story is not making the point you think it's making. https://t.co/ndSLZ1I8uT

— Caleb Hull (@CalebJHull) February 17, 2019

Not true at all. The “information” given at the time was literally only from him. Taking accusations seriously is something everyone should do. But reporting on them without concrete evidence and telling everyone it it definitely happened when there’s no proof is wrong.

— Ryan Masnyk (@Masnyk) February 17, 2019

As soon as he refused to turn over his phone and left the rope around his neck until cops arrived the lie was exposed. Desperation to see the country through your twisted perspective made it seem logical to you.

— That Guy (@AlaskaNorseman) February 17, 2019

Come on dude.

Two MAGA hat wearing rednecks walking around freezing Chicago at 2am with bleach and a noose beat him up and yelled “THIS IS MAGA COUNTRY!”

That was the fakest story I’ve ever heard and anyone with any sense knew it was fake.

— Obi_1_D_AllKnowing рџ‡єрџ‡ё (@obiopiah) February 17, 2019

A presidential candidate cannot use that defense. It would be tantamount to admitting that you react without thinking - which, to be sure, they did. 

It's not likely that any of these candidates, or any other politician, will be hurt by their initial reaction to the Smollett incident. They will either maintain silence or use the standard "both sides are wrong" argument. It's sickening to contemplate, but the outrageous pandering to minorities represented by this incident - where reason and logic take a back seat to raw emotionalism - demonstrates an unfitness for high office.