Surprise! Abrams’ “30 mile” story was fabricated
https://www.reddit.com/r/The_Donald/comments/ansiqu/did_stacy_abrams_father_really_have_a_30_mile/
I did about 10 minutes of research on this, because the claim of a carless 30 mile commute (60 miles round trip) seems a bit implausible. If anyone can find more on this, that would be great, but I think I got it off to a pretty good start.
From the transcript of her speech: http://archive.fo/0qXl8
Her quote was: “Now, we only had one car, so sometimes my dad had to hitchhike and walk long stretches during the 30 mile trip home from the shipyards.”
Stacy Abrams grew up in Gulfport, MS. She went to Anniston Elementary School (http://www.wlox.com/2019/02/05/im-mississippi-raised-georgia-grown-stacy-abrams-former-teacher-uses-politicians-success-lesson/), so it is safe to assume she lived relatively close to the school.
The shipyards/docks in Gulfport where Abrams’ father could have worked are in 1 of 2 places:
The shipyards: https://imgur.com/a/y4rrQbl
Docks on the Gulf: https://imgur.com/a/iiT5M4S
Both of those locations are less than 6 miles from the Elementary School. There could certainly be unlikely situations, like Abrams living 25 miles from her Elementary School, or her father working in another city (which would be a lot MORE than 30 miles away), but those situations obviously don’t make much sense.
The last thing I found about this, is Abrams has told this story before, with big differences. The last time she told this story:
He was hitchiking home from the grocery store, not from his work 30 miles away.
I think it is safe to say we need some clarification.
you are good.
RE: Stacy Abrams tall tales:
Hehehehe
Good find, SW.
Nice digging.
And I wondered why the father would have to hitch-hike from work if they had a car. Was the mother too selfish to let him take it?
Steven, nice piece of work!
I was listening to an internet feed of SOTU that went dark once the President left the building. I, and I imagine others, missed Stacy’s big moment!
Thanks for your patience in listening to Ms. Abrams’ Fiction Fan Club reading and providing us with a comprehensive book report!
(She does not appear to have walked more than a mile since she was about 12!)
Such a rainy night in Georgia....