Get access to Brad Slager's "Riffed From the Headlines," a daily VIP feature where he looks to bring accountability to the mainstream media. Use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your VIP membership.
Pulitzer Prize Nomination – NBC NEWS
BREAKING! EXCLUSIVE! Kamala Harris commits to an interview!
There is basically one key component to the Kamala Harris campaign to this point, and it has been her abject refusal to sit with the press for anything approaching a formal interview. Not sit-down talks with journos, no press conferences. She is under a lid, and the media have been cool with this.
BUT following Kamala's triumphant acceptance speech, NBC reporter and president of the White House Correspondents Association, Kelly O’Donnell, was in position in the tunnels at the United Center to pounce and get some rarified airtime with the candidate. O'Donnell made the least of her opportunity.
We happened to chat with @VP Harris, Mr Emhoff, Gov and Mrs Walz briefly as they left the United Center tonight. pic.twitter.com/5S2nWsHvbE
— Kelly O'Donnell (@KellyO) August 23, 2024
How do you feel!? How Do You Feel!?
Recommended
THAT was the question you came up with, after more than a month of her going radio silent? This shows you two things:
- Harris was willing to stop, knowing she was getting no serious challenges.
- O'Donnell had zero embarrassment over this insipid exchange.
DNC PR Firm – VARIOUS OUTLETS
It was the hottest rumor of the day, so running it as a factual story was just fine.
On the last day of the Democratic National Convention, there was a flaming rumor that there would be a "Special Guest Appearance" during the primetime showing. Speculation ranged that this would be either Taylor Swift or Beyoncé.
In the end, there was no special appearance, so people speculated this was a designed ploy by the party to either pack the arena and/or boost the ratings for Kamala's speech. While this kind of baseless rumor-mongering is expected on social media, to see the collection of journalists pushing this nonsense is repugnant.
Sure the Twitter-verse was electric with the Taylor-Beyonce speculation, but the pathetic aspect was the news players participating in the fact-free nonsense. pic.twitter.com/2Ouou1LCHR
— Lie-Able Sources (@LieAbleSources) August 23, 2024
Pathological Media Amnesia – CNN
We presume it is unacceptable journalism when THEY do it.
In response to the lack of a "surprise" celebrity appearance at the convention, Abby Phillip came out to really lay into TMZ for being one of the outlets broadcasting the possible arrival of Beyoncé.
TMZ lost a lot of credibility tonight.
— Abby D. Phillip (@abbydphillip) August 23, 2024
We take this to mean that any news outlet or journalists who fed this speculation must be considered journalistically compromised. A surprise position, considering that Phillip had posted a video earlier that day of herself and her CNN convention panel speculating about the rumor.
It would seem if TMZ lost a lot of credibility it is at risk of sliding down to CNN's level.
This is just pure comedy.
— Brad Slager - Folksy as Walz & Joyful As a K-Hive! (@MartiniShark) August 23, 2024
Phillip is denigrating @TMZ for falsely pushing the “special guest” rumor, but she was posting how her @CNN crew were all previously speculating about it. https://t.co/Cf2wLb8SlI pic.twitter.com/rBXtQrtbFG
Presentation Paradox – MSNBC
So it is hope & change all over again - from what, precisely...?
To no surprise, the morning crew at MSNBC was enthralled with the speech from former First Ladt Michelle Obama. Also unsurprising was the lack of analysis about what was said. Mrs. Obama had what would seem to be encouraging words, but in reality, she was insisting it is time to change from…well, that would be the current administration. That would also be the administration from which Kamala Harris derives, which means…
OBAMA: "It's the contagious power of hope. The anticipation. The energy. The exhilaration of, once again, being on the cusp of a brighter day..."
MIKA: "The people are just feeling like very, very brought down by the past."
WILLIE GEIST: "Let's have hope make that comeback."
AL SHARPTON: "(The Obamas) reignited in us hope that we are better than this, and we can do better than this, and we can strive to make this country better."
EDDIE GLAUDE: "The line, hope is making a comeback."
Just to reiterate for their panel – Joe Biden and Kamala have been running things for three and a half years now.
'Boy did Michelle bring it': Mika reacts to former first lady's fiery DNC speech https://t.co/VBiAsCA00j
— Morning Joe (@Morning_Joe) August 22, 2024
