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Gilded Reframe – THE INDEPENDENTS / CHRIS CILLIZZA
So it took you over four years to consider that maybe there was a point in all of this after all?
In what has to be among the most emblematic examples of the press being forced to admit they hid Joe Biden’s mental decline, deposed former CNN reporter Chris Cillizza comes out with a confession that he should maybe have looked into the details of Biden’s sliding mental faculties sooner. Chris makes the admission that he could have explored this reality further, but that the insistence of the White House staff was among the influences preventing his curiosity from taking things further.
An apology: As a journalist, I should have pushed harder on the very real questions about Joe Biden's physical and mental health as president.
— Chris Cillizza (@ChrisCillizza) December 19, 2024
I talked about it here:https://t.co/Pob4Lka1C8
To this we assess our professional critique of this coming-to-ethics moment – It is a complete pile of steaming bat guano.
Cillizza is only coming out with this neutered mea culpa now because it will not be detrimental to a Biden term any longer, and now he can be positioned as newly responsible just in time for a new Trump administration.
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But worse than that, while Chris should have “pushed harder” to get the facts, in truth, he behaved much like most of the press at the time: He pushed back against those who were pointing out Biden’s condition and accusing them of acting in bad faith, or worse.
“I should have pushed harder”
— Brad Slager: CNN+ Lifetime Subscriber (@MartiniShark) December 20, 2024
Utter garbage, Chris. Journalists did push, including yourself — AGAINST those pointing out the facts about Biden.
Those mentioning it were castigated, and evidence being shown was lied about and described as “fake”.
You get no pass on this matter. https://t.co/IycsLk4KPF pic.twitter.com/1gfTgp85ov
Presentation Paradox – MSNBC
Um, sorry, but…aren’t you the same people belly-aching about democracy on an hourly basis…?!
Sometimes the obliviousness seen from our betters in the media complex is just so darned precious. Jen Psaki displays the quintessential example of sounding absolutely firm in her convictions while also being 100% incorrect. You have to marvel at this.
So the ongoing budget battle and looming government shutdown has most in the media in a state of distemper, because for them the thought of going without government involvement is an unthinkable nightmare. (Contrast that with conservatives, who consider the government to be the nightmare.) Jen Psaki was commenting on the fact that Elon Musk and – worse – the American voting public were exerting their influence over politicians in D.C. and causing the “emergency” budget bills filled with new non-emergency spending to be spiked. She is dismayed that voters dare to tell the politicians they elected how to vote and worse – they have the temerity to say that if they vote against their wishes, the politicians might get replaced!
Uh-huh, Jen – you mean that is how it is supposed to work, right? To see how unspun this has her, note the number of times she references how this is considered an unacceptable “threat.”
🚨The propaganda press meltdowns continue over the ill-fated Omnibus bill:
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) December 19, 2024
Jen Psaki laments the fact that the GOP was reminded by Trump, Elon and millions of Americans that they face accountability at the ballot box should they ignore their voters.
How dare they.
The fact… pic.twitter.com/X4mOLE46EG
DNC PR Firm – NBC NEWS
When a majority carries less influence than a divided chamber.
Another example of the perturbed press getting pissy over a possible government shutdown is the growing ever-cranky Chuck Todd. Here we see Chuckles getting very upset at the notion that Donald Trump is coming back to D.C. with the concept that he has a mandate.
Mr. Todd’s Mild Tirade explains that Trump won with “only” a mild majority, and this is somehow supposed to mean the GOP is required to compromise with Democrats. It feels odd to have to explain recent history to a journalist, but we apparently need to remind Chuckles that, with no majority but a 50/50 split in the Senate, we saw Dems ramrod into law the massive Inflation Reduction Act as well as the omnibus infrastructure bill, to the tune of trillions of dollars.
There are a ton of delusional folks who think a bare majority gives them absolute power. If you want more leverage, win more elections, otherwise, deal with reality and compromise. It’s called a democracy, deal with it.
— Chuck Todd (@chucktodd) December 19, 2024
Demo-lition Project – MSNBC
First signs of the Purge have been sighted.
As MSNBC continues to founder in the ratings while being spun off by parent company NBC-Universal, the initial indicators of change may be sighted.
Following Rachel Maddow taking a pay cut at the network now comes the report that two other “stars” are facing a similar truncated contract offer. Joy Reid and Stephanie Ruhle:
The left-leaning news channel has been negotiating with Reid and Ruhle on new deals at reduced salaries.
MSNBC reportedly offers Joy Reid, Stephanie Ruhle pay cuts to stay in anchor chairs https://t.co/jjhl0GxEYz pic.twitter.com/ipXWjFHWnF
— New York Post (@nypost) December 19, 2024
Anti-Social Media – ASSOCIATED PRESS
Was the Saudi national an innocent passenger?
The devastating report out of Germany is that there were at least 11 people killed and 70 more injured when a foreign national plowed into a crowded Christmas marketplace. This was a clear terrorist act according to most – with the exception of the Associated Press.
Once again, according to the news syndicate, this was a case where the car seemingly acted alone.
We are pleased to report that the car has been taken into custody, and a number of charges will be drawn up against the vehicle. pic.twitter.com/RHY7cg571W
— Brad Slager: CNN+ Lifetime Subscriber (@MartiniShark) December 20, 2024
Reporting on the Mirror – WASHINGTON POST
Seems a harder position to fill than the head coach position for the New York Jets.
At the Washington Post, the new leadership installed by Jeff Bezos is having a tough go of it. When he installed British tabloid veteran Will Lewis to head the paper as CEO, it rankled many on staff. Then, the initial decision to bring over Robert Winnett at the UK’s Telegraph to serve as Executive Editor led to a small revolt. Many balked loudly at that move, saying it would turn the paper into a Murdoch/Fox News-like outlet.
So, Winnett was not given the post, but in the interim, there has been no ability to fill the position. It was expected that by year’s end, a new Editor in Chief would be placed, but Axios details that a number of prominent figures were brought in as possible hires, only to consistently withdraw their names after seeing the plans of Lewis.
🚨NEW: @washingtonpost is getting stiffed by outside candidates for the top newsroom job
— Mike Allen (@mikeallen) December 17, 2024
Several people familiar w/ the search were baffled by the seeming lack of editorial vision or business strategy
"I'm not sure it's salvageable," one of them told us https://t.co/3njTmFCUMl
Low-Octane Gaslighting – THE EVERETT LEADER HERALD
In another successful defamation suit against a news outlet, we see things come to a dramatic end, and it appears to be fully justified. The Everett Leader Herald has been operational in New England for 139 years, but it is now closing shop after losing a $1.1 million settlement with the mayor of Everett, Massachusetts.
Court documents and items revealed in the disclosure phase showed how the owner and the publisher worked to fabricate evidence for a number of false stories, all done in an effort to drive Mayor Carlo DeMaria out of office. This was even admitted in court:
The newspaper, led by owner Matthew Philbin and publisher/editor Joshua Resnek, admitted to making up quotes and faking reporters’ notes about interviews that never occurred. The mayor also alleged that the newspaper was purchased with the express purpose of attacking his reputation.
Everett mayor awarded more than $1 million in settlement with local newspaperhttps://t.co/4dOWyl04In
— 7News Boston WHDH (@7News) December 17, 2024
