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Science Lover Jake Tapper Connects Climate & Earthquakes, and WaPo’s Bronze Star Paradox for Pete Hegseth

Brad Slager
Brad Slager  |  Dec 06, 2024
The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Townhall.com.

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Prose & Contradiction – WASHINGTON POST

  • The importance of a military honor depends entirely on who receives it.

As the press continues to dogpile on Pete Hegseth this week in obsessive fashion, the Washington Post decided to get in on the action. The paper wanted to denigrate one of Hegseth’s selling points, that being he is a dedicated war veteran. Specifically, his having been awarded the Bronze Star on two occasions.

According to the Post, these are nothing to be impressed about. Citing “experts,” we come to learn these awards were handed out rather casually, so they mean very little.

Except, we have been told that the Bronze Star is one of the most decorated honors a soldier can be granted – that is, according to the very same Washington Post.

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Gilded Reframe – CNN

  • The pangs of regret for not publishing gossip are tangible with this one.

As the press has been spewing the narrative of Pete Hegseth’s drinking problem, one thing of note has been prominent: CNN’s media maven Brian Stelter has not been calling out the flawed standard of unnamed and unattributed sources being granted highest priority while ignoring the co-workers of Hegseth who work directly with him going on the record to call these stories complete garbage. Now, Brian has come forward on the matter, but in the opposite fashion:

He wants to join in!

Stelter now claims that when working on his book on Fox News (not this year’s disregarded release, his first one from years ago), he had spoken with – again – nameless people at Fox describing Hegseth as a known drinker around the network. 

This means that something he clearly had disregarded as non-vital gossip years ago is supposedly relevant today…even though it has not changed and is still gossip delivered by unknown individuals.

Both Kinds of Standards – THE NEW YORK TIMES

  • If there is a better word than “desperation,” it applies here.

As we keep in mind that Donald Trump is considered to be the biggest-ever threat to this nation’s foundations and standards, let’s go over a few of the bromides the press has been spewing heavily the past year or so:

  • Biden represents the return to norms

  • No one is above the law

  • Donald Trump will corrupt our legal system

  • He poses a threat to democracy

  • He wants to tear down our institutions

Now, with those fresh on the brain, we give you Michelle Goldberg of The New York Times declaring that Trump’s choice for the head of the FBI, Kash Patel, has an enemies list. She then is seen declaring that Joe Biden should move ahead and grant every person on that list a preemptive pardon before Trump takes office.

So, the man who has already contorted legal standing with the pardon he granted to his son should now proactively protect and excuse people BEFORE they can be charged. This will be done without knowledge of what has been done and by assuming that they are somehow guilty of some crime – otherwise, why would they be in need of pardoning?!

Pre-Written Field Reports – CNN

  • Couldn’t Jake have his global calamity expert Bill Weir coach him first?

When you are a journalist completely beholden to global warming mongering, it is probable that you will become tripped up by ardent devotion at some point. Jake Tapper had a seismologist on to discuss the recent earthquakes off the shoreline of California this week that led to tidal wave warnings that never materialized.

In the discussion of how subterranean tectonic plate activity transpired, Jake uncorked a rather insipid question: Were these quakes in any way affected by climate change?

His expert made Jake feel better by telling him it was a good question(?) before going on to inform him that it was not a factor in the tremors whatsoever.

Reporting on the Mirror – VARIOUS OUTLETS

  • “Well, how DARE he make changes to our hyper-exclusive yet all-inclusive club?!”

That rumble you may have felt was from the tremors developing in the cloistered community of The White House Press Corps. The Hill reports that the top-flight media members are annoyed at future considerations with their job duties. It seems that the incoming administration is daring to make some changes to the types of outlets that are to be included with the gaggle in the White House briefing room. This isn't sitting well with the elitists in that group:

Reporters covering The White House, in conversations with The Hill this week, described a feeling of annoyance, frustration and dread at such an idea.

What becomes more amusing is that these know-betters are among the cadre of journalists who love to describe themselves as the brave and noble guardians of truth in D.C., and yet they are not brave enough to go on the record to express their disgust at these moves:

Several reporters declined to comment on the record or requested anonymity to speak candidly about the possibility of a drastically changed press room and the likely kerfuffle it would spark.

Anti-Social Media – BLUESKY

  • I think we can now disregard Ms. Lorenz entirely at this point.

Each year here we present our list, The Townhall 50, of the worst examples of journalist output from the year. For 2022, Taylor Lorenz topped (bottomed?) our compilation, but she has been a shrinking presence since. This year could constitute her last appearance, as she has been shunted to the independent acres of journalism.

She also has displayed her dwindling influence of late and now has all but begged to be entirely disregarded. The killing of the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, Brian Thompson, has brought out the ugly aspect of some on the left, and Lorenz has been dancing in the gutter with them. “And people wonder why we want these executives dead,” she posted in disgraceful fashion.

When she was called out for her gross position, she attempted to excuse her stance by suggesting she used “the royal ‘we,’” as if that did not include herself. Then she had the gall to say that she was someone against death and suffering.

Then, to cap off her entirely dysfunctional approach, she posted the photo and personal information of the CEO of another healthcare organization, Blue Cross.

This woman has surely lost what little was left of her functioning mind.