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Matching Media Memorandum – VARIOUS OUTLETS
The outpouring of sympathy over Joe Biden's recidivist son.
Quite the difference two weeks make. When Donald Trump received his convictions, the press was filled with contempt, scorn, derision, and all other forms of negative coverage. Yet, following Hunter Biden's conviction, the tone is 180 degrees in opposition, as sympathy and understanding rule the day.
Recall how quickly the press used the "convicted felon" label for Trump? When can we expect them to begin referring to Hunter as "The First Felon"? Not anytime soon, by the looks of things.
Major Garrett – "Every presidential family is part of the American family - that's the way it works. It's painful for the nation."
Matt Viser – "A trial that resurfaced dark moments in the Biden family history could weigh heavily on the president."
Terry Moran – "The political consequence of it may be tempered by the fact that this is a scourge that has touched so many American families."
Mike Memoli – "Striking pictures just now as Hunter Biden, wife Melissa and their toddler Beau greeted POTUS just now as he arrived in Delaware on Marine One."
Brian Stelter – "Trump boosters are trotting out a new conspiracy theory — that the entire Hunter trial was an op to make a rigged system seem balanced."
Andrew Weissmann – "The Hunter Biden verdict shows Joe Biden is the 'living embodiment of the rule of law.'" (That would be the same Joe Biden flouting the Supreme Court and challenging the Second Amendment regularly.)
David Muir – "His candor about his battle with addiction used against him in court."
Bloomberg – "On one of the worst days of his life, President Biden showed the best of who he is."
Pounce of Prevention – ABC NEWS
Now…did those dastardly conservatives say anything negatively?
It would not be coverage of the Hunter conviction without noting how those Republicans have dared notice! Sure enough, Donald Trump and his party are out there, seizing all over this story!
Donald Trump's 2024 campaign, and many of the former president's Republican allies, are seizing on Hunter Biden's conviction to escalate attacks on Pres. Biden. https://t.co/eswZoVcC7u
— ABC News (@ABC) June 11, 2024
Reporting on the Mirror – WASHINGTON POST
C'mon – he's rich! He should tolerate this dumpster fire of a newspaper!
Over at the paper from our nation's capital, they are still coming to grips with the new management that dared point out the outlet is losing a small fortune annually. But we have come to learn that this is not a problem at all, because the owner, Jeff Bezos, has a massive fortune!
WaPo writer Caitlin Gibson links to a Slate piece to stipulate there is no reason to try fixing the very broken newspaper. Why? Because losing just $77 million a year means the billionaire can easily support the failing enterprise.
"$77 million is a meaningful loss for pretty much any company, let alone a newspaper. It is not, however, a meaningful loss for a newspaper that is owned by Jeff Bezos. $77 million is roughly 0.04 percent of Bezos’ $201.3 billion fortune."
— Caitlin Gibson (@CaitJGibson) June 8, 2024
Read this one: https://t.co/6XCvK3haEQ
Anti-Social Media – THE HOCKEY NEWS
The women's hockey league, the PWHL, recently held its draft, and the Minnesota team selected Britta Curl from the University of Wisconsin. This clearly angered Ian Kennedy, who blasted Minnesota for selecting such a controversial player. It turns out, Curl has opinions, you see, and she has expressed those opinions on social media. Mr. Kennedy feels this is no way for a female to behave, and she should have been banished from playing in the league.
You may ask what those opinions are. Well, we are told they are wrong, according to the mansplaining Kennedy – we just are never actually shown what was her support for – get this – women:
There are concerns related to her off-ice support for transphobic and anti-LGBTQ+ messaging online, and attacking inclusive language related to transgender individuals, meaning her actions could become a significant issue for the PWHL and whatever team selects Curl. In other circumstances, Curl liked online posts spreading conspiracy theories related to COVID-19, and posts questioning police brutality against Black people.
Ghastly stuff. Good thing Mr. Kennedy is here to let the little lady know she is out of line and show her the proper positions that she is supposed to express.
PWHL Minnesota is going all in on controversy this offseason selecting Britta Curl 10th overall. Curl has a plethora of social media activity showing her support for transphobia, conspiracy theories, and racism: https://t.co/GlRIXxKHJK #PWHL
— Ian Kennedy (@IanKennedyCK) June 11, 2024
Both Kinds of Standards – THE AMERICAN SUNSHINE PROJECT
Those threats they can inspire to be brought upon others are something they will not tolerate for themselves.
If you have been curious about what the failed misinformation pixie Nina Jankowicz has been up to, she has set up a new shop to go after the dreaded scourge, dubbed the American Sunshine Project. This outfit has not only pledged to battle against misinformation attempts, but it will also expose "The networks and money that drive them."
There is a dose of hypocritical irony here, as Jankowicz explained to The New York Times in April, the project does not have to expose who is funding IT, and she would not disclose this to The Times. Jeryl Bier of Pluribus challenged The ASP on this discrepancy, and he received this as an explanation.
That’s probably because everyone around here is subject to harassment and death threats, Jeryl, for exposing people making deepfakes and trying to turn our freedoms against us. https://t.co/ttAhWe1vCR
— The American Sunlight Project (@AmericanSunProj) June 12, 2024
So, if The ASP exposes individuals and/or groups, opening those potential targets up for harassment, or worse, that is completely acceptable. They just will not want that kind of response for themselves.
