Townhall's daily VIP feature with coverage on the deeply flawed aspects of journalism in the nation. We'll look to bring accountability to the mishaps, malaprops, misdeeds, manipulations, malpractice, and manufactured narratives in mainstream media.
06.30.21
DNC PR Firm – NBC NEWS
- Things that monster William Barr would have NEVER done!
After Merrick Garland accepted the role of attorney general months ago, one of the first judgments of his job performance has arrived. There are a number of factors to consider, from various legal positions to how he compares to predecessors. But these are minor metrics to weigh when more valid assessments need to be measured.
Garland will be personally serving ice cream to his underlings, the true show of skill by an AG.
A DOJ insider tells me AG Garland will personally scoop ice cream to show his appreciation for employees at a DOJ event later this week. Did not see this from Bill Barr, who dissed career prosecutors as lacking judgment in an interview late in his tenure.
— Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) June 29, 2021
Pulitzer Prize Nominations – BLOOMBERG
- Continuing on the ice cream beat…
The only thing more amazing than the press coverage of Joe Biden's predilection for frozen confectionaries is the media fawning over his consumption of the product. We do not simply get "Joe stopped for ice cream again" reports, but the journalists swoon and laugh with him over these sojourns to the soda shops. You would think at some point it would dawn on the press pool members that they are a walking punchline for this type of coverage, but that dawning has yet to take place.
Biden visits the Pearl ice cream parlor in La Crosse, Wisconsin
— Jordan Fabian (@Jordanfabian) June 29, 2021
A reporter suggested he order a rocky road for infra and he responded, “it’s been a rocky road but we’re going to get it done”
The president ordered cookies and cream and strawberry in a double-dipped sugar cone pic.twitter.com/9unmQfKPqX
Presentation Paradox – VOX
As covered yesterday in the piece on the administration's numerous conflicting actions, the famed bipartisan infrastructure deal was completely compromised when President Biden decided after the fact to demand it be tied in directly with his massive budget reconciliation package. The move was jarring enough that the White House is still working on spinning the reaction, but Vox is on the case for its benefit.
The outlet attempts to lay the blame for things at the feet of Congress, despite the fact that the body managed to hammer out a deal, and it was the rug-pulling move that came after the agreement that has complicated things. It feels odd having to explain this to the Vox explainers – odder still when the explanation is actually contained in their own article.
- "Then things got complicated. Biden said he wouldn’t sign the deal if congressional Democrats didn’t also pass a separate reconciliation bill enacting the rest of his agenda. That invited a Republican revolt, as previous backers threatened to pull support. Though Biden has walked back his remarks, it’s still not clear if the infrastructure deal can now get the 10 Republican votes it needs to overcome a filibuster in the Senate."
Glossary Over Things – POLITICO
One of the other examples of the administration being in disarray was yesterday's announcement that Biden was to visit the site in Miami of the collapsed condominium. This was in stark opposition to Jen Psaki stating emphatically just 18 hours earlier that there was no intention of going there and disrupting emergency service crews.
The press shows no interest in this recurring theme of the leadership saying two things at once, instead choosing on describing this reversal as "a departure from the White House's position a day earlier."
Biden hopes to visit site of building collapse 'as early as Thursday' https://t.co/qjHN9tJdEV via @politico
— Gary Fineout (@fineout) June 29, 2021
Legalized Press-titution – VOGUE
Jill Biden's highly touted coverage in Vogue magazine has been delivered, and it is just as gushing and saccharine in its effusive praise as we had expected. What gets revealed is that the press attempts to dilute the reality that the magazine intentionally snubbed Melania Trump. CNN tries making it seem like a mystery as to why she was never featured in the traditional manner.
- "There have been conflicting arguments as to which side – Trump's or Vogue editor in chief Anna Wintour's – was responsible for keeping Trump, a former model, from being featured."
Yet, they deliver the evidence anyway. Not only did the editor write an op-ed with scorching language about President Trump last Spring, but there is also this nugget given.
- "In a 2019 interview when asked specifically about Melania Trump's fashion, Wintour changed the subject to Trump's predecessor, Michelle Obama."
Body Checking The Fact Checkers – USA TODAY, SNOPES
Last week a viral image floated around social media of a new flavor of mayonnaise from Heinz, this one combined with the flavor of Oreo cookies. The diligent ferrets of the truth have now investigated the blatant gag image, and they assure us that this wholly unrealistic product is, in fact, not real.
"DoctorPhotograph" indeed. https://t.co/3C3btxo9Ix
— snopes.com (@snopes) June 25, 2021
