"Riffed from the Headlines" is 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.
08.31.21
Legalized Press-titution – WASHINGTON POST
On topics like this, we are not supposed to question Max Boot since he was on the Council of Foreign Relations and is a military historian. Of course, he has become an entirely risible figure as he has allowed himself to be corrupted by his Trump derangement.
So with his devotion to loudly and incessantly criticizing Trump, he backed Biden in the election fully, and today he is stuck with the result of that decision. His solution? EVERYBODY is to blame for the Afghanistan mess.
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- "The last thing President Biden ever wanted to do was to preside over another ramp ceremony for more flag-draped caskets returning home from Afghanistan. Fate can be cruel that way."
- "If you ask me who is to blame, I would point not only to Biden but to former President Donald Trump — and to all of us, the people of America. By carrying out this pell-mell withdrawal from Afghanistan, our leaders, after all, were only giving us what we wanted."
When a restaurant burns a meal, drops it on the floor, and then shovels it onto a plate and the result after eating it is a strong case of food poisoning, the customer is equally to blame. After all, they ordered that meal.
Gilded Reframe – CNN
Many journalists are perturbed by a new Pew Research Study that shows the number of conservatives who maintain trust in the national news outlets has been cut in half over the past five years, from nearly 70% in 2016 down to just 35% today. CNN's resident thinker Chris Cillizza has pegged what he thinks has created this problem, and unwittingly he displays what the problem is – by insisting this is all Trump's fault.
- "That precipitous decline is directly attributable to a nonstop -- and largely one-way -- attack on the idea of the media and, even more broadly, capital 'T' truth."
This is what delusion looks like. Cillizza not only resorts to the very behavior that drives away some, but he chooses to ignore that years spent calling conservatives racist, sexist, Nazis, intolerant, homophobic, uneducated, violent, xenophobic, and any other manner of negative label would have driven off the most devoted of news fans.
Keep on keeping on, Chris – things are working out great as a result.
In 2016, 70% of self-identified Republicans said they had at least some trust in national news organizations.
— Chris Cillizza (@ChrisCillizza) August 30, 2021
That number is now 35%.https://t.co/eJeKxVgVrS
Artisanal-crafted Narratives – ABC NEWS
- Jobs need to be lost as a result of this behavior.
Marine Cpt. Geoff Ball was the commander of the troops who were killed by the suicide bomber last week. He detailed many of his thoughts on the matter in a lengthy Facebook post that delivered an impact. Then things turned bizarre and craven.
Ball's posting showed up at ABC News as an op-ed entry at the site. There was also an author's page showing Ball's details. One severe problem – all of that was done without Captain Ball's knowledge.
.@abcnews published an "op-ed” by Marine Capt. Geoff Ball today without his permission.
— Paul Szoldra (@PaulSzoldra) August 30, 2021
Ball wrote this in a Facebook post and was not contacted by ABC about putting his name on a byline, he tells me. They even created an author profile for him. pic.twitter.com/56TVnIzA4J
The posting and the bio page have since been taken down. This needs to lead to anyone connected with this happening being fired.
Pathological Media Amnesia – CNN
Whenever there is a tragedy the media despises, there is a visceral distaste from some journalists when they see people delivering their thoughts and prayers to those affected by the event. With this in mind, it was with curiosity to see Jim Acosta coming out with comments of that very same nature.
- "My thoughts on Afghanistan this week... now is not the time to score political points. Just imagine just this once if we simply offered our thoughts and prayers."
Curious because it was not so long ago when Jim enthusiastically was echoing President Biden, who was denigrating anyone who issued such a plea regarding gun violence.
How is it the press has this virulent strain of amnesia?!?!
— Brad Slager - Focused On Lasers (@MartiniShark) August 30, 2021
This was just FOUR - MONTHS - AGO , Jimbo. https://t.co/jpHrwLN8C5 pic.twitter.com/Cpu8SBAfmz
Pulitzer Prize Nomination – WASHINGTONIAN
The lifestyle and culture magazine from the nation's capital has some breaking news. If you are eager to dine like the president and obtain a piece of White House history, your opportunity to do so arrives at the end of next month. The Washingtonian Magazine announced that 300 dessert molds will be put up for auction by former White House executive pastry chef Roland Mesnier.
One can only assume that current molds used for feeding Joe Biden's ice cream affection will fetch an even higher premium in the years to come.
“Mrs. Reagan said to me one day, ‘When the dessert gets to the table, I want to hear ‘ooh and aah.’ ” https://t.co/8vIdx1zQMJ
— Washingtonian (@washingtonian) August 26, 2021
