"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.
Next week, there will be some end-of-the-year category recognition, as well as a listing of the top-worst pundits of 2021. Until then, some stray media shenanigans still can be found.
12.28.21
Stealth Story Evolution – MSNBC
- So, she has not been de-platformed, is that correct?
It has been a turbulent few weeks on the Covid front in the press circles. Suddenly, you see reports from the journalism complex declaring vaccines are not a preventative measure, that a social infection rate is needed to regulate this virus, and that keeping kids out of schools has led to emotional problems. These are all items that months ago would be cause to have you silenced or de-platformed.
One example of the media shift is seen with Rachel Maddow. She is, let's recall, one of the Covid authorities who repeated the bogus Rolling Stone story about Ivermectin poisonings allegedly clogging hospitals. Now, a video is being circulated from March, where Maddow makes a very bold declaration that vaccinated people stop the virus in its tracks.
Let’s go back in time to 3/29/21
— Aaron Ginn (@aginnt) December 26, 2021
“No we know that the vaccines work well enough that the virus stops with every vaccinated person… The virus does not infect them…It cannot use a vaccinated person as a host to get more people.” pic.twitter.com/kwsDIPYl2E
Well, this is certainly a disturbing dose of misinformation. One would expect this to lead to reprisals from the social media platforms for disseminating false Covid information, and it has – only not how you would expect. Aaron Ginn got suspended for posting the video of Maddow being 100% incorrect. Amazing.
Twitter has reportedly suspended Aaron for 12 hours over this tweet -- which means we all have to QT/RT it.
— Emma Woodhouse ?? (@EWoodhouse7) December 27, 2021
Not sure who doesn't want us to remember the claims that were made about the vaccine, but I'd love to hear from @maddow re: whether she feels duped. https://t.co/qmzs5l66jy
DNC PR Firm – CNN
- Rescuing Biden from his own words.
After the fallout from President Biden's comments to governors, telling them that "there is no federal solution" to the ever-ongoing pandemic, John Avlon posed a question, asking if this was a flip-flop from Biden's January declaration that the federal government plan begins with his arrival. Note his definitive claim that he will end the era of Covid. Now, he is waving a hand and telling governors it is their problem.
For his rescue effort, John Harwood was on hand, and he gave us the details. It is always impressive when the press is there to explain that Biden did not actually mean what Biden actually said.
Biden's "this gets solved at a state level" is only a thing if you feign ignorance that:
— John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) December 28, 2021
--he was simply affirming NGA chair's plea not to stifle "state solutions"
--it's routine presidential "laboratories of democracy" talk
--he discussed federal action and "need to do better"
Anti-Social Media – MSNBC
- Nicolle Wallace is on hand to explain to us the connection between "Let's Go, Brandon" and the Jan. 6 riot.
The Oregon father who dared say "Let's Go, Brandon" on a Christmas phone call that led to Joe Biden looking ridiculous when he somehow agreed with the comment has the media complex in full meltdown. The man is being doxxed, and his career is threatened over this effrontery.
At MSNBC, Nicolle Wallace, of course, had to steer this episode into her network's obsessive topic, the riot at the Capitol last January. Wallace now declares that the uttering of this phrase during a holiday PR stunt is evidence of the powers wanting a coup attempt. This means the leftist pundits are reduced now to suggesting that ANY opposition to Joe Biden is tantamount to insurrection.
.@NicolleDWallace on the Oregon dad who said "Let's Go Brandon" to Biden on Christmas Eve: "This is the slow-motion insurrection" pic.twitter.com/ZEfdKAqoFH
— Kevin Tober (@KevinTober94) December 27, 2021
Gilded Reframe – VOX
The desire in the press to deflect from Joe Biden's woes is really just reflexive anymore. How else to explain that when it comes to the free market challenges that we are experiencing right now, the president's policies are not to blame, but those darned containers the durable goods are being shipped in are entirely at fault!
The history of the metal box that’s wrecking the supply chain https://t.co/cLvIop0LPt
— Vox (@voxdotcom) December 14, 2021
Low Octane Gas Lighting – CNN
- Calling Trump delivering accurate data "Fake News" is really all that is needed to prove him wrong.
Donald Trump recently sat for an interview with Candace Owens, and in the course of their talk, he mentioned that more people have died from Covid under Joe Biden than last year when Trump was in office.
Boris Sanchez was a guest host on Christmas Eve, and upon playing the clip of the interview, he answered back with a stern assessment.
- "Point of fact, that statement she made about people dying under Donald Trump versus Joe Biden, those numbers are completely wrong, so that's fake news right there."
The thing to note is that Sanchez does not follow his declaration with anything approaching statistics, data, or facts. He basically says, "NUH-UH!" and moves on. Except for that pesky thing known as math. When a default Democrat sympathizer like Peter Daou is willing to admit this is the case, it states everything. That CNN is less reliable than Daou on this matter is hilariously revealing.
?? BREAKING: U.S. #COVID death toll tops 800,000 — with more deaths under Biden than Trump.
— Peter Daou (@peterdaou) December 15, 2021
