"Riffed from the Headlines" is Townhall's daily VIP feature with coverage of 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.
06.09.22
Legalized Press-titution – ABC
- When the president could not handle softballs from a non-journalist.
This is how bad things are for this Biden administration: Within one day, we saw a major policy not delivered by the president, then saw the president interviewed, finally, not by a journalist.
This administration is completely lost.
— Brad Slager ???????? Lifetime Subscriber to CNN+ (@MartiniShark) June 9, 2022
On their newest key issue they had an actor delivering the messaging in the White House. Then one day later the president granted his first interview in 100 days, and it was with a comedian.
These are not serious people, in the least. pic.twitter.com/lrTqxFW0cR
Even under the almost hermetically safe conditions on the set of a leftist comedian, Joe Biden withered. Jimmy Kimmel did all he could to help the fading leader, propping him up by filling in answers and blanks as he dithered, and one time even jumping in to cut to a commercial as Joe meandered off-topic.
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Probably the most emblematic moment came when Biden was complaining that his biggest problem with the public was getting his message out.
Biden says there's a lot of "major things" he's done, he just hasn't "been able to communicate it in a way that is, uh, um..."
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 9, 2022
He then starts rambling about reporters getting "clicks on the nightly news" and they cut to commercial. pic.twitter.com/uTiEu495C2
Anti-Social Media – WASHINGTON POST
Word has come out that our long national nightmare just might be over. Corbin Bolies of The Daily Beast is reporting that Felicia Sonmez – after a week of unrelenting online hysteria over a retweeted joke – has been let go by The Washington Post.
The amazing thing is that this took the paper so long to act on what was some truly insubordinate behavior, the likes of which should have seen her dismissed last Friday before the playoff games started.
Part of me wants to applaud the paper, and the other part wants to know why this was not done 5 days ago. https://t.co/bJeTG0tg1U
— Lie-Able Sources (@LieAbleSources) June 9, 2022
Glossary Over Things – REUTERS
- When describing things accurately requires a correction.
If you missed the big protest story last night – and since it was at a WNBA game, you DID miss it – some women took off their tops and protested on the court about the possible overturning of Roe v. Wade.
Now, supporting abortion rights at a women's basketball game is not exactly edgy and brave. About the only less hostile crowd would be if you were protesting in favor of bourbon at a Mitch McConnell fundraiser at a horse track in Louisville. What makes this all the more ridiculous is the way it was covered by Reuters.
The syndicate initially put out a tweet about the protest but then deleted that and posted a new one.
CORRECTION: Pro-choice protesters briefly interrupted a WNBA game at the Barclays Center in New York City. We are deleting a previous tweet that incorrectly referred to the protesters as 'pro-abortion' pic.twitter.com/g3IZuEt014
— Reuters (@Reuters) June 8, 2022
Making this positively ignorant is that Reuters' own reporting actually confirms that the women who protested were pro-abortion activists.
- "While some of the women…rushed down to the court mid-game, others held up signs in support of the Roe v. Wade ruling. Video footage taken by onlookers at the game shows the Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights protesters marching to the game holding up signs in support of abortion rights. One sign read, 'Overturn Roe? Hell no!' while another read, 'Abortion on demand & without apology.'"
Presentation Paradox – ELECTRONIC ARTS
This being June, there is no shortage of corporations coming out with indications of LGBT+ support – and many of these examples are quite insipid. There are quite a few pratfalls when it comes to showing support, something the video game software maker Electronic Arts is finding out.
The company – that has long shown it backs the LGBT+ community – was facing a backlash from gay employees, who were threatening a walkout. They were largely upset that the company was not showing sufficient backing for the gay activist community, and the workers did not want the company to be portrayed as a backer. This led to an odd conclusion leading to a peaceful end.
- "Though the walkout seemed all but imminent, an EA employee later informed GamesIndustry.biz that the event had been called off, reportedly due to EA leadership promising not to use a rainbow flag variant of its corporate logos for Pride month."
EA Staff Call Off Walkout After Company Promises To Not Use Rainbow Versions Of Company Logo During Pride Month https://t.co/9etyPFoW7f
— Bounding Into Comics (@BoundingComics) June 7, 2022
News Avoidance Syndrome – VARIOUS OUTLETS
- We only cover violence from the right, not bombings from the left.
With the laser-like focus on every gun incident in the country these days, except for those that disrupt the agenda, it becomes more than revealing when numerous firebombing incidents go lightly reported.
When the first incidents took place soon after the release of the SCOTUS draft opinion on the Roe v. Wade repeal, the press was more focused on labeling the offices to be run by "anti-abortion" groups, not pro-lifers.
Now more of these violent attacks are taking place, and they continue to not generate anything near the level of concern as shootings…that fit the anti-gun racist narrative.
"If abortions aren't safe neither are you" Graffiti and busted windows on far-right "crisis pregnancy center" Mountain Area Pregnancy Services in West Asheville #avlnews pic.twitter.com/PcANuTRRYX
— Asheville Blade (@AvlBlade) June 7, 2022
DNC PR Firm – LOS ANGELES TIMES
In an op-ed in the LA Times, Kurt Bardella moans and groans at length about the Republican Party, all in reference to the launch of the primetime hearings from the January 6 Commission, beginning tonight. That Bardella positions himself as an outside voice with an objective viewpoint is precious.
He condemns all Republicans as a threat to our democracy – something that then places those GOP members on the committee as liars as well who cannot be trusted and should be removed. Oh, but those are noble and trustworthy Republicans…because they agree with the Democrats on almost everything or something.
All you need to understand about Bardella is that he once was a GOP staffer for Darryl Issa. Then he chased the money to the Lincoln Project but fled amid the sex scandal that enveloped that grift factory. Now, he positions himself as a fair-minded observer – as a frequent guest on Joy Reid's telecasts.
Dear Media Overlords: It is not partisan to use adjectives like “dangerous,” “radical,” “extreme,” “liars,” “wrong,” “violent,” “racists” to describe leaders in the Republican Party.
— Kurt Bardella (@kurtbardella) June 7, 2022
I write for @latimes & will discuss on @thereidout https://t.co/79d8CE1cMc
