"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.
06.17.22
Presentation Paradox – WASHINGTON POST
It was 50 years ago today when a security guard found a door rigged inside the Watergate complex and alerted police. On arrival, the cops encountered a handful of inept burglars dispatched by President Nixon on a spy mission to glean details from the Democrats. That bungling led to Washington Post reporters being sent on the case, and Woodward & Bernstein were elevated into the firmament of reporters as they worked months on breaking open the biggest journalism accomplishment ever - according to journalists.
Whatever your thoughts on the Watergate story one thing is inarguable; WaPo has plunged significantly from those vaunted heights of reportorial greatness.
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Gilded Reframe – WHITE HOUSE PRESS OFFICE
Politico has a story about how the White House communications team is straining to get more of its messaging onto the FoxNews web platform as an effort to reach more conservatives. “It's a valuable audience. They're reaching a lot of eyeballs online,” said one source in the White House. A White House official told POLITICO: “We engage with Fox to make sure we're reaching Fox viewers.”
It is a new approach, certainly, as the usual stance with Fox is a combative one. Jill Biden recently had an opinion piece published on the site, and others have been brought to them by the administration. Doug Jones, Steve Dettlebach, Abigail Spanberger, Scott Peters, and Chris Murphy have had items published the past few weeks via this outreach.
Not commented upon by Politico – The willingness of the supposedly combative FoxNews to run pieces by these administration plants.
Artisanally-Crafted Narratives – USA TODAY
The New York Times broke the story that at USA Today they have pulled nearly two dozen articles. These were generated by investigative reporter Gabriela Miranda, who left the paper in April over the revelation that she was found to have been fabricating quotes in her work.
- “After receiving an external correction request, USA Today audited the reporting work of Gabriela Miranda,” the note reads. “The audit revealed that some individuals quoted were not affiliated with the organizations claimed and appeared to be fabricated. The existence of other individuals quoted could not be independently verified. In addition, some stories included quotes that should have been credited to others.”
Anti-Social Media – MSNBC
I was assured that this behavior was racist and sexist.
On Tuesday it was a jarring result in South Texas when Maya Flores won in the special election to fill a vacated House seat. The dependably Blue district was flipped by the upstart Republican candidate, but naturally, the media were not in their usual jubilant spirit when someone of her nature wins an election. Joy Reid was especially disturbed in her coverage. Was she applauding a win by a female? Would she highlight a Hispanic winning a seat? Would there be a notification that minorities were able to vote in one of their own in the supposedly restrictive state?
That would be a resounding NO on all counts. Joy instead found a reason to bark and yelp over this win, that was not regarded as a positive for checking off numerous demographic checkboxes.
- “A victory for Mayra Flores, the QAnon-curious Republican who flipped a House seat in the Democratic stronghold of South Texas.”
You can pick what is the more asinine assessment here. That Reid is still clinging to Qanon, which has disbanded and not produced anything for well over a year, or Flores herself denouncing Qanon by saying, “I’ve always been against any of that. I’ve never been supportive of it,”
Presentation Paradox – WASHINGTON POST
This DOES seem to be a departure from all of the import assigned to the coverage.
Philip Bump weighed in with his impressions on what the J-6 Committee hearings have delivered. It is rather palpable that Bump is not satisfied, as he details how people are appearing to be sufficiently moved by the…non-findings from the ineffectual hearing.
- None of this means that the committee’s investigation will not have the desired effect on America’s understanding of the riot. But it may be too late. Republican voters are advancing a slew of candidates to November who have already staked positions in alignment with Trump. If the committee hasn’t convinced Americans by January, it will probably be too late. If, as expected, Republicans retake the House, the committee will probably not survive the week.
He seems particularly dismayed. All we can say is, cope harder, Phil.
Blue Anon – MIAMI HERALD
The Miami Herald – a paper renown for imbalanced coverage - has come out with a very curious stance on a new Florida policy. All you need to know is that it is promoted by Ron DeSantis, to know why the paper would go off the rails.
After new proposed legislation to prevent children from being brought to the sexually-forward drag shows, the Herald declares that this is a blatant turnaround for Republicans.
- Republicans used the “parents know best” line to pass the “Don’t say gay” bill, which banned instructions in K-3 public school classrooms about sexual orientation and gender identity. They said parents, not teachers, should explain to their children what LGBTQ means. Wouldn’t bringing their child to a drag show qualify as parents exercising that autonomy? Republicans, your hypocrisy is showing.
This confusion by the paper is easily described as “being on-brand”. Their knee-jerk opposition to anything DeSantis says precludes common sense and analysis, so we need to walk them through this with a held hand.
Hey dolts?
— Brad Slager ???????? Lifetime Subscriber to CNN+ (@MartiniShark) June 17, 2022
Saying young children should not be exposed to sexuality and gender issues in schools, and saying young children should not be exposed to sexuality and gender issues at drag shows is being consistent.
Claiming you are not groomers while promoting this is however... https://t.co/escxZWqXF6
