"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.
06.28.22
Reporting on the Mirror – MSNBC
MSNBC has been in a state of sustained flux since Rachel Maddow announced she was mostly stepping away from her primetime position on the network. She took a hiatus and then came back to a one-day-a-week schedule, leaving the network heads to come up with a solution. Well, at least they came up with a name.
Alex Wagner has been tabbed after what has been considered an encouraging run as a replacement the past couple of months. The glaring aspect is that seven years ago, Wagner had a show on the network that had been canceled. She lingered as a special correspondent for a time before hitting CBS on Saturday mornings the next year, followed by a gig at Showtime. Wagner returned late last year after Maddow warned the network of her plans to scale back her time.
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Meanwhile, CNN has yet to come up with any permanent solution to their 9 pm vacancy since Chris Cuomo was pushed out in December 2021.
I am absolutely thrilled and honored and generally upside down with excitement to come back home to @MSNBC to host the 9PM hour, beginning August 16th. LET'S DO THIS https://t.co/bgJAcmuDtt
— alexwagner (@alexwagner) June 27, 2022
Stealth Story Evolution – THE NEW YORK TIMES
In covering the effects of the SCOTUS abortion ruling, veteran Hill reporter Carl Hulse detailed what Senator Mitch McConnell's efforts have meant. In the synopsis, Hulse made the declaration that the Court had, in fact, banned abortion on behalf of Senate Republicans. Someone had been notified of this factual error, as the piece was edited to clean up the detail.
Behold the @NYTimes in stealth-edit mode to fix things on behalf of @HillHulse. The article goes from saying the court banned abortions for the GOP, to now reading it fixed the issue for them.
— Brad Slager ???????? Lifetime Subscriber to CNN+ (@MartiniShark) June 28, 2022
No CORRECTION or UPDATE is noted in the piece. pic.twitter.com/bLkqeKWNFh
Legalized Press-titution – CNN
- The network's third-string media analyst may need to shower after this hearing.
Today's hastily rescheduled January 6 hearing featured gripping and historic testimony that serves as the latest bombshell against Donald Trump. Cassidy Hutchinson, a former aid to Mark Meadows, delivered some scathing details from that fateful day.
Donald Trump threw a plate. At one point, he was so eager to go to the Capitol that he nearly grabbed the steering wheel of the presidential limo. This is severe stuff – we…guess? At least, according to CNN media analyst David Zurawik.
What a remarkable TV moment, watching and hearing Cassidy Hutchinson's brave and electrifying testimony about what was happening backstage at the White House Jan. 6. I have not felt this way since watching the Watergate hearings in real time.
— David Zurawik (@davidzurawik) June 28, 2022
Now, for some perspective. Hutchinson did not witness any of this. She heard other people talking about these things that may have happened. This type of testimony would not be taken seriously in most courts, but here is the J-6 Committee presenting this as not only unimpeachable witness corroboration, but the details are held as gravely important. Zurawik is bowled over by what he heard – even if her "pulsing truth" is little more than hearsay.
Cassidy Hutchinson's words pulsed with the power and electricity of history and truth. Talk about speaking truth to power. Shame on all those who were also there on Jan. 6 and have refused to share what they saw and heard with the committee and American people.
— David Zurawik (@davidzurawik) June 28, 2022
DNC PR Firm – CNN
Twice in the last week, Hillary Clinton has been asked directly about a presidential run, and both times she was rather definitive about saying no, she would not. She told the Financial Times it was out of the question – but Chris Cillizza suggests that was ahead of Friday's Roe decision, and things could have changed – even though she was rather assured it would take place. Then on Tuesday, she was asked again by Gayle King and again was adamant about not running.
BUT, Chris Cillizza is hearing whispers! With a special fervency that resides in concentrated fashion at CNN, Chris has his hopes set on yet another Hillary run for 1600.
“Now is her moment"https://t.co/Qr2hLuYRCb
— Chris Cillizza (@ChrisCillizza) June 28, 2022
Body Checking the Fact-Checkers – POLITIFACT
In the Nevada Senate race, things are heating up over women's birth concerns. Democratic Senator Catherine Cortez Masto has charged that her opponent Adam Laxalt is looking to restrict women's access to birth control. PolitiFact looked into the matter to determine how factual this could be. Laxalt has not proposed anything of the sort, but seven years ago, AG Laxalt was part of a legal process.
- "As evidence for the ad's claim, Cortez Masto's campaign cited two legal briefs Laxalt joined and a letter he signed as attorney general. In 2015, Laxalt announced that he joined on behalf of Nevada, along with other state attorneys general, in filing a U.S. Supreme Court brief against a national mandate for employers to provide free contraception to employees."
This was the case concerning the Catholic entity The Little Sisters of the Poor being forced to provide birth control, in violation of their religious beliefs, as a result of the Obamacare mandate. So no, Laxalt is not looking to restrict birth control today but had joined a filing for religious rights.
PolitiFact determines the charge "Laxalt wants to restrict birth control" to be Mostly True.
Fact-checking a claim against the GOP nominee in a race that could decide which party controls the US Senate. https://t.co/JSmcgEAKPl
— Tom Kertscher (@KertscherNews) June 27, 2022
