"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.
07.01.22
Both Kinds of Standards – THE NEW YORK TIMES
Amid all the fallout from the numerous decisions rendered by the Supreme Court these past weeks, many in the press have been displaying their distemper in emotional fervor. What is curious is when, as I have suggested, they step back and offer calm analysis…they are still upset.
Ezra Klein penned an op-ed for The New York Times, and he sees a rather narrow problem.
- "Making matters worse is that the Supreme Court has gone from being undemocratic to being anti-democratic. Five of the court's six Republican justices were appointed by presidents who initially took office after losing the popular vote. Donald Trump was able to make more appointments in one term than Barack Obama was able to make in two."
This, goes his selling point, should mean that they do not count. They go against the public will because – uh, nobody in public is a Republican, Ezra?
“Lifetime appointments are iffy under the best of circumstances, but the vagaries of retirements and deaths have given Republicans a control that makes a mockery of the public will,” writes @ezraklein writes. https://t.co/fJqTS5kXbB
— New York Times Opinion (@nytopinion) June 30, 2022
DNC PR Firm – CNN
- Not to suggest collusion with the committee, we'll just come out and admit it.
We have covered here in this column how CNN has displayed a particular connection with the January 6 Commission. When Jeff Zucker was dismissed, Jamie Gangel let slip that members of the committee were distraught to lose an ally. Now, we are served yet another example.
In a panel discussion on the morning show "New Day," Alyssa Farrah Griffin announced that she was the conduit to the committee as she helped set up Cassidy Hutchinson with Liz Cheney, leading to her testifying this week.
JUST NOW: "Cassidy said there's more I want to share with the committee a couple months ago, I put her in touch with Cong. Cheney, she got a new lawyer and that's how this testimony came about."
— John Berman (@JohnBerman) June 30, 2022
NEW info from @Alyssafarah on Cassidy Hutchinson timelinepic.twitter.com/xFkZVbvMX1
Artisanally-Crafted Narratives – VARIOUS OUTLETS
- When this many outlets get the same story incorrect, you have to see the collusion.
Yesterday, the media complex was all abuzz because they caught Justice Clarence Thomas in a massive gaffe! The accursed justice had declared that vaccines were made up of aborted babies! He is unfair to serve, he has been taken over by MAGA-thinking, he needs to recuse himself, and so on.
Except, of course, Justice Thomas had not done so, but do not let this supreme dose of misinformation bother the misinformation-hating press industry.
Axios started this farcical ball a-rolling, and it was dutifully repeated by NBC News, Politico, The Daily Beast, USA Today, and countless others.
Here is the section these journalists were incapable of reading cogently.
- "Petitioners are 16 healthcare workers who served New York communities throughout the COVID–19 pandemic. They object on religious grounds to all available COVID–19 vaccines because they were developed using cell lines derived from aborted children."
Huh, he actually wrote "they object…," indicating it was the opinion of others, and these truth-seeking news experts failed to pick up on that?!?! Shocking…not in the least.
Clarence Thomas suggests COVID vaccines are made with "aborted children" https://t.co/hHHG33qtQb
— Axios (@axios) June 30, 2022
Stealth Story Evolution – ABC NEWS
- It's not like this just happened months ago…oh, wait…
As Ketanji Brown Jackson was sworn in to become the newest member of the Supreme Court, the press rushed out to declare what a historical event this was – after gushing over this historical event when she was confirmed months ago. But in the stampede, there was a notable faceplant made by "Good Morning America."
One might forgive over a misstatement, but it appears tough to excuse when there were similar mistakes made at her confirmation and that a prominent POC justice is being splashed across the news at this very moment.
CORRECTION: Video shows Ketanji Brown Jackson sworn in as the first Black female Supreme Court justice in U.S. history.
— Good Morning America (@GMA) June 30, 2022
A previous tweet erroneously stated Jackson is the first Black Supreme Court justice. https://t.co/aWelikUtZg pic.twitter.com/eCVLnwvqcR
Pulitzer Prize Nomination – GLOBE AND MAIL
There is plenty of debate about beer styles and preferences of drinkers. I am at a loss as to who exactly it will be who takes up the cause of sewer suds, however. Maybe steer clear of this batch during the 4th of July Weekend festivities, folks.
Singapore craft beer uses recycled sewage to highlight water scarcity https://t.co/1o8Sl7dgqC
— The Guardian (@guardian) July 1, 2022
