"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.
07.11.22
DNC PR Firm – VARIOUS OUTLETS
- So, we'll be unbothered with manipulations of the official White House records, is that the position?
No wonder people are jumping ship from this administration. On Friday, it was with grand humor that we watched as President Biden was giving a speech when – in pure Ron Burgandy fashion – he read the stage directions on the teleprompter. "End of quote - repeat the line."
It was after when, in desperation, Assistant Press Secretary Emilie Simons tried to insist, in classic don't-believe-your-lying-ears fashion, that Biden had spoken something else entirely.
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No. He said, "let me repeat that line."
— Emilie Simons (@EmilieSimons46) July 8, 2022
Now, the White House has taken that well beyond gas lighting levels. They have altered the official White House transcript to reflect what Simons tried to insist really happened.
.@EmilieSimons46, sure seems like you’re the one who doctored the official transcript to cover up for Biden’s cognitive issues. pic.twitter.com/vZe5XoOcqP
— John Cardillo (@johncardillo) July 9, 2022
Anti-Social Media – THE NEW YORK TIMES
- "Remember that guy we said we never wanted to hear from again? Here's the latest thing he said!"
When Trump was on social media, many in the press were mewling that he was always a presence. Then, on the occasion when a major story would break, and he would NOT comment, the journalists were dismayed and then reported how Trump had not commented.
In similar fashion, now that he is off of Twitter, we get regular updates about what he says on Truth Social or even in speeches he gives – because the people who chased him off still need his content, it appears.
Fairly certain Trump just dropped his first ever F-bomb from a rally stage. Corrections welcome if I’m wrong.
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) July 10, 2022
Artisanally-Crafted Narratives – PUCK NEWS
- Julia Ioffe reacts to Brett Kavanaugh not acting in the first place.
There has been voluminous coverage of the restaurant protest involving Brett Kavanaugh at Morton's in D.C., but all of this imbalance outrage is being done with a notable omission. Julia Ioffe represents this media reaction in the best way.
She went on a lengthy Twitter bitch-fest about Kavanaugh's episode.
I know that the most boring thing you can say is Washington is to point out hypocrisy, but: stop believing the people who yell about liberal snowflakes and mock safe spaces when they ban books and protests and votes and scream about wanting those safe spaces for themselves.
— Julia Ioffe (@juliaioffe) July 9, 2022
Then, in perfectly oblivious form, after carping about the man needing to toughen up, she turned the attention on herself and how tough she has things – as someone famous.
Try being a public figure while being female and/or having any melanin.
— Julia Ioffe (@juliaioffe) July 10, 2022
It needs to be pointed out here that all the media figures who are lambasting Kavanaugh in this fashion are doing so without having heard Kavanaugh utter a single comment of discontent over this episode. Julia's "Get over yourself" outrage is based on the man not having said anything to provoke it.
Prose & Contradiction – CNN
Dean Obeidallah has some insightful commentary regarding Elon Musk and Donald Trump – just take his word on that. Dean saw a recent comment from the Twitter-tease Musk where he said that he would be leaning toward giving his vote of support to Ron DeSantis. Obeidallah saw this and decided that it represented a break in the relationship between the two men – er, had one existed…?
- "The star-crossed billionaires chatted on the phone in May 2020 during the Covid-19 crisis, bonding over their shared desire to end shutdowns that saved lives in order to let businesses reopen."
Aside from a public compliment from Trump and another time of Musk Tweeting a "Thank You," this one time of chatting on the phone two years ago seems the tightest their bond has ever been. But Obeidallah insists that the two men, who are social media competitors, shared a "bromance."
Awww Donad Trump is hurt that Elon Musk is supporting DeSantis over him in 2024. You would've thought Trump would get that Musk prefers a younger model given Trump dumped his first wife for much younger Marla Maples. My new CNN destroying Trump's whining: https://t.co/tazxVmbYG6
— (((DeanObeidallah))) (@DeanObeidallah) July 11, 2022
Legalized Press-titution – ASSOCIATED PRESS
- Trust them, this is fabulous news…
So desperate has been the Biden administration for anything resembling good news that the main thing they have to rely upon is the slight dip in gas prices. Wait, did we say it was a dip? Sorry, that is gas prices plunged!
While there is a growing list of news outlets willing to suddenly get very critical of Biden, the AP is still a holdout, trying to pimp the idea that prices dropping a quarter from the record-high levels is something we should be ecstatic over.
The average U.S. price of regular-grade gasoline plunged 19 cents over the past two weeks to $4.86 per gallon. https://t.co/a0WuMxetZi
— The Associated Press (@AP) July 10, 2022
