"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.
10.13.22
Low Octane Gas Lighting – MSNBC
- We'll just say posting this a day before the latest inflation figures was just poor timing.
Chris Hayes took a look at the upcoming midterms and began speculating. He pondered what it might look like if the Republicans win control in Congress. Get this – he feels as if things might take a downturn economically.
- "They will do everything in their power to sabotage the economy to best themselves up to take the White House in 2024."
Oof, where to begin on this? First, he thinks the GOP will work to make the economy worse. Second, why he thinks that creating horrid economics will make people want to elect them is…a mystery. But lastly, for his little theorem to actually sound like it has merit, he first needs to sell the idea we are not currently in horrid economic conditions.
"If we give the Republicans the house keys they'll make a mess of the floors!!!" https://t.co/2L2JBaLAV4 pic.twitter.com/MzSOd1aZ8V
— Brad Slager: Armageddon A Bit Sick Of All This! (@MartiniShark) October 13, 2022
Legalized Press-titution – CNN
Today, the January 6 Committee got back to its grind of futility, but not that many noticed. CNN appears to have picked up on the general apathy, as the desperate plea by the committee and the press is to have this sway the intentions of voters. CNN's Stephen Collinson even put this previously unspoken goal into words.
- "Given the increasingly strident warnings from committee members about the danger that Trump-backed candidates pose to democracy, it's hard not to see Thursday's January 6 hearing as an intervention in the midterms. And since Trump is already a hot favorite for the GOP's 2024 presidential nomination, warnings of committee members from both parties that he must never hold office again are by definition highly political."
The real revelation, however, is that the press is beginning to sense that this yearlong effort to change people's minds has instead led to lowered interest, fewer people blaming Trump and/or the GOP for the riot, and the issue of the Capitol riot ranking near the bottom of issues on the minds of voters. Here CNN is bemoaning the fact that you actually care more about how you will afford to feed yourself over this partisan witch hunt. The temerity of you selfish people!
"Polls repeatedly show that voters see the economy – a far more visceral issue in daily life than the threat to American democracy – as their top concern" | Analysis https://t.co/09XnJ1Kzmi
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) October 13, 2022
Pathological Media Amnesia – VARIOUS OUTLETS
- Screeching over questioning a stroke victim candidate was not quite the issue when it was a Republican dealing with the effects.
NBC reporter Dasha Burton continues to field criticism from others in the press because she dared report on the condition of John Fetterman she witnessed firsthand. Some are calling it "ableism," and many more are suggesting it is downright unseemly to note a stroke victim's impairment.
I should add to that last sentence – "...today." This is because back in 2016, it was not seen as a problem to note Senator Mark Kirk was dealing with stroke effects as he ran for reelection.
I wonder where the idea of a stroke being disqualifying for a politician came from, anyway??? https://t.co/HOwwgIfjeA pic.twitter.com/oAuXFblg1D
— Brad Slager: Armageddon A Bit Sick Of All This! (@MartiniShark) October 13, 2022
Back then, he was grappling with the after-effects of a stroke four years prior, not four months. But it was acceptable to call his condition into question back then because he was a Republican, and it was not controversial to say he should not be selected due to his condition.
Given that an editor in Nashville is gravely concerned over PA politics, I need to ask:
— Brad Slager: Armageddon A Bit Sick Of All This! (@MartiniShark) October 13, 2022
Was it 'malpractice' when a Chicago paper gave an endorsement for Senate because a stroke victim was not considered unable to perform their job? https://t.co/DmoLgZvGv6 pic.twitter.com/6nQP8Ku3SE
Body Checking the Fact-Checkers – POLITIFACT
- They tip their hand just slightly based on their own data.
You get a clear sense of who the fact-check crews favor by the way they cover particular candidates. As an example, in the Ohio Senate race, PolitiFact has been particularly focused on Republican nominee J.D. Vance. We covered here last week how the site covered Vance's 100% accurate statement that Tim Ryan has voted with Nancy Pelosi 100% of the time and rated it as "Half True." In another recent hit, PolitiFact called it "Mostly False" when Vance alleged that Ryan called police "The new Jim Crow." This, despite their explanation.
- "Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, said in a 2019 town hall that he believes today's criminal justice system is 'racist,' and he compared it to Jim Crow laws in the South prior to the civil rights movement."
To see just how slanted PolitiFact gets, we just have to look at their own metrics on the candidates. Vance is given seven recent fact-checks, and four range from Mostly False-False-Pants On Fire. Meanwhile, out of 16 fact checks made on Tim Ryan, 13 are labeled True-Mostly True.
In their Oct. 10 Ohio Senate debate, J.D. Vance said Tim Ryan two years ago “supported banning fracking both on public lands and generally speaking.” The statement is partially accurate but leaves out important details about Ryan’s record on the issue. https://t.co/wg53PyxmVt pic.twitter.com/PLGsWZFIh3
— PolitiFact (@PolitiFact) October 13, 2022
Presentation Paradox – VARIOUS OUTLETS
- This would seem that the Supreme Court's future is dependent on press favorability.
Let us briefly flash back to this Summer when the official ruling came down that repealed Roe v. Wade and sent the legality of abortions back to the states. At the time, there was plenty of anxiety and pearl-clutching in the press, with many voices suggesting the Court was corrupted by conservatives on the bench. Some went so far as to suggest it was time to disband the Court entirely.
Now comes a ruling where the justices unanimously denied a request from the Donald Trump legal team regarding a matter on the Mar-a-Lago documents seized by the Feds. Interestingly, we hear no such furor about how imbalanced the group of our highest legal scholars has become, with no screeching about shutting down the Court.
BREAKING: Supreme Court denies Trump request on Mar-a-Lago documents. No noted dissents
— Robert Barnes (@scotusreporter) October 13, 2022
