"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.
11.08.22
Artisanally-Crafted Narratives – MSNBC
- But the Republicans are the "Party of Fear," correct?
Over at MSNBC, they have been particularly unhinged the past few weeks, with just about every program dedicated to explaining how the country is on the verge of becoming a totalitarian nightmare as we toss democracy aside today – by staging free elections and selecting candidates in a democratic fashion. This segment with Joy Reid, Michael Moore, and Rob Reiner claiming Republicans are literally killing people in order to win today was especially precious.
Just as an indicator of how untethered everyone there has become, even the supposedly sane characters over there are losing their grip. Here is former FBI official Frank Figliuzzi predicting that we will likely see domestic terrorism taking place in precincts where recounts are being held.
They are just having a normal one over at @MSNBC, as they are selling the idea of election terrorism taking place in any areas where recounts might be held. pic.twitter.com/gkijEgVScT
— Lie-Able Sources (@LieAbleSources) November 8, 2022
Gilded Reframe – POLITICO
- Making election denialism cool again!
Yesterday, we covered how Politico entertained the idea of voting machines being corrupted after years of that kind of talk being labeled as crackpot theorizing. Now comes another from the source, where it is posited that all of the acts that were called into question after 2020 and described as treasonous are today perfectly normal questions to put out there – before anything even suggesting a problem takes place.
Man, @Politico is not having a normal one, at all.
— Brad Slager: Polling For Soup (@MartiniShark) November 8, 2022
Earlier was a report about the voting machine systems being threatened, now this newsletter predicts mayhem in the ensuing months.
After 2020 was a pristine election above criticism, a GOP surge is suddenly deeply problematic. pic.twitter.com/vLndApJ6Ns
Blue-Anon – ABC NEWS
After weeks of promising a GOP swamping in the polls today, there needs to be a storyline set up to possibly explain any of those areas where an inexplicable combative race is emerging. In order to fend off accusations of ballot-stuffing or other examples of possible chicanery, ABC News arrives to explain away these instances – you know, before they occur or have even been accused of taking place.
A "red mirage," or an artificial GOP vote lead, will likely reoccur Tuesday. https://t.co/tagIbNJscC
— ABC News (@ABC) November 7, 2022
Low Octane Gas Lighting – PUNCHBOWL NEWS
- Does this mean the press is willing to take the fall on behalf of the Democrats?
Another desperate attempt at making sense of the looming disaster was at Punchbowl News, where they suggested that the media has been at least partially to blame for the Democrats' demise. See, (as they try to explain) the press has been just too darned tough on that party while letting the Republicans off easy in their coverage.
That would be the Republicans who have been called fascists for months, and the Democrats are needed in order to save our democracy from being destroyed. Uh…huh.
The incoming Red Wave has the press just a bit delusional.@PunchbowlNews tries to sell the concept that the press has been too easy on the GOP and this is leading to the election results today. pic.twitter.com/aS5i6N0byZ
— Brad Slager: Polling For Soup (@MartiniShark) November 8, 2022
Pathological Media Amnesia – NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO
- Place this under "Not As We Do."
NPR felt there was a need to explain to people that they bear a level of personal responsibility when it comes to sharing information and news items online as a lesson in how to avoid spreading misinformation. That would be NPR, the same news outlet that pushed out the theory that the Hunter Biden laptop story was Russian disinformation and, therefore, refused to run with it out of concern for their audience.
Anyone who's online and shares information plays some role in shaping whether falsehoods gain traction.
— NPR (@NPR) November 8, 2022
Here are some tips on how to avoid sharing false or misleading news about the 2022 midterm elections: https://t.co/zuSu2rYZlc
DNC PR Firm – ABC NEWS
- Getting a detail incorrect is tantamount to lying when it comes to a Republican candidate.
It is revealing enough that when an election office for Arizona gubernatorial candidate Katie Hobbs was broken into, the press was full of sympathetic coverage and willing to accuse Kari Lake's people of staging the break-in. Now, after dropping that story because an illegal immigrant was found to have staged the crime, Kari Lake's office was sent a suspicious white substance and called in the FBI – and the sharp skepticism in the press is palpable.
When items were collected by agents, one worker from Lake's office said they had sent the samples in to be tested. ABC reporter Ali Dukakis questioned the story and used a discrepancy to dismiss the entire story outright.
Asked by ABC News if anything from the alleged incident was sent to Quantico for testing, a spokesperson from FBI-Phoenix said “no.”
— Ali Dukakis (@ajdukakis) November 6, 2022
The FBI’s comment that nothing is being tested at a lab in Quantico directly refutes Lake camp's claim two envelopes sent to campaign office...
This talk-to-the-hand approach from the story is carried off by ignoring one specific element. The collected evidence was not sent to Quantico, but it was sent to an Arizona-based FBI lab – according not to the Lake campaign but by other news outlets.
It went to an FBI lab, not the FBI lab in Quantico but an FBI lab in state.
— Brad Slager: Polling For Soup (@MartiniShark) November 8, 2022
Therefore the Lake campaign is said to be lying about the matter entirely according to you?
This is a weak accusation. https://t.co/zI0Oz2jh1E pic.twitter.com/lQZsmN9pl1
Glossary Over Things – MSNBC
- Economic history began in 2021.
You just have to love her, seriously. Joy Reid tries to run defense for Biden and the Democrats by suggesting that before this year, nobody had used the term "inflation."
Joy Reid: Republicans “taught people the word inflation. Most people…have never used that word ever in their lives…” pic.twitter.com/yQdkafL9bQ
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) November 4, 2022
