05.15.23
Low Octane GAs Lighting – THE GRIO
- When you are the last holdout on a narrative, it is a bad look.
In a bit of a holdover from late last week, we kept waiting for April Ryan to issue a correction on a provably wrong position – instead, all she did was dig in deeper.
During a White House presser with DHS head Alejandro Mayorkas, Ryan pushed out the old and long-debunked storyline of border agents whipping immigrants while on horseback. It is such an old canard that even Mayorkas has come around on the matter, going so far as to correct Ryan in the briefing.
She not only pushed back on his rebuttal, but April was on Twitter still leaning on the evidence that has long been proven inaccurate. It is quite remarkable to see a reporter displaying an abject refusal to even entertain the facts presented.
Stealth Story Evolution – ASSOCIATED PRESS
- Maybe, Steve, it was just a case of him not speaking to THE PRESS?
During pre-campaign stops in Iowa, competing with Donald Trump's rally, Ron DeSantis was with other party members from the state, and the AP's designated DeSantis pursuer Steve Peoples was on to tell it like it isn't.
People claimed that while the Florida governor was in attendance, he did not do much in the way of community outreach.
DeSantis made little effort to connect with voters one-on-one at a picnic fundraiser as several hundred conservatives ate hamburgers. He focused instead on his willingness to embrace conservative cultural fights and sprinkled his remarks with indirect jabs at Trump. https://t.co/wvGkyLIQ9C
— Steve Peoples (@sppeoples) May 13, 2023
But rather quickly, people began responding with photographic evidence of DeSantis mixed in with the crowds, completely disproving Steve's claim. Soon after that, his piece was altered, but it still contained the insistence the governor was being anti-social.
After his speech, DeSantis spent about 15 minutes shaking hands and making small talk with voters as he maneuvered through the large audience. He then dashed outdoors to pose with Reynolds and Feenstra while tending to burgers and pork chops at the grill. https://t.co/BK9B3relkA
— Steve Peoples (@sppeoples) May 13, 2023
Presentation Paradox – THE NATION
- So…that thing that launched trans athletes is actually anti-trans?
When it comes to college sports and trans athletes, most thinking people who follow the news would say women's swimming in general, and the career of Lia Thomas, in particular, is where the issue became the most prominent. It is with this reality that it is particularly obtuse to see The Nation come out and declare women's swimming – where Lia Thomas has been allowed to prosper – is "uniquely anti-trans":
Almost no other sport is as hostile to trans athletes—and that’s because its culture created the perfect conditions for transphobia to take root.
Women’s swimming is, in some ways, uniquely anti-trans. It’s a sport whose culture created the perfect conditions for trans-exclusionary beliefs to take over.https://t.co/m9PXus07Tr
— The Nation (@thenation) May 13, 2023
Both Kinds of Standards – MSNBC
- The need to protect a career criminal is rather precious.
Mehdi Hasan continues on his quest to become the lowest-ranked pundit, this time electing to jump in on the story of Jordan Neely dying on a New York Subway. One might think that the news of Daniel Penny being charged with second-degree manslaughter and subsequently arrested would mollify the media masses, but Hasan was not placated.
Mehdi locked on the news of his arrest and came down with a curious dose of outrage; he is mad that Penny is often referred to as a "former Marine."
This is what white privilege looks like - the irrelevant former job title, the passive voice.
— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) May 14, 2023
Black and brown alleged killers don’t get media coverage like this. https://t.co/EdGlFZ9ySl
The comedy behind this is seen in the coverage of Neely in this incident. Not only do most reports give a light mention or even gloss over his aggression on the subway the day he died, but a majority of the coverage was certain to mention Neely was a Michael Jackson impersonator, with few outlets daring to bring up his previous arrests over 40 times for aggressive behavior.
Pulitzer Prize Nomination – SPORTS ILLUSTRATED
- Does this mean their subscribers are predominantly 80-year-old females?
Over the past few years, Sports Illustrated has become socially inclusive with its annual swimsuit edition. The once wildly popular edition of late has featured plus-sized models, transgendered posers, and a few other prominent choices to display woke positions.
Now, we get the announcement that the latest edition will not only feature Martha Stewart, but the octogenarian will be appearing on the cover.
Thrilled to be on cover of the @SI_Swimsuit issue! I hope this cover inspires you to challenge yourself to try new things. Pick up on newsstands May 18th! #SISwimsuit #SISwim23 @ruvenafanador pic.twitter.com/DsRgLr6crK
— Martha Stewart (@MarthaStewart) May 15, 2023
"Riffed from the Headlines" is Townhall's daily VIP feature with coverage of the deeply flawed aspects of journalism in the nation, where Brad Slager looks to bring accountability to the mishaps, malaprops, misdeeds, manipulations, malpractice, and manufactured narratives in mainstream media.
