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Legalized Press-titution – NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO
There has been plenty of excitement in the press this week over the "scandalous” audio tapes of Justice Samuel Alito as he…gave his rather common-sense opinions on topics. As we covered, Rolling Stone was very excitable, and The New York Times quoted Alito on things he did not say. But NPR spoke with the source of the tapes and basically laid out why this was not a valid story. For starters, most of the "controversial" quotes that have the press energized match comments Alito has made previously in public settings or speeches. He spoke of his personal opinions and was not commenting on any rulings or judicial practice.
Lauren Windsor is a filmmaker who made the recordings, and in covering the story for "Morning Edition," we get this list of objectionable details about the sourcing.
The judge was taped without his knowledge.
Windsor lied that she was a religious conservative.
She speaks predominantly in the recording and makes leading statements to get the quotes desired.
NPR could not verify the accuracy.
Windsor will not release unedited audio clips.
Windsor will not provide full transcripts.
"Windsor did not follow the journalistic standards and ethics of traditional news outlets."
Despite these misgivings, she is still regarded as a valid source and her tapes are covered extensively. While there isn't a problem with taping people for a story, adding in all of the elements she employs to get this story out, you have to step back and ask if there is validity. NPR has instead run with the claims, invalid though they may be.
Filmmaker who recorded Alito, Roberts says she did it ‘in service of a public good’ https://t.co/FWycCRrO4Y pic.twitter.com/xI51Rm3OUM
— 🌊 R Saddler (@Politics_PR) June 13, 2024
Gilded Reframe – CNN
Now…they were accurate, but he just KNOWS they meant something else?
CNN's resident hornet Donie O'Sullivan was up to his usual routine, which is perambulating the Trump rallies and trying to get wing-nut commenters to provide fodder on camera. He got one such person who managed to actually sound competent, so O'Sullivan had to contort things as clearly he was bothered by accuracy.
At issue is the media obsession these days with how Trump is assuredly going to ruin our democracy if he is reelected, but one attendee correctly points out that this country was established as a representational republic, not a true democracy. This bothered O'Sullivan's narrative leanings.
I've been hearing more and more at Trump events in recent months this claim that "America is not a democracy, it's a republic."
— Donie O'Sullivan (@donie) June 13, 2024
There is a conversation to be had on this, of course -- it's an ongoing one since the country's founding: what form our democracy takes, direct v.…
Now, what does Donie do when faced with an accuracy that exposes media ignorance? He declares they are only saying these things to "neutralize" the accusations his kind are making, and then states since they do not really mean it, that proves democracy is threatened – and therefore, proves they are correct by extension.
As @anneapplebaum told me for this story, the fact we are even having this conversation shows a lot of damage has already been done to American democracy.
— Donie O'Sullivan (@donie) June 13, 2024
Pulitzer Prize Nomination – ANDREW KACZYNSKI
They caught him clicking a button nearly a decade ago. This…is news, apparently…
Well, this may be the swan song for those like Andy Kaczynski, as Elon Musk has made posts that people "like" on Xitter now hidden from the public. This means we will no longer be treated to scathing reports like the one K-File submitted regarding potential vice president for Trump, J.D. Vance.
As his name has become short-listed for the ticket, Andy delved into Vance's social media account, and you will not believe what he found! Hold on…hold on…check that.
You won't believe what Kaczynski considers to be a massive news story!
It turns out that about eight years ago, Vance liked a series of posts that were critical of Donald Trump. There you go, that's the…um, news, we guess.
NEW from me: JD Vance, a top candidate to be Trump's VP liked tweets in 2016 and 2017 that harshly criticized Trump and his policies — including one speculating that he'd serve in a Clinton administration.
— Andy Kaczynski (@KFILE) June 13, 2024
Other tweets liked by Vance said Trump committed “serial sexual assault,”…
Pathological Media Amnesia – VARIOUS OUTLETS
Now is this kind of hostility toward the press no longer a threat?
You get the sense that the White House Correspondents Association really did not want to address this, but Biden has become such a mess that it could not be avoided. The president is in Italy for the G7 conference and has managed to be his embarrassing self almost every step of the way. He held a press conference, itself a novel occurrence, but in the process of fielding questions, he snapped at a reporter for deviating from the script and asking him a question that was not pre-approved. This is not what you would call something the WHCA wanted to get out.
Biden holds a VERY RARE, highly scripted "press conference" — then scolds the press for asking him a question: "I wish you guys would play by the rules a little bit"
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 13, 2024
ATTACK ON THE FREE PRESS! DEMOCRACY DIES IN DARKNESS! DISGUSTING! pic.twitter.com/RX6RRA0h9S
As a result, WHCA President Kelly O'Donnell had to issue a face-saving notice, even though it has become clear the pool reporters are conditioned to follow the White House guidelines for press conferences.
The problem is that Biden keeps letting the veil slip, whether he exposes his choreographed questions and pre-written answers, or manages to fumble his delivery and reveals the prearranged process.
Our WHCA statement following the president’s press conference in Italy today. pic.twitter.com/hBprZu48YV
— Kelly O'Donnell (@KellyO) June 13, 2024
Democratic Custodial Services – MSNBC
Apparently, our eyes lie as much as Donald Trump!
While at the G7 summit, there have been several instances of Biden sounding like a doddering simp, wandering off at events, and otherwise serving as a national embarrassment. But don't believe it!
Biden's favorite show, "Morning Joe," is here to tell us that – just like the claims he is brilliant and vibrant in private – Biden was brilliant and vibrant off camera! Those video clips we all have seen and shaken our heads at are false!
(Of course, Scar-Joe is not able to deliver the video of Biden looking sharp and vibrant, but that is just a detail…)
Morning Joe heralds Biden's performance at G7 despite "cheap fakes" & "vicious lies" that he appeared lost & confused.
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) June 14, 2024
"Even critics were saying that he did a strong job, very good job representing the United States" pic.twitter.com/OQ13Du5KS8
