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Prose & Contradiction – ABC NEWS
When you speak your mind before your peers allow what can be in mind.
It is pure comedy when journalists speak candidly and upset their allies in the process. TMZ, of all outlets, stumbled across footage of George Stephanopoulos on the streets of New York. A random citizen spotted the ABC News host and recorded a brief interlude, managing to get him on camera stating he did not believe Biden could deliver a second term as president.
The blowback was immediate.
George and ABC News issued separate statements of quasi-apology and denials:
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STEPHANOPOULOS: 'Earlier today I responded to a question from a passerby. I shouldn't have,' he told Puck News in response to the video.
#GeorgeStephanopoulos just made a STUNNING comment: he told someone on the streets of #NewYork that he doesn't think President #JoeBiden can serve another term! https://t.co/cFMK2Uxx4z pic.twitter.com/pxKkolFcGt
— TMZ (@TMZ) July 9, 2024
Legalized Press-titution – HOLLYWOOD / THE NEW YORK TIMES
This means, George, you saw no issue with him at the time, but once it became confirmed with the public, THEN it was a problem.
George Clooney has come out with an op-ed in The New York Times announcing he believes Biden should be replaced on the party ticket. Normally, this would be the easily dismissed opinion of an actor, except for some deeply revealing details. Clooney was part of the big fundraiser in Hollywood, and he writes that he witnessed Biden in the same debilitating condition he displayed at the debate...two weeks ago. This is significant because that was before the debate, yet, there were no words of concern from himself or other attendees.
In fact, this was the event where Biden was seen onstage freezing up and then being guided off by Barack Obama – the same event where those sharing the video footage were said to be trafficking in fake news and performing a partisan hit on Biden. Now, Clooney confirms what we already knew: everything seen had been accurate and the press was lying in order to play defense on behalf of Biden.
From George Clooney: “It’s devastating to say it, but the Joe Biden I was with three weeks ago at the fund-raiser was not the Joe ‘big F-ing deal’ Biden of 2010. He wasn’t even the Joe Biden of 2020. He was the same man we all witnessed at the debate.” https://t.co/t3AIwIGN24
— New York Times Opinion (@nytopinion) July 10, 2024
Democratic Custodial Services – NBC NEWS
Deciding it is not their fault that they declined to do their job.
Add two more names to the pile of journalists exposed by admitting to knowing full well of Joe Biden's condition being a concern in D.C. power circles: Chuck Todd and Politico's Jonathan Martin.
On the "Toddcast," Chuckles hosted his buddy J-Mart and they were basically yucking it up about how everyone knew about Biden's condition. As they slap back and share anecdotes about discussing the diminishing faculties of the president of the United States, they both sound oblivious as to how this reflects upon them. Their admission of what is at best professional sloth and at worst outward protection of a political party is almost amazing to hear spoken out loud:
JONATHAN MARTIN: The politicians in the Democratic Party have shown in the last few days a lot of them simply don’t have the courage of their convictions. They simply aren’t willing to stand up and say in public what they’ve been telling folks like us - for YEARS! This is NOT a new story!
CHUCK TODD: Jonathan? I’m not going to ‘out’ the cabinet secretary…but I had a cabinet secretary – two years ago – okay? Two years ago…out of the blue, ask ME, ‘Do you really think he’s going to…he can’t run again, like THIS. And I said, ‘Well you have more interaction with him than I do.’ And they said, ‘I don’t have a lot of interaction with him.’ This is a pretty senior cabinet secretary, and this was two years ago. This is one of those, you know, it’s the classic open secrets, the non-versation, right? It’s the story everybody knows, and everybody was afraid to talk about.
Todd goes on to deflect, suggesting journalists are only as good as the sources who do not lie to them. And Martin plays this game as well. He calls it "laughable" that there was some grave media cover-up, as they both admit to knowing about concerns of Biden being able to operate for years now. He claims it was covered, which is complete garbage, as we witnessed numerous media outlets attacking those who dared comment on Biden's condition and the evidence presented being called fake, partisan attacks.
Breaking down what Dems are really thinking behind the scenes with my longtime pal and Hotline alum @jmart https://t.co/K9f9aDx2QL
— Chuck Todd (@chucktodd) July 10, 2024
News Avoidance Syndrome – NBC NEWS
The president making an appearance? News. The president speaking at the appearance? CUT THE MIC, DROP THE FEED!
This is some utter hilarity in image management. It is unclear if this was a maneuver by the Biden staff and handlers or if the network was following a directive. But the hilarity is there, all the same. Biden was at a union event, and as things concluded, he reached over and took the microphone from one of the organizers. He began rambling on about DEI hiring practices, and then the camera wavers, the sound begins to drop, and then the feed cuts off entirely.
Nothing bolsters the damaged image of President Silver Alert like abruptly stopping the coverage and cutting to a test pattern!
Biden randomly grabs the mic and starts rambling about DEI as the feed abruptly cuts and reporters are herded out of the room pic.twitter.com/Knu6ZOKzhO
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) July 10, 2024
Reporting on the Mirror – NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO
Imagine considering Joe Scarborough anything approaching a legitimate journalist. Well, that is the realm NPR’s media expert, David Folkenflik, wandered into during a stop on "All Things Considered." He was discussing the appearance (well, phone interview) President Biden made with "Morning Joe" and to his credit, Folkenflik actually stated something that we have addressed here in the column, namely that there is no difference between Biden going on the air with his fluffer Scar-Joe and the media complaints heard when Donald Trump speaks with Sean Hannity on Fox News.
Well…it seems there may be a bit of a difference, according to Dave. He hedges that anything appearing on MSNBC carries a tinge of legitimacy because of the shared bloodline with NBC News:
I would say it's definitely part of the Democratic firmament, and you had a couple of Biden administration aides who are now hosts on MSNBC. And at the same time, I would argue that perhaps because of NBC News being a corporate sibling, you know, it's a little bit more rooted in journalism.
When President Biden needed a friendly hearing, he turned to MSNBC's Morning Joe.
— David Folkenflik (@davidfolkenflik) July 8, 2024
I'll talk with @jmsummers shortly on NPR's All Things Considered about the president's relationship with MSNBC - and its star host, Joe Scarborough
Coming up! @npratc
Anti-Social Media – CNN
Mark Thompson is convinced that there is a new pathway ahead for CNN. There better be, as the broadcast side just suffered last month some of the worst primetime ratings it has experienced in more than 30 years. The new CEO is eyeing a plan to wed the broadcast and digital components, as well as develop a newer version of the subscription side of things.
In the process, as we speculated recently with the network subscribing to the Associated Press syndicate, there is also a projected job cutting ahead involving at least 100 employees.
CNN chief Mark Thompson announces sweeping overhaul of news network, cuts 100 jobs; by @oliverdarcy https://t.co/QPUB4AJuQU
— Margaret Sullivan (@Sulliview) July 10, 2024
