Stealth Story Evolution – CNN
From “Story of the Year” to “Why is anyone even talking about this story?!” in a matter of days.
At CNN, the hits just keep on coming. We do not mean “hits” as in popular and dominating the charts, but more along the lines of body blows.
Over the weekend, there was a lot of excitement when it was shown that after the fall of the leader of Syria, CNN Middle East correspondent Clarissa Ward freed a beleaguered prisoner discovered to be rotting in solitary confinement in a Syrian jail.
In nearly twenty years as a journalist, this was one of the most extraordinary moments I have witnessed. https://t.co/rG3WmhKh7X
— Clarissa Ward (@clarissaward) December 11, 2024
While there was talk of him being denied water for dramatic stretches, and other claims, some people began questioning the story, and then by Sunday, the story was completely blasted to pieces. It turns out the man rescued was a known torture agent and known for other war crimes while working under the Assad regime.
Prisoner CNN helped free from Syrian prison was actually notorious Assad-regime torturer: report https://t.co/XkuVhPTWKw pic.twitter.com/nj1PCu6Xr9
— New York Post (@nypost) December 16, 2024
Low-Octane Gaslighting – ABC NEWS
Sign the check, and let’s never mention this again.
The defamation lawsuit brought by Donald Trump against George Stephanopoulos and ABC News has been settled, with the network paying out $15 million that will be used toward the Trump presidential library. There was also to be an official apology from the network, a scathing admission that they had little leg to stand on.
🚨 #BREAKING: ABC must pay Trump $15 million, settles out of defamation lawsuit and will publicly apologize to Trump - Fox
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) December 14, 2024
Top anchor George Stephanopoulos had claimed Trump was "liable for r*aping" E. Jean Carroll, prompting Trump to bring the lawsuit. That statement was false.… pic.twitter.com/YlyGH4aQkA
Reporting on the Mirror – CNN
Say, Jim? Hard for ABC News to “stand firm” when they did not have a leg to stand on in the lawsuit.
Over at the beleaguered CNN, Jim Acosta was rather intemperate upon seeing this news of ABC settling the lawsuit with Trump. He brought on media guru Brian Stelter to discuss the issue, and they were of the agreement that the press needs to remain rigidly opposed to Trump (in a non-partisan, unbiased fashion, we presume).
What these two wizards fail to grasp is that the only reason ABC settled is because it knew it was called out for fraudulent reporting on the air, and therefore, what this Acosta-Stelter duo is calling for is more misinformation to be delivered by the press.
Genius move, guys.
Jim Acosa: "This is a time for our industry to stand firm..."
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) December 16, 2024
Brian Stelter: "If some bend the knee [to Trump], others have to stand up straighter...We work for the viewers! Not for anybody else!" https://t.co/UAyooZOgkr
Low-Octane Gaslighting – PUBLIC BROADCASTING SERVICE
We need to discuss what your network’s parameters are to declare someone an “expert.”
PBS is still at it with the Pete Hegseth pile-on, doing all it can to disqualify the man for his appointment as Secretary of Defense, even before Trump is sworn into office. It brought on the program Brad Onishi to decry, once again, the fact that Hegseth has the Jerusalem cross tattoo:
Anders Breivik referenced the Knights Templar in his act of terrorism. The Christchurch shooter emblazoned Crusader symbology on his weapons. So the use of these symbols from any Christian is alarming.
That is to say, any Christian using Christian symbols that have been in existence for centuries becomes guilty of any crime they pluck from the modern era if someone appropriated those. So, if Hegseth had that tattoo BEFORE some sociopath used the symbols in hateful fashion, that means Hegseth is in support and guilty by association…somehow.
This is cherry-picking of the lowest order by an “expert” on the subject.
— Brad Slager: CNN+ Lifetime Subscriber (@MartiniShark) December 15, 2024
To say anyone using the Jerusalem cross is “alarming” ignores it is a central symbol in the faith.
It’s on Bibles, priests wear it, it’s used by institutions, and is even found on Communion wafers. https://t.co/xqXdNZkUE8 pic.twitter.com/zb42QB0VXj
Pre-Written Field Reports – NEW YORK POST
Ummm…so just any video game would serve as your alarming cautionary tale?!
In the wake of the UnitedHealthcare CEO assassination, the New York Post got in on the hype, but resorted to a tired trope seen frequently after shootings. They literally went the route of blaming it on a video game. But more than that, the paper decided to label it “an assassin video game.”
Oooooooh, you might be wondering, was it "Assassin’s Creed"? "Grand Theft Auto"? "Call of Duty: Black Ops"?
Uh, no... The Post declared that “Among Us” is the assassination game in the crosshairs.
(Apologies if the use of “crosshairs” is triggering.)
(Also, apologies if the use of the gun term “triggering” was…uh, well…offensive.)
Luigi Mangione played assassin video game ‘Among Us’ with friends: ‘Extremely ironic’ https://t.co/HqhWggT6qZ pic.twitter.com/crTtS8RuQg
— New York Post (@nypost) December 10, 2024
