This is Townhall's daily VIP feature, where we will focus coverage on the deeply flawed aspects of journalism in the nation. We'll look to bring accountability to the mishaps, misdeeds, manipulations, malpractice, and manufactured narratives in the mainstream media.
06.24.21
Anti-Social Media – MSNBC
For some time now, Joy Reid has been on a tear regarding her support for Critical Race Theory (CRT), pushing all the talking points, backing the curriculum while blowing misinformative smoke. Over the past couple of weeks, she has been in a Twitter dispute with Christopher Rufo, who is not only well-versed in the nefarious aspects of CRT, but has more than enough data to support his opposition. Just a couple of days ago, we wrote on the attempt by the Washington Post to criticize Rufo, and he not only refuted their piece, but he brought the hard facts and cowed the paper into issuing corrections.
He has challenged Reid to have him on her program to discuss the issue, and as she initially balked last night, she relented, and you see quickly she should have stayed resistant. Watch just her intro here as she tried to discredit Rufo out of the gate.
WOWZA: Just moments into their fiery interview, the Manhattan Institute's @realchrisrufo lowered the boom on Joy Reid, calling her out on her lies about Critical Race Theory.
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) June 24, 2021
The rest of the interview would devolve as Reid proceeded to act like a child and not let her guest speak pic.twitter.com/sxgT9SZ0eH
The rest of the discussion, linked above, only unravels from there. The entirety of the quasi-interview is Rufo bringing hard facts and Reid flailing to interrupt and deflect his points in a desperate attempt to save face and save her narrative.
Low Octane Gaaslighting – POLITICO
The Office of the Vice President announced that Kamala Harris will be making a visit to the Texas border on Friday, but the planned trip is not doing much to stem the criticism. Her stop will be in El Paso, which is not considered one of the hotbed locations for migrant entries. One other issue is that so many reports on the trip seem intent on noting that she is going as a result of GOP criticism.
Politico noted this reality.
- "Vice President Kamala Harris is heading to the U.S.-Mexico border this week, amid an unrelenting chorus of criticism from Republicans over her failure to visit there."
Just about every other news report coming out in the wake of Politico's scoop makes mention of the criticisms she faced. The other challenge to the optics is this trip follows the prior announcement by Donald Trump of his own visit to Texas. This now looks like a face-saving move to beat him to the area.
While it feels like an attempt to finally have the GOP pipe down on the topic, the impression we are left with is Harris is basically being forced to go by her critics.
Breaking: Vice President Kamala Harris is heading to the U.S.-Mexico border this week, amid an unrelenting chorus of criticism from Republicans over her failure to visit there https://t.co/ouro9BDReg
— POLITICO (@politico) June 23, 2021
Reporting On The Mirror – THE NEW YORK TIMES
The Washington Post has some coverage of the executive editor for The New York Times, Dean Baquet. That is a name that has been frequently seen in the past six months or so, as Baquet is uniquely charged with addressing many of the turbulent issues that have cropped up regarding the staff at The Times. Wemple has noticed that in these frequent dispatches from the head editor, he repeats a common theme.
Time after time, when confronting an issue regarding his people, Baquet is prone to declaring that an individual is a rare generational talent. When he recently issued a statement in defense of Maggie Haberman, he said of his columnist, "She is one of the finest journalists of her generation." Very high praise, indeed. It also matches the praise he delivered on Nikole Hannah-Jones, who he said was one "of the finest journalists of her generation."
David Barstow, David Carr, and even a table of writers at an awards show were all described as the finest of a generation. It might take another decade for Baquet to come up with another superlative to use when talking up his staff.
Presentation Paradox – POLITICO
The outlet details the behind-the-scenes wrangling taking place at Harvard as the school struggles to organize a regular historical event. Every four years, the university hosts a gathering of the officials from both of the parties involved in the previous presidential election, but the report states that there are troubles getting the Trump members to participate.
After stating the Trump folks might snub the school, they detail that rather than a joint conference, there is a desire to hold separate gatherings, but the Trump team may not attend at all. While this is set up as the cause of a reticent group from a petulant Trump team, the reality is buried a bit deeper.
- "On Saturday, there will be a 'look back' discussion, but only featuring one half of the 2020 campaign: the Democrats. A parallel effort to invite former aides to Donald Trump for a separate event is foundering over scheduling problems, amid internal worries of a backlash over hosting allies of the former president."
Glossary Over Things – CNN
Actor Michael B. Jordan has announced that he is joining the growing list of celebrity spirits distributors as he is about to release his own line of rums. He has dubbed his potable with the Creole name of "J'Ouvert," which translates to "Daybreak." But there has been an outcry, accusing the actor of cultural appropriation because it turns out there is a festival on the island of Trinidad that uses the name.
Why this is offensive is not ever really explained. The minister of Trade for Trinidad and Tobago weighed in on the matter.
- "This is of keen interest, not only to the Ministry of Trade and Industry but also to the intellectual property office of the Ministry of the Attorney General, and the Ministry of Tourism and Culture. We all have an interest..."
That no one has been able to fully explain how the use of a lone word is considered offensive and appropriation seems irrelevant. Jordan has been shamed, and he declares they will change the name of his spirit accordingly.
Pulitzer Prize Nomination – THE GUARDIAN
The Globe tackles a thorny mystery taking place in California – an arraignment took place for an individual involved in a felonious theft.
- "Evergreen question, but what is wrong with all of you? Today I am asking it after learning about a lemur kidnapping that allegedly took place late last year. Yes, a lemur kidnapping. On Monday, the alleged lemur-napper was arraigned in a virtual US district court hearing on charges of violating the Endangered Species Act. He faces up to $50,000 in fines and possibly a year in prison if found guilty."
The piece brings up a number of other animal zoo thefts across the globe, detailing those events – but it Never gets to the bottom of this mystery. Thanks, Guardian!