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In an Effort to Keep the Capitol Riot in the News, Journalists Embarrass Themselves

Brad Slager
Brad Slager  |  Jul 07, 2021
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Townhall's daily VIP feature with coverage on the deeply flawed aspects of journalism in the nation. We'll look to bring accountability to the mishaps, malaprops, misdeeds, manipulations, malpractice, and manufactured narratives in mainstream media.

07.07.21

Reporting On The Mirror – VARIOUS OUTLETS

The press has been desperate to keep the riot in January positioned as a political signifier, allowing them to keep demonizing one side of the political spectrum. This was why yesterday was filled with journalists memorializing the, uh, six-month anniversary(?) of the attack on the Capitol. It also appears to have been an attack on journalists. 

So many came out with personal accounts of how dire the event was – for them – that they fail to see this completely undermines their claim that this was a historically significant event. Vice had this to say about the lasting effects.

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  • "Reporters have discussed their personal experiences in the days immediately following the Capitol insurrection. But few have publicly talked about the lasting effects in the months since—the toll that day took on them, the difficulty some have faced in returning to a site where they experienced trauma."

With no shortage of melodrama, they also have this assessment.

  • "The emotional scars are still there. Six months after their office was attacked, the Capitol Hill press corps is grappling with how to cover the insurrection’s fallout, as well as its impact on them personally and professionally."

If this is the worst to come out of the skirmish, it cannot have been such an impactful event.

Anti-Social Media – ESPN

  • The self-created problem leads to a self-created problematic solution.

The fallout continues at ESPN over the internal fighting seen with its NBA anchors as the Finals begin. Now that the tape of Rachel Nichols complaining about Maria Taylor has become national news, the sports network struggles to repair damage and save face.

After announcing that Nichols would be replaced as a courtside reporter but retain her role on her own NBA show "The Jump," ahead of Game 1 of the NBA Finals, ESPN had replacements for Nichols on camera, with no explanation for her absence. The network continues to mangle this episode that is actually from one year ago, and clearly, the work of Taylor's camp looking for leverage in contract negotiations. 

Both Kinds Of Standards – POLITICO

A new report from Politico sounds dire. Those dastardly Republicans are poised to get into the nefarious practice of redistricting, something that curiously appears far less nefarious when the Democrats are involved. Politico frames this story on how the GOP is looking to redraw congressional districts to – get this – work in their favor.

This is the result of a pair of harsh realities; the census and the GOP success at the state level in the last election. At issue is that a number of blue states lost a House seat, and the red states gained. 

Of course, not unlike the shift in opinion on the filibuster, once they are out of power, the Democrats are calling to change the rules, as they want to have third-party individuals be put in charge of redrawing district boundaries in some states. What Politico wants to pretend is that Democrats are not redrawing districts themselves in some states where they wield power. Colorado and Illinois are already involved, without any shrieking in the press. And years ago in Florida, when they hoped to gain control, the Dems were plotting how to realign portions there to permanently align it as a blue. 

Legalized Press-titution – ASSOCIATED PRESS

In the practiced fashion, the press looks at political donations in a negative light – when it applies to the Republican Party. Note how questionable donations, union funding, and dark money are never considered problematic in regards to the Democratic Party.

Joining in on the "anniversary" celebrations of the Capitol riot yesterday, the Associated Press looked into the number of corporations promising to scale back donations to Republicans following the attack. Only a small number have actually followed through. 

DNC PR Firm – NBC NEWS

  • Reporting on the glorious effects of a Democratic Senate in an unbiased fashion.

At NBC News, Sahil Kapur was noting another six-month milestone yesterday. On that date in January, Georgia confirmed that its two runoffs led to Democrats being sent to the Senate, delivering a 50/50 split in the chamber and leading to some voting results that Kapur seems clearly giddy about seeing get passage.

Pulitzer Prize Nomination – DAILY BEAST

We get it. The press is insistent on making this Capitol attack the biggest political tool to use against the GOP. But in a sense of desperation to be noticed amid the throng of news outlets commemorating the event, The Daily Beast looks a bit...desperate. Here they come up with a vital exposé about one of the plotters behind the January rampage using a LEGO set of the Capitol – maybe.