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The Media Tiki Torch Chronicles

Brad Slager
Brad Slager  |  Nov 01, 2021
The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Townhall.com.

"Riffed from the Headlines" is 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.

(Today will feature the press treatment of what has been proven to be a fake demonstration of alleged white supremacists at a Glenn Younkin campaign stop. The operatives have been shown to be Democratic Party plants, a false flag operation that was dispelled almost immediately.)

11.01.21

Artisanal-Crafted Narratives – NBC 29 Charlottesville

  • Launching the effort on behalf of the Democrats.

When the "news" broke on Friday that a group of tiki torch-bearing white supremacists arrived at the Glenn Youngkin campaign stop, it was kicked off by local reporter Elizabeth Holmes. Note the abject lack of any investigation here, and also lacking is how the press is normally digging into groups like this, finding out who the players are, who is behind the group, etc. No such curiosity is found here.

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Stealth Story Evolution – NBC NEWS

  • Erase the evidence but maintain the accusation.

NBC News legal analyst Glenn Kirschner got in on the propaganda – then had to recalibrate things as the fake staging became exposed. Glenn initially pushed out the tweet from Holmes shortly after she posted it, but when the obvious fraud was being broadcast, he deleted his original tweet.

The legal analyst who always touts about justice saw that there would be some injustice in promoting the scam any further, so he next posed as if he were just supporting McAuliffe in a politically generic fashion.

Gilded Reframe – REUTERS

  • What do you do when a narrative begins to unravel? You reclassify!

After it was confirmed that the dolts at The Lincoln Project were behind the staged racist display, Reuters found an avenue to keep the narrative going. Okay, yeah, sure – it was a disgraceful stunt on Friday in Virginia. But...IT WAS THE REPUBLICANS BEHIND IT!!!

To try and label The Lincoln Project as a GOP organization is yet another bout of desperate spin. Considering the group is nearly fully funded by Democrat donors, works in tandem with Democrat leadership groups, and has never backed a Republican candidate, Reuters is exposed doing the bidding of the party that is not the Republicans. 

DNC PR Firm – CNN

  • "Chris Cuomo, cleanup in Aisle – V."

Following the revelation that The Lincoln Project was behind the farce on Friday, Chris Cuomo dutifully had on one of the reps from that cabal, Stuart Stevens, to clarify what was behind the failed stunt. Stevens had to resort to bragging about their attempt – even as the Democrats in Virginia and the McAuliffe campaign were running away from it – and then he attempted to explain the rationale.

The idea was to tie Glenn Youngkin to Trump, even though he has barely invoked the man's name during his campaign, and then he got more desperate. He tried to smear Youngkin because he had not denounced what is ultimately a provable lie, and that is the claim Trump called white supremacists "very fine people." The level of desperation is matched only by Cuomo's abject disinterest in exploring any facts in these farcical claims. That his own network was condemning the stunt the next day makes Cuomo's segment all the more insipid.

News Avoidance Syndrome – NBC NEWS

  • Even when Terry opens the door, Chuck Todd cannot step through.

On Sunday's "Meet The Press," we got to see Terry McAuliffe continue flailing at resuscitating his campaign in the closing days. After being called out for his new suggestion that the election is not about Donald Trump – by CNN, of all outlets – Terry sat with Chuck Todd, and he dared to suggest that Glenn Youngkin was trafficking in racist dog whistles.

It was laid out for the host right there; Chuck had all the reason in the world to then mention the fake fiasco on Friday. But he managed to go the entire interview without even alluding to that day's events.