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White House Orchestrates the Press Narrative

Brad Slager
Brad Slager  |  Sep 13, 2023
The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Townhall.com.

09.13.23

Legalized Press-titution – POLITICO

  • Re-printing the entire press release from the administration avoids being labeled as "White House Stenography," we have to assume.

As a sign that the GOP Oversight Committee investigations are having an effect, we see more defenses of Joe Biden in the press, and the White House is ramping up its narrative of denials. The administration's Pitt Yorkie – Ian Sams – has been dispatched to make a full deflection campaign. But more than just making appearances on the morning news programs, Sams has also sent out a letter with Biden-defense strategy marching orders. The revealing detail is this was not sent out to administration officials or Democrats on The Hill – it was a letter directing the media on how to defend the president against the Republicans!

Sams sent out a 14-page directive to major media outlets, and in obedient fashion, Politico's Heidi Przybyla is not only delivering this missive but goes off on a lengthy thread of enthusiastic defense of the president, and hostility toward Republicans. 

This is as blatantly shameless as it gets.

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DNC PR Firm – ASSOCIATED PRESS

Maybe call it poor timing (or just having the article pre-written and ready to fire off when commanded), but the AP comes out with yet another declarative piece dictating that there is a GOP inquiry taking place "without evidence."

That letter from Ian Sams addressed what he described as "7 lies" from the Republican claims, and here is the AP following suit. A small matter that the Republican Oversight Committee has been spitting out evidence for months, and then almost at the same time the committee just issued a list of close to two dozen examples of Biden's connecting to the money schemes with his family. That is to say, "evidence."

Matching Media Memorandum – TIME MAGAZINE

Following the same marching orders is TIME, which found a pair of impeachment experts to come forward with their claims that this GOP effort is completely baseless – and also making the bold statement that there is no evidence. They say this is a "shocking" development and the weakest attempt in history! Now that you learn there have only been a handful of attempts this appears far less shocking. When you recall that Donald Trump was impeached over a phone call – and the primary witness had not even been witness to the call – you have to wonder just how serious this measurement actually can be.

Also, the claim of a lack of evidence is wildly premature, considering this is a timeframe before the inquiry to look into things has commenced.

Both Kinds of Standards – CNN

  • Okay, so this time it is bad. Do we have that correct?!

CNN's Manu Raju has built his career in holding politicians accountable…from only one party. With the announcement that Kevin McCarthy was going to bypass the floor vote and commence with the impeachment inquiry, Raju was right there to challenge the Speaker over this change of heart on his part.

Understand, this is the very same move that Nancy Pelosi used, and McCarthy criticized her over but there was no criticism of her doing this…when it was reported on CNN…by Manu Raju.

Anti-Social Media – VARIOUS OUTLETS

  • Exhibiting poor manners when apprehending a murderous fugitive.

For two weeks, there has been high drama in Pennsylvania regarding the escaped murderer Danelo Cavalcante, but today, the authorities pinned down his location and brought him back into custody.

In doing so, it was shown that the officers involved had posed for a picture around Cavalcante, and in a press conference regarding the arrest, the authorities were actually questioned about the appropriateness of this action by the cops. Gratefully, this accusatory line of questioning was politely but firmly shot down by Lt. Col. Bivens as he ran the presser:

I’m aware that there was a photo op that was taken out there. Those men and women work amazingly hard through some very trying circumstances. They’re proud of their work. I’m not bothered at all by the fact that they took of photograph with him in custody. Again, they’re proud of their work. They kept the community safe. I say thanks to them and good job.

Hoax and Change – MSNBC

  • Don't let the researchable facts interrupt your ranting, Joe!

In a morning speech on his show, "Republican" Joe Scarborough was delivering yet another heavy criticism of Republicans, and in so doing, he repeated the most repeated and provably wrong lie about January 6, that police had been killed that day. Not that we expect better from ScarJo, but it is still hilarious to see him lecturing boldly while being 100% incorrect, considering there was one person killed that day, and it was BY the police.

"Riffed from the Headlines" is Townhall's daily VIP feature with coverage of the deeply flawed aspects of journalism in the nation, where Brad Slager looks to bring accountability to the mishaps, malaprops, misdeeds, manipulations, malpractice, and manufactured narratives in mainstream media.