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Matt Viser Questions Validity of a Laptop He Used as a Resource

Brad Slager
Brad Slager  |  Nov 20, 2023
The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Townhall.com.

11.20.23

Pathological Media Amnesia – WASHINGTON POST

  • Disputing the validity of a laptop used previously as a valid resource.

You really have to sometimes wonder about the mental arrest witnessed by some journalists. In a new Washington Post profile on Hunter Biden, every effort is made to cast shading and lend nuance to his recidivist past. Just look over this sympathetic subheader:

The president’s son had a complex, even tortured relationship with the ‘Biden brand.’

Making this strained effort all the more ridiculous is the approach to this level of excuse-making. In describing these tortured complexities is the reference to "a review of emails found on a copy of Hunter's purported laptop," as if its existence is somehow still in dispute. In the very same sentence is the qualifier that these "have been authenticated by the Washington Post."

Now, what makes this assessment of a "purported" laptop go from ridiculous to positively insane is who wrote this. The piece is done by noted Biden sympathizer Matt Viser. He was this year awarded by the White House Correspondents Association for other glowing Biden puff pieces and, in particular, this unique aspect of Viser's reporting:

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His sourcing on the James Biden story was unusual, plumbing emails from Hunter Biden’s laptop to illuminate the relationship of the two brothers, and winning a rare interview with James Biden. 

This means Viser is perfectly content to find favorable content from Hunter's abandoned computer, and he should be celebrated for it. But anything objectionably located from that exact same source needs to be disputed and called into question.

This is the nadir of journalistic hackery.

Both Kinds of Standards – CNN

  • "This common practice we supported is now suspicious since we dislike the story."

The press is constantly looking for ways to call into debate Israel's actions and its reports made in the conflict with Hamas. This move is made all the more nefarious given the way we have seen this same press complex broadcast claims and statistics from Hamas without question.

CNN delivers another example of this as the IDF presented evidence that it found weapons in the compound located inside the al-Shifa hospital complex. The network has cagily figured out that the guns shown on display in the photos were actually displayed by the IDF for those photos to be taken. This common practice by law enforcement is said to be cause for concern and, as such, the validity of the charges made.

In an effort to underscore just how asinine this standard is for CNN to hold to, we give you this example of a previous report when the network was perfectly content with weapons displayed by authorities. Not only did CNN repeat the police claim of a weapons stash without question at the time, but it certainly should have questioned it – as the displayed "weapons" were seen to be playtime airsoft guns.

Presentation Paradox – WASHINGTON POST

Joining in on the empty-headed skepticism of the Israeli military is the Washington Post. They, too, tried to pretend it reported on the findings at the al-Shifa hospital, but again, we see the need to cast doubts on what has been found at the location, in defense of Hamas:

Israel has yet to produce findings that corroborate its claims that al-Shifa sits atop a Hamas headquarters and was central to the militant group’s operations in northern Gaza. 

Yes, it is all a big mystery – despite this being a known move made by Hamas.

Reported in the press that it uses this particular hospital for its headquarters. 

Reported as far back as nine years ago.

Reported in the Washington Post.

Matching Media Memorandum – VARIOUS OUTLETS

  • The press all make the same claim in order to report on "those who claim."

The media complex is very bothered by the fact that Argentina just elected a libertarian as its new president. That, or they are bothered that Javier Milei is an avowed anti-socialist, something nearly sacrilegious to the press.

As such, they have cast Milei in what they deem to be the worst possible light. Note how the press makes the same claim in unison and then states everyone is making that claim.

Gilded Reframe – THE HILL

  • This is what happens when nobody drives in the cities where the media are located.

In a now-deleted post, The Hill reported how Honda Motors has to recall a significant number of cars due to significant engine troubles. However, they chose to illustrate the piece with the nameplate of its competitor, Hyundai.

You can practically hear the "shrug" from the intern making this post since it starts with the same letter.

Stealth Story Evolution – THE NEW YORK TIMES

  • If only they could pin down who was behind all these decisions now proving to have been disastrous for our future!

Most of us will never forget how our government and the media complex teamed up to force us as a nation into fully complying with pandemic lockdowns and grinding our society to a halt for two weeks – which ended up lasting a year or more, depending on your location. School closures were a part of this clampdown, and those at the time who were pointing out the lack of this need (as children had been barely affected) and the adverse effects this would have on education were roundly demonized.

Now, we are in the era of COVID revisionism, as those who had been criticized and even silenced at the time have been largely proven right. We see this in place with an op-ed in The New York Times detailing all of the negatives being experienced as a result of those school closings.

While the facts are not all surprising, it is rather stark to see something printed today that, had it been done two or so years back, would have led to the outlet being the focus of pent-up emotional outrage and possibly deplatformed.

"Riffed from the Headlines" is Townhall's daily VIP feature with coverage on 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.