OPINION

The Townhall 50: Tabulating the Worst in Journalism in 2023 – #50-31

Brad Slager
Brad Slager  |  Jan 10, 2024
The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Townhall.com.

We have reached that time to compile our list of the journalists who distinguished themselves over the past year with their departure from journalism ethics, repugnant reportorial displays, soporific punditry, and just plain bad performances throughout the year. Drawing up the list was a laborious process.

First, we had to compile examples. Then, measure things based on performance, influence, bias, reach, and work other factors into a complex formula to rank accordingly. It was laborious, but – unlike many on this list – we took the time to research and explore the topics. So, let's get into things – here is the introductory list as we make our way through the chart of 50 notable names from 2023.

50. John Blake – As CNN's racial correspondent, John enjoys using newly created terms for his political-cultural coverage. "Text-jacking" is when politicians use Scripture for agenda items. Conservatives reforming liberal terms for political gain are using "verbal jiu-jitsu." His best was declaring that any whites on social media using a GIF in their post featuring a POC individual are guilty of using "digital blackface."

49. Emily Heil – The Washington Post food critic is not someone you'd expect to hit the list, but Heil became noteworthy in September after being confronted by Barstool Sports CEO Dave Portnoy over a hit piece she was working on about his pizzafest. Portnoy became aware Heil was contacting vendors of the event – but not him – to notify them of Dave's controversial past, so he reached out to her directly. The result was a glorious example of addressing the activist behavior in the press. She also broke the story of the Bidens going out to eat and ordering the same dish.

48. Eric Levitz – The New Yorker writer looked at the stories of babies that were decapitated in Israel by Hamas and felt the need to parse the definition of "beheaded." He wrote an extremely long treatise about socialism and bananas. He declared the solution to the mass illegal immigration is to have the government build more housing. (The promise of a free dwelling just might exacerbate this problem, Eric.) After Biden allowed a Chinese spy balloon to travel the entire country, Eric defended him by trying to make the issue about Trump.

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47. Matt Lavietes – Reporting on Florida pulling the liquor license of a hotel in Miami, the NBC News LGBT𝜋 correspondent reported this was because it staged a drag show when the facts were the venue had been warned to not allow children into a sexually staged performance. In a hit piece on Libs of TikTok, he claimed Chaya Raichik never responded to him, and NBC News had to stealth edit him when she exposed that lie. When a shop owner was killed over a Pride flag, Matt laid the blame on the "far-right's years of criticism" of the flag.

46. Laura Coates – With Mario Van Peebles, the hostess declared in Florida, it would be illegal to teach about slavery. With Chris Wallace on, she falsely edited an interview tape he conducted with RNC Chair Rona McDaniel, making her sound like an election denier. She hosted a panel criticizing Governor Sarah Sanders for banning the term "Latinx" while admitting barely any Hispanics approve of the term.

45. Alex Thompson – Alex is the resident Biden PR flak at Axios. He delivered a weepy account of what Joe Biden endures behind the scenes regarding Hunter's travails. He tried to sell how Joe is vibrant beyond his years. As he reported on Biden having profanity-laced tirades in the White House – in defiance of his pledge to fire anyone disrespecting others – Alex described this as him simply "getting his Irish up." He delivered an embarrassingly cloying piece on First Lady Jill Biden trying to get Joe to eat better in the White House.

44. Bill Kristol – It says plenty that more Never Trump names are not listed, as that movement has ebbed in the time of Biden. The likes of The Bulwark and The Lincoln Project got their man and now have to live with that result, all while still bleating, "But Trump!" Rather than being objectionable, they have become tiresome. Kristol still had his moments and is only notable for how far he has slumped from his conservative days. Take his pride in working to remove the broadcast license of Fox News. He attempted to blame the invasion of Crimea on Trump, while it happened on Obama's watch. He tried to make the Russian attack on Ukraine about Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, ignoring who is president.

43. Jonathan Allen – The NBC News Washington reporter is blatantly on one side of the political aisle. He penned a "Republicans pounce" piece about how they are damaging the Biden brand. He attempted to blame an expected press carnival over Trump's Georgia indictment on Trump and not the press behaving like jackals. Laughably, Mr. Allen reported on supposed upheaval in the White House over Israel because he thinks anonymous interns have a valid say in anything.

42. Kelly O'Donnell – She was named the new president of the White House Correspondents Association and soon showed she was a good fit for that Dem-snuggling outfit. After cocaine was found in the White House, she was satisfied with the White House explanation it was unlikely to be found who it belonged to. She tried to slam Trump by noting he was going to court as Joe Biden was going to the beach – just as details came that showed Biden has taken a full year of days off. She felt it was newsworthy that Trump's plane had to await takeoff while, as president, Biden is permitted to lift off immediately. 

41. Kasie Hunt – Had to ruefully admit that GOP governors were successful in sending immigrants to sanctuary cities but that Republicans want the problem for 2024. She was called out live by Ken Cuccinelli for selectively editing a video clip of Gov. Ron DeSantis. During the State of the Union, she marveled Biden could be president deep into his 80s. Hunt tried to claim it was not the press making the teaching of slavery in Florida an issue but the Republicans.

40. Jonathan Lemire – The Politico columnist and "Morning Joe" panelist frequently serves as Biden's PR voice. He explained away new evidence of Hunter's business dealings with Joe by invoking the death of his son Beau, saying he was distracted. On his show "Way Too Early," Lemire castigated Nikki Haley for citing Biden's age as an issue, even as his own network's polling shows two-thirds of voters have this concern. Jon frequently has promoted censorship oversight on "Morning Joe."

39. Tara Palmeri – Puck News beat reporter tagging along with Gov. DeSantis loves to cast him in an inept light, facts be damned. She stated he has no interest in interacting with humans, then had to admit Biden also avoids the press – but it is due to a stutter. She then claimed Ron DeSantis basically ran away from her probing questions, but then a video emerged where he was strolling calmly as she badgered him about which Disney character is his favorite.

38. Bill Weir – CNN's climate reporter was, of course, pushing that wildfires in Canada and Hawaii were climate-induced. Weir hyped a climate lawsuit by Montana teenagers as a battle against Republicans – while admitting if they win the suit, nothing will change. In pushing for electric cars, Bill claimed that "our choice of fuels not only warms things up for everybody but really, really affects communities of color." He lectured in a segment about the need for us to stop using fossil fuels after flying over 6,600 miles to file a field report from the tip of South America. 

37. Carron Phillips – The Deadspin writer appears to be on the sports website's race-baiting-beat. He pushed the NFL to move the Pro Bowl from Orlando due to DeSantis. He claimed Baker Mayfield started as Tampa's QB because he is white (as he led them to the playoffs). Phillips targeted a 9-year-old Kansas City Chiefs fan for supposedly wearing blackface and said it was "hate" toward blacks and Native Americans. The boy had team colors on his face, and he himself is Native American.

36. Mika Brzezinski – The lesser half of the romantic morning duo had her moments. She expressed dismay at the Dems and the press for not minimizing Joe Biden's readily apparent impairments. After it was revealed Joe Biden, after long denials, did discuss things with Hunter, Mika parroted the White House defense of "They talked about fishing and the weather." She leaned heavily on the Justice Clarence Thomas "influence peddling" conspiracy, all the while oblivious that the supposed benefactor supposedly compromising the justice never had a case before SCOTUS.

35. Kristen Welker – She took over the reins of "Meet the Press" when Chuck Todd stepped down/was pushed out, and there was little in the way of change for the program. Chuckles had to be proud of her biased interview with Donald Trump. An interview with Ron DeSantis had Welker working from a script, asking the governor repeatedly if he will drop out of the race, and badgering him six times to respond about Donald Trump using the word "vermin" in a speech.

34. Wajahat Ali – The Daily Beast correspondent and MSNBC fixture is so reliably obsessed over race and political hits that he has become easily dismissed. He laughably detailed going to a mosque, and when the Iman spoke against LGBT𝜋 issues, blamed it not on Muslim beliefs but on negative GOP influence. He was among those ignorantly claiming Nikki Haley uses her middle name to "hide" her Indian heritage and that she is a "Manchurian candidate for white supremacy."

(Tie) 33. 32. 31. David Frum, Jonathan Chait, David French – This triumvirate of Never Trumpers has become, individually, indistinguishable from each other. These Libs-in-Cons-Clothing basically write in the same pattern – revile Trump, condemn his acolytes in Congress, demean all Republicans, and dismiss the conservatives as they claim to be allegedly still operating under that political umbrella. Oh, and one other trait these "conservative" journos share: Never will they be critical of Joe Biden or Democrats in general.


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