The Washington Post Highlights Everything Wrong With Journalism

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I’m actually old enough to remember when journalism was considered a respectable profession dedicated to seeking the truth. Or maybe when I was a kid I just didn’t realize how bad they were then. Either way, I’m not sure what the profession should be called now, but it damned sure isn’t journalism. And The Washington Post is out to illustrate that point.

The big stories this week have been from CNN, between having to fire three employees for making the mistake of getting caught while peddling fake Russian scandals tied to President Trump. What’s drawn more attention has been Project Veritas’ James O’Keefe’s video releases of CNN higher ups admitting that they are pushing a scandal that they know to be false. By now the videos are old news in the new normal, but what’s interesting is the aftermath. To that, we’ll go to Washington Post’s daily e-mail roundup of their top stories. The video releases started on Tuesday the 27th, and how did this expose into their profession get treated in the evening edition? First let’s look at the stories that got higher billing:

Senate Leaders postpone vote to overhaul Obamacare as bill faces GOP rebellion

This has been a big story, so I have no problem with this lead. OK, maybe “rebellion” is a gross exaggeration, but that’s too much of an aside.

Both hungry for a win, Trump and McConnell are being tested by the health-care bill

Still a big story, but did we need two posts?

Cyberattack hits Europe with widespread ransom demands

This story is huge too, so this is no big deal either.

The ultimate symbol of pre-recession boom is back: the McMansion

OK, a subtle compliment to President Trump  restoring consumer confidence is nice, but a rebounding economy isn’t as big a headline. Finally, we get to link #5!

Sarah Huckabee Sanders lambastes fake news — and then promotes a journalist accused of deceptive videos
In the span of a few seconds, the deputy White House press secretary attacked the media for inaccuracies and then turned around and urged them to watch a new video from conservative undercover video journalist James O’Keefe, who has been accused of deceptive editing and tactics.

“Promotes a journalist accused of fake news?” Yes, by the people who he exposed! And why should Huckabee have to urge members of the media to watch the video? I don’t care what profession you’re in, if a video gets released that stains the credibility of your industry you should be watching it ASAP! The better question is why wouldn’t every person in the room have already watched them? I know, rhetorical question…

Trump renews attack on ‘Fake News CNN’ after retraction of Russia story, resignation of journalists – The president lashed out at the network in a series of tweets this morning, insinuating that there were other stories that merited retracting.

I’m sure that there’s a more formal name for this phenomena (feel free to let me know in the comments!), but there’s a simple rule to any wrongdoing and how the press handles it. When a Republican does wrong, the action is the story. When a Democrat does wrong, the Republican reaction is the story. Maybe the bigger story is the fact that our mainstream media has been exposed as little more than the PR wing of the Democratic party? And shouldn’t any journalist with an ounce or professionalism be right alongside our president in this condemnation?

A Time Magazine with Trump on the cover hangs in his golf clubs. It’s fake – It’s not clear who created the image or why, but it is displayed prominently at some of his properties.

OK, a lot of us have had a fake magazine cover with our own faces photoshopped in hanging on our walls. Is it 100% appropriate for a president to have? No. But is this the kind of ticky tack crud that makes media organizations appear petty and unapologeticaly partisan? Yes. Now let’s jump ahead to the one mention of the CNN scandal in the following day’s e-mail:

‘I don’t like bullies’: Journalist explains why he confronted Sarah Huckabee Sanders – Sanders was in the middle of blasting the media, specifically the use of anonymous sources and the now-retracted CNN story on Russia ties with the Trump campaign, when newspaper editor Brian Karem interjected.

Do you know what the American people like even less? Dishonest propagandists preying on gullible, mentally feeble people who have such a tenuous grasp on reality that they will believe anything that makes them feel good, no matter how stupid! Do you not have any responsibility to not prey on the mentally impaired? I’m sure we’ll hear more on this subject in the coming days, but as of the cutoff for this post today’s WaPo update had this:

Sarah Huckabee Sanders says Trump has never ‘promoted or encouraged violence.’ She is very wrong – Even if you don’t believe the president has technically incited violence, he clearly nodded toward violence at his campaign rallies. Let’s take a trip down memory lane.

I partially agree with this sentiment. Yes, what then Nominee-Trump said wasn’t appropriate, but I’d take these accusations more seriously if the accusers showed equal indignation over a president who said things like “Get in their faces” and “Punish you enemies.” And let’s look at that last statement – when is the last time a president declared a significant portion of the citizens he was representing to be enemies? WTF?!?

But more importantly, our current president most likely would have never made those inappropriate remarks had some vile human being not dispatched her hired Brown Shirts to harass people attending his political rallies.

The media is at a major crossroad in its profession, and so far every sign shows that they’re choosing the Thelma and Louise road. I hate seeing this, as journalism serves a critical role in any culture of speaking truth to power. And if the major players choose to cede their seats on the peak of the mountain to these unruly upstarts like O’Keefe, then so be it.

One last parting shot – WaPo doesn’t seem to have gotten the message, as they chose to misrepresent O’Keefe in an article that featured an error that a high school student could have fact checked. It’s your funeral, MSM.

Image at the top of this post appears via The Earl of Taint

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Cross posted from Brother Bob’s Blog

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Journalism died in 2008 when it sold what little credibility remained by becoming slavish propagandists for Obama.
They have unmasked themselves. MAGA baby!

Journalism died with the advent of the Walter school of journalism: Walter Duranty, Walter Lippman and Walter Cronkite.

Back in 1993 NBC program DATELINE faked a trash test using GM Pick-Ups trucks would catch on fire during a side impact crash It was later revealed becuase of s Whistle Blower(A Fireman)who was there and told GM the whole story and GM made Roadkill of the NBC Peacock for this lie and TIME has tied about Climate Change as far back as the 1970’s only this was Global Cooling and a New Ice Age CBS was a controversial anti hunting program THE GUNS OF AUTUM the entire news media cant ever be trusted its lie after lie after lie

The Washington Compost LIES,LIES,LIES,LIES,LIES,LIES,LIES,LIES

What do people do, erase from memory what Trump said previously every time he changes his story?

@Greg: Yet you worshipped Obama and his lies. You promote the liberal media and their lies. We discussed on FA months ago the falsehood that 17 agencies supported the Russian interference story; only NOW does the corrupt media issue corrections. Of course all the liberal parrots vomiting out the lies don’t bother to correct themselves.