Jim Geraghty of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America return with three crazy martinis. First, they shake their heads as President Trump tweets that those who died for our country would be really proud of his economic record. They also roll their eyes as liberal politicians and media figures express outrage over images of illegal immigrant children being confined to cages – until they learn the images are from 2014 during the Obama administration and then delete their tweets. And they react to California scrambling to find records for tens of thousands of voters who were mistakenly enrolled twice, all of this just a week before primary day in the state.
media
Media Malpractice: Good Guy with a Gun, ‘Animal’ Lies, Ignoring Hamas Admissions
Jim Geraghty of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America take aim at three examples of egregious media bias. They start with the heroism of Dixon High School (Ill.) school resource officer Mark Dallas, who saved countless lives in a would-be school shooting this week, yet the media glossed over the story since there was no body count and they have little interest in highlighting the effectiveness of a resource officer willing to engage the shooter. They also slam the press for selectively quoting President Trump to make it seem he was referring to immigrants as “animals” when he was responding specifically to comment about the vicious Latin American gang MS-13. And they throw up their hands as Hamas admits most of the people killed along the Israeli border were armed Hamas members and not random civilians and the media show no interest in reporting it.
‘The Palestinians Use Any Excuse to Riot Against Israel’
Hamas, the media, and many nations are blaming President Trump decision to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem for inflaming Middle East passions and Israel for the scores of deaths along its border with Gaza this week, but a terrorism expert who grew up in the region says the embassy is just an excuse, radical groups are looking for any reason to paint Israel as the villain, and the media are perfectly willing to oblige.
For days, mainstream media outlets have shown side-by-side images of the ceremony opening the American embassy in Jerusalem and the deaths of Palestinians in Gaza. While critics of Trump and Israel suggest this loss of life was inevitable if the embassy was moved, Act for America President Brigitte Gabriel says there’s no real connection.
“Palestinians use any excuse to riot against Israel. As a matter of fact, these riots have been building up for weeks to culminate today – in what is celebrated across the Islamic world as the ‘Day of Catastrophe,'” said Gabriel.
“So what is the catastrophe that they are celebrating, that they dedicate a day to remember every single year? The establishment of the state of Israel. This Palestinian rioting is about hatred. It’s not about us moving our embassy or the occupied territories,” she added.
Gabriel, who is also the author of “They Must Be Stopped: Why We Must Defeat Radical Islam and How We Can Do It,” also pushed back on the widespread reporting that the Palestinian demonstrators were peaceful or “mostly peaceful.”
“It is not peaceful at all. I have seen background footage of Hamas rallying up their people to come to the border. They are showing up at the border with Molotov cocktails, even launching kites to help them set fire to the Israeli farms,” said Gabriel.
Among the dozens of Palestinians killed in the fighting was an eight-month-old baby, whose lifeless images have been broadcast around the world as evidence of Israeli repression. Gabriel says there’s much more to the story.
“Why would a mother bring an eight-month-old child where Molotov cocktails are being launched? Why are they doing that? They’re doing it because Hamas is willing to sacrifice the lives of its own children in order to get worldwide publicity against Israel,” she said.
That sort of thing is rarely, if ever, reported in the mainstream media. But why not? Gabriel says it’s a combination of Arabs and Palestinians rewriting history and feeding the misinformation to reporters and scholars who are largely alumni of institutions with a strong bias against Israel.
“Our universities have been influencing young minds because of all the money from the Middle East pouring into Middle East study departments and political science departments and appointing Arab professors who are anti-Israel and anti-America to basically brainwash the students,” said Gabriel.
Gabriel also asserts that giving up land does not lead to peace for Israel. Then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon withdrew Israel from Gaza in 2005. Subsequent elections places Hamas in charge. Gabriel says the Palestinian people live in squalor while Hamas officials live in sprawling mansions on the Mediterranean coast and hire their family members to high-ranking positions at very generous salaries. Much of the rest goes to purchasing weapons and training fighters.
In addition, Hamas destroyed the very lucrative flower and greenery industry deliberately left behind by Israel to provide an economic boost inside Gaza.
“They gave all that to the Palestinians. A businessman in New York gave $14 million so the Palestinians could start immediately in Gaza with an industry. Within 24 hours, Hamas in Gaza destroyed the greenhouses to the point they broke down the copper pipes and took them home. This is self-destruction,” said Gabriel.
And she says as long as the hatred for Israel rages, there will be no change in the region.
“The Arabs and the Palestinians cannot tolerate Israel in the Middle East and that’s what’s driving the hatred.
“Until the Palestinians learn to love their children more than they hate the Jews, that’s when we’ll have peace in the Middle East,” said Gabriel.
U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem, Constitutional Carry Vetoed, Media’s Middle East Bias
Jim Geraghty of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America welcome the opening of the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem after three previous administrations acknowledged Jerusalem as the Israeli capital but refused to move the embassy. They also wince as Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin vetoes legislation that would allow residents to carry guns without a permit, leading Jim to wonder whether the anti-gun backlash after Parkland is making GOP officials more timid. And they roll their eyes as the media condemn Israel for defending its borders against thousands of Palestinians specifically sent to the border to instigate a response from Israel.
McCabe Mania, Media Notice Austin Bombings, D.C. Lawmaker’s Conspiracy Theory
Jim Geraghty of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America have whiplash from all the media hyperbole in the wake of Andrew McCabe getting fired, almost all of it from people who have never read the inspector general’s report. They also hammer President Trump for gloating about McCabe’s ouster and McCabe for suggesting his firing was a political hit job from Trump when multiple DOJ officials recommended it. They also applaud the media for finally noticing a series of bombings in Austin, Texas, which have killed or injured several people in a story reminiscent of the Unabomber. And they have some fun with D.C. city council member Trayon White alleging that the Rothschilds control the weather to bring calamity to American cities and then swoop in to pay for the cleanup and take control of the cities.
Kim’s Liberal Puppets, Media Ignore Threat to Trump Fam, Lizards Spying on Iran?
Jim Geraghty of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America are appalled as the liberals on “The View” and elsewhere blast Vice President Pence for not standing as the joint Korean Olympic team entered the opening ceremonies, but they are grateful that many on the left are allowing America to see that they actually hate the Trump administration far more than they hate one of the most repressive and brutal Communist regimes the world has ever seen. They also blast the liberal media for largely ignoring that President Trump’s daughter-in-law had to go to the hospital after opening an envelope with white powder. And they greatly enjoy learning that the Iranians are very worried that western nations are spying on their nuclear activities with lizards.
Trump’s Infrastructure Approach, Media Fawn Over North Korea, CNN & Corker
Jim Geraghty of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America are leery in general that any infrastructure bill can avoid becoming a huge waste of money but they are glad to see President Trump asking states to play a major role in funding the plan. They also unload on the mainstream media for writing glowing reviews of Kim Jong-Un’s sister and how she is supposedly executing a diplomatic masterpiece at the Olympics. And they rip the press for falling for the supposedly charming North Korean cheer squad, when they’re really slaves of a regime that will punish them and their families if they make any mistakes. And they roll their eyes at CNN for reporting that Sen. Bob Corker is thinking about reconsidering his retirement, even as Corker’s office says there is nothing to the story.
Kurtz Talks Media vs. Trump
Media critic Howard Kurtz says the mainstream media are in grave danger of irreparably damaging their credibility by so blatantly and viscerally attacking President Trump on a daily basis, and he says those reporters are actually doing the president they loathe a huge political favor.
Kurtz is a longtime media analyst and columnist. He hosts “Media Buzz” on the Fox News Channel and is the author of the new book, “Media Madness: Donald Trump, the Press, and the War over the Truth.”
Kurtz says mainstream journalists effectively declared war on Trump from the moment his campaign started in 2015.
“There was something about Donald Trump that just gets under their skin. First, they just wrote him off. He was a clown. He was a sideshow. He was never going to win the nomination, and of course he wasn’t going to win the election,” said Kurtz.
Since getting elected, the media have only intensified the negative coverage.
“Many journalists try to be fair but the overwhelming tone from most news organizations and many journalists is negative to the point that it’s almost a tsunami of negative coverage. I think there’s something cultural there, there’s something visceral, there’s something about Donald Trump that just has made them change the standards they used in the past,” said Kurtz.
Kurtz also points out that this media wear goes in both directions, with Trump frequently blasting what he considers “fake news,” sometimes mentioning reporters by name. Kurtz believes Trump “punches down” against the media too often and that some rhetoric goes too far but he says Trump’s frustration with the coverage of his presidency is understandable.
“I didn’t agree with Steve Bannon when he said the press was the opposition party, but sometimes we do a pretty good imitation. It’s not just opposing the policies. It’s all the personal stuff, attacking his family. There’s a lot in the book about all the horrible unfair press she gets because some social moderates and liberals think she should change her dad’s mind on every single subject,” said Kurtz.
And he says the onslaught often devolves into petty matters.
“Trump cheats at golf. Trump had two scoops of ice cream. Trump eats pizza with a fork. It’s just relentless, and it’s fueled by celebrities that also say very harsh things about him,” said Kurtz.
In the book, Kurtz is clearly pained by journalists shedding all pretense of objectivity and seeing it as their duty to combat the president and his administration.
“But the mainstream media, subconsciously at first, have lurched into the opposition camp, are appealing to an anti-Trump base of viewers and readers, failing to grasp how deeply they are distrusted by a wide swath of the country,” wrote Kurtz.
“I am increasingly troubled by how many of my colleagues have decided to abandon any semblance of fairness out of a conviction that they must save the country from Trump,” he added.
Kurtz then details the impact this incessant hostility against Trump is having on journalism as a whole.
“My greatest fear is that organized journalism has badly lost its way in the Trump era and may never fully recover. Even if the Trump presidency crashes and burns – in which case the press will claim vindication – the scars of distrust might never heal,” writes Kurtz.
In our interview, Kurtz expanded on those concerns.
“I hope I make the case in this book that there’s a real imbalance among some journalists who just think it’s their mission to stop Donald Trump from what he’s doing and maybe to knock him out of office. I think the damage is very real, really troubling, and it’s not good for he country,” said Kurtz.
However, the great irony, says Kurtz, is that this perpetual media venom over every action Trump takes only helps the president.
“It enables him to dominate and drive the news agenda every day. Also, many of his supporters out there in the country not only have more sympathy for the guy they see as their champion when he gets overwhelmingly negative coverage, but they also believe the elite media in New York, D.C., L.A. and so forth, look down on them and view them condescendingly. There are examples in the book of how that’s pretty true,” said Kurtz.
Trump often has a strategy to his media battles, rather than just shooting from the hip or the lip as his critics conclude. In June 2017, Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski ridiculed Trump on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” including jokes about his small hands. Trump fired back on Twitter.
“I heard poorly rated @Morning_Joe speaks badly of me (don’t watch anymore). Then how come low I.Q. Crazy Mika, along with Psycho Joe, came to Mar-a-Lago 3 nights in a row around New Year’s Eve, and insisted on joining me. She was bleeding badly from a face-lift. I said no!” tweeted Trump.
While the media reacted in horror and others found it unbecoming of a president, this passage from Kurtz’s book reveals that Trump accomplished his real goal.
“Trump asked Anthony Scaramucci what he thought of the tweets against Mika and Joe: ‘I know what you’re going to say – unpresidential. Then what?’
“I don’t think you needed to go there,” Scaramucci said.
“‘Is Korea off the TV?’ Trump asked. Yes, the Mooch replied. North Korea’s nuclear buildup had been eclipsed
“Is health care off the TV?” True, the impasse over the Senate bill had faded.
“Sounds good to me,” said Trump.
The investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 elections dominates mainstream media coverage. Kurtz says some developments warrant major coverage but most do not.
“It’s a perfectly legitimate story. There’s a special counsel. There have been indictments and guilty pleas, but every incremental development gets hyped like it’s the next Watergate,” said Kurtz.
He says in the media rush to convict Trump of heinous crimes, they are failing to corroborate critical accusations and losing credibility in the process.
I think there’s too law a bar and I think there’s too much of a trigger finger when it comes to this president. CNN had three high-profile mistakes involving the president last year. One of them was about Anthony Scaramucci, who later became communications director for about 10 minutes, and three journalists got fired over that,” said Kurtz.
CNN also reported that Trump and his son, Donald Trump, Jr., received copies of Wikileaks releases of hacked emails before they went public. That was also not true. ABC News suspended reporter Brian Ross for stating that Trump campaign officials met with Russian officials, when the meeting actually happened during the transition period.
However, Kurtz asserts that Trump operates a bit recklessly as well.
“There’s a term that some of his advisers have coined called ‘defiance disorder.’ What that means is they all get together and say, ‘Sir, you can’t do this. Don’t do this. It’ll be political suicide, don’t do it,’ he does it anyway because he’s Donald Trump and nobody tells him what to do,” said Kurtz.
Kurtz also says Trump’s constant blasting of the media could wear thin on his marginal supporters.
“I think it really excites the people who really like this president and think they’re viewed with disdain by the elite media, but I don’t think it helps him expand his base beyond that 38-40 percent that are very loyal to Donald Trump,” said Kurtz.
But long term, Kurtz says the the media is doing themselves the greatest damage. He says the initial results of higher ratings for MSNBC and CNN and higher digital subscriptions for the New York Times show the open hostility is paying off in the short term. So he expects the negative barrage to continue.
“I don’t see any daylight there. I don’t think it’s good for the country. I think there’s damage on both sides, but I particularly worry about my profession, which I love,” said Kurtz. “There’s going to come a day when Donald Trump is no longer in the White House, but I think it’s going to be hard for us to get much of this credibility back,” said Kurtz.
Tax Cuts More Popular, Rough 2018 Forecast, Are Reporters Fit to Serve?
Jim Geraghty of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America welcome a new poll showing nearly half of Americans hold a positive view of the Republican tax bill and are bullish on the economy, although they are not ready to give Trump and the GOP credit. They also wince as Democrats win a usually safe Republican seat in the Wisconsin State Senate, and Gov. Scott Walker urges GOP members and activists to make sure people know about their significant accomplishments. And they sigh as President Trump’s doctor gives the commander-in-chief a clean bill of health, but White House reporters still ask the physician a litany of repetitive questions about Trump’s mental health and whether he he is fit to serve under the conditions of the 25th Amendment.
Cold Snap Forces Shifting Media Climate Narrative
Less than a decade after predicting climate change would lead to winters without snow, former Vice President Al Gore and other climate change activists say the recent cold snap is another clear sign of a “climate crisis” and media refuse to point out the contradictions.
Colder than normal temperatures hung around the Midwest and Northeast for weeks, exacerbated by stiff winds and even a bombogenesis of “bomb cyclone” along the east coast last week. However, for Gore and his allies, the stretch of frigid temperatures serves as further confirmation of the impact human activity is having on our world.
“It’s bitter cold in parts of the US, but climate scientist Dr. Michael Mann explains that’s exactly what we should expect from the climate crisis,” Gore tweeted.
However, researchers at Climate Depot point out that as recently as the year 2000, scientists had a far different expectation from climate change – then referred to as global warming. That year the UK Independent declared “snow is starting to disappear from our lives” and “children just aren’t going to know what snow is.”
Dr. Bonner Cohen, a senior fellow at the National Center for Public Policy Research, says Gore is scrambling now that his forecasts have proven wrong.
“In his 2006 documentary, ‘An Inconvenient Truth,’ Al Gore said absolutely nothing about rising temperatures leading to colder winters,” said Cohen.
Cohen asserts that the the liberal narrative had to change once global temperatures failed to keep rising last decade. He says there are too many political and financial investments for the activists to turn back now.
“Because they were still interested in scaring us to death so that we would undertake steps to regulate ourselves and to mandate the use of renewable energy and to take other steps we otherwise wouldn’t do, they had to slap a new label on all of this. So out went ‘global warming’ and in came ‘climate change,'” said Cohen.
And with the new terminology came greater flexibility for climate change activists to steer reality to their narrative.
“Regardless of what happens – a tornado in Oklahoma, a hurricane that slams into Texas or Florida, a typhoon that churns up the Pacific or whatever – they are covered. ‘Aha, this is further proof of climate change,’ when in fact it’s proof of absolutely nothing other than the climate doing what the climate has always done,” said Cohen.
Now that the narrative is shifting, are the news media highlighting the very different statements from Gore and others over the years or simply giving them a platform for their latest contentions?
“They adopted this ‘extreme weather event’ explanation. We are somehow supposed to believe that we are experiencing extreme weather conditions that we have never experienced before.
“They are, in effect, giving cover to Gore and giving cover to the whole agenda. Of course, these people are every bit as ignorant of our climatological past, including our recent climatological past, as is Mr. Gore,” said Cohen.
And Cohen says the media, just like Gore, will keep the narrative going regardless of the evidence.
“You can count on all of these people still beating the drums of what is now called climate change simply because I think the mainstream media is too invested in this to admit that it has been taken to the cleaners by climate alarmists, who have an agenda which I assure you has nothing to do with the climate,” said Cohen.
“I don’t expect these people to undergo any change in their course whatsoever,” he added.
So what did happen during the cold snap?
“It’s evidence that it’s winter. This is something that we’ve all seen before. This was a combination of two things occurring simultaneously. One was a typical Nor’easter, that is a storm that made its way up the Atlantic coast.
“This one coincided with extremely cold weather which originated over land, namely Siberia, made its way on prevailing winds to North America and eventually to the Midwest, the Northeast, and even the Southeast as far south as North Florida,” said Cohen.
Cohen says history has recorded plenty of these storms, most notably the blizzard of 1888, which left snow drifts 50 feet high in New York City.
“Whatever may have been behind the storm of 1888 and similar storms which have occurred, I can tell you one thing that did not cause them: man-made emissions of greenhouse gases through the burning of the burning of fossil fuels, which is supposed to be behind all of this,” said Cohen.