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Both Kinds of Standards – CNN
Remember when the press was recently playing along, or nah?!
Brian Stelter has found the latest thing to aggravate him as he and his network look to distract from the growing peace accord President Trump is moving ahead with involving Ukraine and Russia. Brian looked at the post-NATO summit presser in the White House and was rather bugged to see alternative media getting a chance to ask questions.
Stelter has an inside source in the White House press pool, which means he is a conduit for crank reporters to bitch and moan about those less-than-journalists who are now allowed in the room.
Veteran White House correspondents privately grumbled as a MAGA online personality dominated the Q&A during a photo op with President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump was mostly served set-ups for his own talking points: https://t.co/x8VxN22nwn
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) August 18, 2025
Hmmmm…served set-ups, to be able to deliver pre-determined talking points. Something about this seems familiar. In fact, we recall more blatant examples of this taking place recently. What we do not recall is this level of concerned hand-wringing from Mr. Stelter when it was exposed that President Biden was actually provided the questions from specific reporters ahead of press conferences.
Somehow, he and the other White House correspondents were never heard from expressing contempt over the lack of professionalism or how the press corps was molded to serve Joe Biden’s desires. But today, it is unacceptable.
Could you show us the time that you, or your anonymous WH correspondent, were this concerned over media professionalism when Joe Biden was given scripted questions ahead of pressers?
— Brad Slager: CNN+ Lifetime Subscriber (@MartiniShark) August 19, 2025
Somehow a compliant correspondents corps at that time was not deemed so problematic. https://t.co/jQmWZRUY0u pic.twitter.com/QbD07v8YgN
Reporting on the Mirror – NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO
This becomes a classic case of the “Main Character Syndrome”.
As the “controversy” over the policing of Washington, D.C. continues, the press remains on the side of not wanting to fight crime. What is becoming apparent is that some are gradually realizing this folly and are struggling to retain the narrative.
One such case is seen from NPR fixture Steve Inskeep. He seemed to think that a personal anecdote he delivered about one late-night experience he had should be sufficient to cancel out the enforcement of the laws by National Guardsmen. Steve detailed how he was coming into work in the wee hours and encountered a man in some form of distress, and he boldly dialed 911 and waited for the experts to arrive – you know, the people who actually do things.
As the hero in his own story, Steve seems to think this serves as proof, somehow, that additional forces are not needed in the city. But this tale he regales us with is done to ignore that since the troops came in, nearly 400 arrests have taken place, and the streets are becoming clear in the district.
Also cute is the way the man from the network that a month ago was demanding the federal government spend copiously for its benefit is today supposedly fretful over the federal expense of these troops patrolling in D.C.
Once when I lived a little east of there I found a guy on the street unable to walk. 3:30am on my way to work. I called 911 and stayed with him until the DC police and fire dept. came.
— Steve Inskeep (@NPRinskeep) August 17, 2025
Situation was managed without spending my tax dollars on the FBI, DEA, HSI, Park Police, etc. https://t.co/A9zoofTE3S
Pathological Media Amnesia – NEW YORK TIMES
Say, Peter? Recall telling us your current claim was not taking place?
Also strung up by this D.C. crime-fighting issue has been Peter Baker. Pete has been consistently against the thought of sending in forces – he just has not been consistent as to why.
After insisting there has not been cause for this decision (Baker was among those exposed by the story of the crime stats being fudged), now he comes out with a new complaint: These troops are not in areas where the crime is taking place!
…uh, that is…in the areas where he said there was no crime taking place…we think…
"Pete Baker: Crime Fighter!"
— Brad Slager: CNN+ Lifetime Subscriber (@MartiniShark) August 19, 2025
A play in 4 acts:
From there's no crime, to the climax of THE CRIME IS OVER THERE. https://t.co/zTiyJBX2PB pic.twitter.com/1VqTI6Fqs0
News Avoidance Syndrome – VARIOUS OUTLETS
Funny thing - the news media were all about crime statistics BEFORE the National Guard went in.
After President Trump sent in the troops to help secure the streets of Washington, D.C. (with the thankful blessing of the police union), we are seeing the results. And…the press seems not to like the positive results.
After just over a week, and hundreds of arrests, there are actual before and after crime stats to peer over. Here is what the media is uncurious about.
DC Police Release Numbers:
— Vanessa Broussard (@VanessaBNews) August 18, 2025
DC crime since the announcement of federal control versus the 7 days prior:
Robbery ⬇️46%
ADW ⬇️6%
Carjacking ⬇️83%
Car Theft ⬇️21%
Violent Crime ⬇️22%
Property Crime ⬇️6%
All Crimes⬇️8%
Prose & Contradiction – ABC NETWORK
Soooo…about your support for conservative commentators…
In a piece that should serve as the headstone for the Stephen Colbert cancellation story, Jimmy Kimmel was interviewed by Variety. Among his claims was Kimmel saying in a lecturing tone that he is disappointed people on the right were not supporting free speech, unlike himself.
I think we were all shocked and disappointed that this kind of thing is happening in America, and also disappointed that we don’t see more people on the right stepping up and saying, “Hey, this is no good.” Silencing comedians, commentators, whatever you want to call people… I have to say, if Joe Biden had used his muscle to get Sean Hannity kicked off the air, you may be surprised to learn that I would not support that. I would, in fact, support Sean Hannity in that situation.
Except, he has supported that in the not-too-distant past. Look in on how he reacted when Tucker Carlson was fired by Fox News. Kimmel was far apart from outrage or support, as he was dancing on his professional grave.
The Late-Night Mental Breakdown Continues – Jimmy Kimmel, Allow Me to Introduce You to Jimmy Kimmel https://t.co/soVI9Ubaf7
— European American 🇺🇸 ✝️ (@Veritas86511) August 19, 2025
Low Octane Gas Lighting – NEW YORK TIMES
Just admit it, gang – you are rooting for him to fail.
The Times has given up even trying to pretend anymore; the outlet is openly opposed to Trump striking the peace deal between Ukraine and Russia. Every step of the way over the past week the paper has been entirely negative and treating all of the talks as an abject failure. Then we see them moving into pure fiction to avoid giving Trump any credit.
After the NATO meeting at the White House, the Times concluded that it was the European leaders who had been pressuring Trump to act appropriately.
This is curious framing from the @NYTimes, considering this was exactly what the administration was lobbying for coming out of the Alaska summit with Putin. pic.twitter.com/vn8Xu4S3Qi
— Brad Slager: CNN+ Lifetime Subscriber (@MartiniShark) August 19, 2025
Apparently, the Times was hoping people were not getting news from any other sources. As we covered yesterday, Marco Rubio had been calling for exactly this during the Sunday news shows sweep he was on. Also, the NATO Secretary General came out of Monday’s meeting at the White House saying directly that it was Trump who set up this deal.
.@SecGenNATO: "Without President Trump, this deadlock with Putin would not have been broken. He is the only one who could do this." pic.twitter.com/XzaBlxJt7o
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 18, 2025
