Get access to Brad Slager's "Riffed From the Headlines," a daily VIP feature where he looks to bring accountability to the mainstream media. Use promo code POTUS47 to get 74% off your VIP membership!
Legalized Press-titution – CNN
“He likes us! He really LIKES us!”
Joe Biden has been on his farewell meander, and his speeches, if you listened to them, have been anything less than worthy of curating. But, if you have listened to the press, Biden's words have been so elevated they need to be engraved in granite. Among the most supplicant journos was Jim Acosta, who seemed to have heard President Biden speaking directly to him. Abilio was beyond the moon over the noble words spoken, and used that as a launch pad to further elevate his own ego.
Some final thoughts on today’s show… on the free press in America. The free press is only “crumbling” if we the people allow that to happen. Watch: pic.twitter.com/m6AAgGyTGU
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) January 16, 2025
Reporting on the Mirror – WASHINGTON POST
The whining lives out in the open.
Word has it that the staff at WaPo are rather upset and are demanding the owner of the paper bring himself in to have a word with them. In a letter to Jeff Bezos, signed by 400 Post staffers, they are requesting he step in and deliver guidance on the vision for the paper going forward. Usually you hear the opposite from those at papers, demanding they be free to speak their mind.
Recommended
Of course, the biggest gripe is still the most obtuse for an allegedly non-pratisan news outlet; they are still salty over the decision for the paper to not endorse Kamala Harris.
Washington Post staffers urge owner Jeff Bezos to meet in scathing letter: 'We are deeply alarmed' https://t.co/JaAICzCtyh #FoxNews
— David Rutz (@DavidRutz) January 15, 2025
Gilded Reframe – WASHINGTON POST
Certainly this decision was coincidental and not at all connected to the simmering attitudes at the paper.
For years now, WaPo has been clinging to a self-created punchline. With the rise of Donald Trump years ago, the paper concocted a new tagline/mission statement; “Democracy Dies in Darkness.” It was a cagey decision for the brashness alone because when democracy obviously did not die, the paper was able to take credit. It was also the inspiration to place the paper on the receiving end of mockery, such when a slanted story would be published and someone would comment, “Accuracy Dies in the Newsroom,” or some such variation.
But now this inflated boast on the masthead has been the object that has died. The New York Times broke the story that WaPo will be doing away with that inflated catch-phrase, opting for one that essentially is pleading with the news consumers who walked away that, in fact, the newspaper actually likes them after all.
The new mission statement is...."Riveting Storytelling for All of America"https://t.co/X39QLkHBIC
— Ben Mullin (@BenMullin) January 16, 2025
BlueAnon – CNN
Jake, you and the intransigent Democrats are literally the only people clinging to the J-6 hysteria.
In covering the farewell address by Joe Biden, Jake Tapper just had to find a way to insert some sort of reference to the January 6 riot, because it would appear that Jake has some sort of contractual quota he needs to fulfill in mentioning the subject.
In his introduction to Biden’s walk-off moment, there was Tapper invoking the event and declaring it “The worst attack on American democracy since the Civil War.” (Sure puts the 9/11 attacks in a trivialized perspective.)
It was yesterday when we covered that Jake claimed in court testimony that he does not pay any attention to his ratings. He also must not pay much attention to his own network’s reporting because his colleague Harry Enten showed the polling that displayed how only 5% of voters linked that event to Trump.
But keep at it, Jake, after four years you are bound to get some people to care about it.
🚨Jake Tapper opens coverage of Biden’s farewell address by going full propaganda puppet:
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) January 16, 2025
“After four years in office, which began on the single deadliest day of the Covid pandemic and just 14 days after the worst attack on American democracy since the Civil War."
They’ve… pic.twitter.com/R8pIYsvLwa
Demolition Project – CNN
Well now, it HAS been about six months since the last a.m. adjustment, so we were about due for change…
Consider for a moment how the news networks have begun the day for years now. “Fox & Friends” has been around for a quarter century and is a perennial leader in the ratings. Almost as long — defying common sense — MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” has been a fixture at MSNBC.
Then there is CNN’s mornings. The network cannot seem to ever find a footing at the start of the day, changing the lineups and shows and a near regular schedule – and it appears it is poised to do so yet again. With word of massive looming layoffs, there is curiosity as a shuffling of the lineups has been reported. Wolf Blitzer is said to be teaming now with Pamela Brown in the mornings, Kasie Hunt moved from her pre-dawn schedule to possibly afternoons, which means that there could be shifting — or worse — involving Jim Acosta.
It seems the deck chairs are being reorganized after the election iceberg in November.
CNN to shift Wolf Blitzer to mornings in massive shakeup at embattled network: report https://t.co/zq8CHRcY79 pic.twitter.com/j0uQIES6pK
— NY Post Business (@nypostbiz) January 16, 2025
Anti-Social Media – MSNBC
Admitting it is the first step, Joe.
On the subject of “Morning Joe,” there was a tense moment on their set Wednesday when the namesake host was faced with the biggest issue involving him last year. Scar-Joe – who ranked at the top of our annual list of the worst in journalism in 2024 – was discussing the condition of Joe Biden with Ed Luce from The Financial Times, and he could not abide Luce being forthright about President Silver Alert’s mental breakdown.
Scar-Joe, as we recall, had the worst quote of 2024 amid his months of insisting that Biden was a laser-sharp individual. Probably realizing this was the biggest miss of his career, Joe continues to deny this reality, and as a result, got into a heated exchange over the matter with Luce. It became tense enough that Mrs. Scar-Joe, Mika Brzezinski, had to step in like a kindergarten teacher breaking up students and force the show to cut to commercial.
Geeeze, I was super angry that @JoeNBC cuts @EdwardGLuce off by not standing with the line on Biden aging, however the conversation continues immediately at next hours 6:59AM, I give @Morning_Joe a pass, still, it sure looks bad. Almost "would never watch it again"! pic.twitter.com/dMkyKphiGJ
— Your Favorite Red Panda (He/Him/Your Honor) (@luogl) January 16, 2025