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The Press in Its Coverage of the NYC Protest Attack, and Now Who Will Deliver January 6 News for CBS?!

Brad Slager
Brad Slager  |  Mar 09, 2026
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Low-Octane Gaslighting – VARIOUS OUTLETS

  • It seems the LAST thing these outlets will do is report accurately on domestic terror.

Over the weekend, there were competing protests in New York City over some of the Islam-based initiatives undertaken by Mayor Mamdani. In the course of the rival demonstrations, two attackers hurled improvised explosive devices (IEDs), which thankfully never detonated, but the arrested assailants were from the pro-Muslim faction. Upon arrest, they expressed to authorities that they were sympathetic to ISIS, and the IEDs were packed with an explosive identified with past terror attacks.

The press, despite having access to most of the core facts of this act of terrorism, chose to frame things as if the anti-Islam protesters had attempted to target the Mayor and/or his residence.

  • CBS NEWS – "Suspicious devices ignited near Manhattan’s Gracie Mansion"

  • AXIOS – "'Explosive' device thrown amid anti-Islam protest near NYC Mayor Mamdani's home: NYPD"

  • NBC NEWS – "Device ignited at Gracie Mansion protest was an improvised explosive"

Then, on its evening broadcast, CBS News covered the bombing attempt by the Muslim extremists, and elected to use this photo of a Trump supporter in its graphic.

Stealth Story Evolution – THE NEW YORK TIMES

  • We see that once others were focused on the facts, the Paper of Record decided to join in.

In its first reports of the attack, for reasons only the editors could explain, The New York Times decided to go with euphemisms about what had been thrown at the protesters. Apparently, after being shamed, The Times came up with a new headline for its piece on the attack.

Stealth Story Evolution – ABC NEWS

  • It seems to be a feature, not a bug.

Also needing to alter its header and coverage was ABC. The tang of regret over being forced to provide the accurate details must still linger in their mouths.

Artisanally-Crafted Narratives – CBS NEWS

  • Even when given all of the facts, the truth was just too much for some journos.

CBS News, the allegedly MAGA-adjacent network, was covering the story and went into the details of the bombs and the two figures with avowed ISIS connections. Of course, this did not dissuade the network from needing to highlight that the original “anti-Muslim protest” was developed by Jake Lang, who Mayor Mamdani is quoted as calling a “White supremacist,” yet had no condemnation for the Muslim extremists.

Anti-Social Media – THE ECONOMIST

  • Do they not understand they were mocked over this BEFORE publishing?!

When news came out that Ayatollah Khamenei had been taken out in the early attacks on Iran, it was jokingly speculated that there would be glowing obituaries seen from the press, in “austere” fashion.

They did not disappoint. 

While The New York Times got in on this, the clear winner has to be The Economist, which not only came up with a praiseworthy send-off but saw fit to include more anti-U.S. commentary.

Gilded Reframe – FOX NEWS

  • The question is, how does that happen…?

There was some controversy heard when President Trump met the families of the fallen service members recently killed in the counterstrikes by Iran. It was said to be disrespectful that the president had his “47” baseball hat on during the honored return of the bodies – but you might have wondered what the complaints were about if you watched Fox News.

During the weekend edition of “Fox & Friends,” they aired footage not of the recent fallen soldier transfer ceremony, but a past instance of such taking place. The network came on the air and issued an apology over this odd occurrence.

Reporting on the Mirror – CBS NEWS

  • Well NOW who will deliver news that is half a decade old?

In what may be a sign of more upheaval seen inside of CBS News under Bari Weiss, longtime correspondent and resident January 6 obsessive Scott MacFarlane has announced he is stepping down from his role at the network.

He did not refer to a new landing position, implying that he is striking out in a more independent position…we guess?

We feel he would have been better served to remain under a permissive umbrella post with CBS, as it is not known how much demand there will be in the independent wilderness for reporting that carries his brand of particular focus on the events of that day five years ago, as most everyone else has moved on from that story.

And, in trademarked fashion, his final report filed with the network concerns – what else – a plaque erected to honor that fateful date in MacFarlane’s career.