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The Press Is All-in on the Algae Beat! And, a California Station Says a Drop in Crime Is Bad for Business

Brad Slager
Brad Slager  |  Jun 22, 2026
The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Townhall.com.

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BlueAnon – THE ATLANTIC

  • The spirit of Woodward & Bernstein lives on…

The media interest in the algae blooms in the D.C. Reflecting Pool has become a bizarre obsession. Any manner in which they can make a hit on President Trump motivates the press corps in this country.

Matt Viser was recently seen making the move from the Washington Post over to The Atlantic, and already, he is paying dividends for that outlet.

Matt is out there at the Reflecting Pool, pontificating on how harmful the algae could be…for those not permitted to actually go into the pool.

Low-Octane Gaslighting – CNN

  • Just more proof that anything involving Obama is looked at uncritically.

Also getting on the algae beat was Kaitlan Collins at CNN. She had on Ameshia Cross to discuss the trauma at the Reflecting Pool. Ms. Cross stated that when Obama commissioned repairs, he did so with science in mind. To her detriment, also on the discussion was Scott Jennings, who not only called out the science of algae growth, but noted that after Obama spent $34 million and two years on his renovation, massive algae blooms appeared quite quickly.

As reported…on the very same network.

Matching Media Memorandum – ABC NEWS

  • Was there some kind of industry mandate that had been issued?

Not to be left off the algae beat, ABC’s Jonathan Karl was also on site at the reflecting pool to…do exactly what everyone else in the press has been doing at the very same location.

What is telling is how stories such as the Southern Poverty Law Center's involvement with Nazis, the Minnesota fraud case, or the ActBlue fraud hearings on the Hill have generated zero energy from the same minds.

Anti-Social Media – THE NEW YORK TIMES

  • What has us confounded is why it is so difficult to simply acknowledge conventional fathers.

For Father's Day, The New York Times was incapable of noting the holiday in a simple fashion. Instead, the Paper of Record had to publish a column celebrating a trans father...because they comprise less than 1 percent of the reading audience. The narrative is that these trans fathers just want to be treated as normal, but then why the need to designate them specially in a Father's Day post?

I'm sure there is an argument made that they deserve representation, but not only is this Pride Month already, but they need to attempt to confiscate Father's Day, even as LGBT𝜋 groups populate more than half of the entire calendar in a given year.

Reporting on the Mirror – KWQC TV6 IOWA

  • Believe us, Dustin – we understand the sentiment!

On Friday’s broadcast, on-air anchor Dustin Nolan surprised his audience when he announced during the live broadcast that he was quitting. It was not simply his resignation from his position, but as he explained, “I have chosen to step away from the news industry.”

Nolan did not give a direct explanation for his sudden decision, but only alluded to some vague influences:

“I’ve always believed that we as a local news station, owe you, the viewers, the best that we can do because without you, none of us would be able to do this job, I also believe that we as a local news station have to be more than trends or sanitized news because it makes people feel uncomfortable. That’s why the facts matter and that’s why we do what we do here. We have to take people out of their bubbles and comfort zones and make them think about the world we all live in.”

While many said he was quitting in disgust and slamming his station, he came out with a statement to correct that narrative and said this was a decision months in the making.

Artisanally-Crafted Narratives – KTVU CHANNEL 2 NEWS, SAN FRANCISCO

  • The glass of bitterness is always half-empty with you folks, huh?

While not a direct indicator of President Trump-derangement, there was this curiosity seen from the local San Fran affiliate. 

Most normal people would look at a drop in crime statistics as good news, no matter the approach. But at Channel 2 News, they strained to come up with a dark side in the drop in car break-ins around the city. But give them credit, they managed to find some way to complain about this reality.