https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1300621018361475072
( twitter | raw text )
I’m gonna keep saying it: the secret to being a serious-business newsperson is pretending to be a complete moron. Why is Barr replacing an apolitical career DOJ national security expert now? I just can’t figure out the answer!
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When you’re a journalist, you’re not allowed to guess the AG is a crook. Journalists only saying things they can prove is a good thing.
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OK, but we can actually prove that Barr is a crook.
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Also Weissman is not a journalist, he is the supposed hard ass, take no prisoners member of Mueller’s team who was specifically assigned to the Russia investigation. The nerve of this motherfucker to JAQ off about Bill Barr’s blatant loyalty purge is just too much.
Of course, he parachuted into a job at Jenner and Block after willfully ignoring Trump’s blatant corruption, money laundering and tax fraud, lol law forever.
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Does he mean cops? Cuz that’s who that sounds like bro
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Look, I understand that journalists can’t speculate wildly and they open themselves up to legal action if they straight-up accuse people of doing crimes.
But also, journalists have a basic obligation to provide context for their stories. This bullshit style of reporting where they say “Why is Barr replacing an apolitical career DOJ national security expert now?” and walk away like it’s some kind of inscrutable mystery is lazy and professionally irresponsible. There is a very obvious explanation for why Barr might be doing this, you owe it to your readers to walk them through the possible reasons Barr might be removing apolitical DOJ employees.
At a nut low Journalism 101 level, “Why is X doing Y?” is not news. I am not informed by a reporter asking questions and doing a shrug emoji. TELL ME why X might possibly be doing Y. Provide background and context. Do your fucking jobs.
I mean, go back to the Saturday Night Massacre, were reporters all like “Why is Nixon firing the Special Prosecutor?!??!?!? I’m very confused as to why he would do that?”
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Why would Florida Republicans pass a law requiring former felons to pay restitution and fines to vote, even though the state can’t tell them home much they owe?
WHO COULD POSSIBLY SAY
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The essential difference between journalism and stenography is that the former provides context and background. “Barr does X, Trump says Y” is stenography. “Barr does X, why would he do such a thing?” is stenography with a stupid, obtuse affectation tacked on.
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Journalists are stenographers now. The left lacks skilled attention whores, with a willingness to be wrong bordering on recklessness, whose job is to immediately offer up speculation on why that reporters will dutifully transcribe.
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Yep. Just today the AJC posted a mainline news article parroting the QAnon claim that only 6% of COVID deaths didn’t have underlying health issues.
The right wing is extremely good at sending hurricanes of shit into the public discourse every single day and a remarkable percentage of it sticks. And the media, in its fairness and wisdom, feels it is its job to be equally hard on both sides.
We’re losing at this game. Reality can’t compete with a fabricated un-reality in the “marketplace of ideas.”
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Imagine if all reporting was like this.
“Disney releases another generic Marvel superhero movie, why would they want to do that?!? What’s in it for them?”
“Seahawks draft promising Heisman winner, but why?!?”
“Cardi B releases sexually provocative new music video… WHY WOULD SHE DO SUCH A THING?”
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