25 Comments

How low as the media sunk when "the president didn't take a dump on the stage" is the bar? I'm sure they'll find their footing when the next Democrat is inaugurated and they'll start holding POTUS to a higher standard.

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author

oh i guarantee you when Biden is inaugurated the media standards will snap right back into shape!

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I think the media standards are in place right now; one set for Democrats with a high bar, the other set only demands that Republicans lie with an indoor voice and a smile.

I just looked at the headlines for both the Washington Post and NY Times. They address the debate as if it had been completely ordinary. One Times headline proclaims “Moderation returns to politics. Or at least to the debate.” Apparently telling a huge number of lies but not yelling or interrupting counts as moderation in that author’s view but it sure doesn’t in mine.

The most negative headline was one in the WaPo which asked “How politically damaging were Biden’s comments about closing down the oil industry?” That headline is saying Biden’s comments were damaging, not asking if they were. No headlines asked how politically damaging was Trump’s lie about...........(fill in the blank)

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Oct 23, 2020Liked by Eric Boehlert

Following that horrible election-eve experience in 2016, we asked in our fear if Trump could possibly change, respect the burden of responsibility to the country. Many I knew believed that he would change, out of newfound appreciation for the office, or just out of necessity. For me, there was some hope that the change would happen, but no real faith that it would. I thought instead that Trump would be ignorant of the constitution and the norms of government, but he would learn only about the cracks in those systems that would allow him power. He was intellectually slow, but he would be a savant at sniffing out those cracks. As it became clear that Trump was such bad news and I was sort of right with my hunch, the question became which of his many awful characteristics would do him in. My thought then and now is that lying would finally bring him down. The nation's character does not abide lying, and Trump is a liar through and through. My second thought was that being lazy, another American sin, would assist in his downfall. Trump is lazy. We need a press that will call out his laziness and lying to remind people that hard work and telling the truth are fundamental American values. I was so pleased that President Obama called out Trump's laziness in his speech in Philadelphia. My thanks to Eric, and many others, for calling out his lying.

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I still scratch my head in disbelief that he has gotten away with all of this. Why the Republican Party has sold their soul for this awful, awful man. I think it’s a question that will be asked for generations. Can it simply be for judges? Abortion? His ugly behavior is ok because they got their way? It’s manic.

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I think it is much more likely that Trump is a product of the GOP rather than the other way around. Remember: he got more primary votes than any other candidate in Republican history.

The only difference is Trump is proudly saying the quiet parts loudly, and in public.

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They sold what souls they have left for 45. They were awful before he was elected, think how they treated Obama on all issues. Everything he tried to do they blocked it with their hatred, so they had very little soul left when 45 took office. What we see everyday are men/women who lie for a living and we the people pay for it.

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see Bill Moyers interview this week with Anne Nelson on the Dark Shadows of DC. https://billmoyers.com/story/new-podcast-the-shadow-network/

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I’m politically exhausted. I voted Blue the entire ballot. I volunteered at local Democratic headquarters. I’m in Florida so doubly frustrating. On a good note, I see Bill Moyers quoted you. Keeping the faith...

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OMG. I just read the AP lead story on the debate and it was like 'fiesta de bothsiderismo.' Eric, you've turned me into a more discerning reader.

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author

I’m glad!

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Shockingly CNN actually did a good piece about Trump’s lies. Daniel Dale started his analysis by saying that “Trump was better behaved but he lied more.” Then Dale stated it was a “bombardment” of lies. That is straight up reporting of facts.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/22/politics/fact-check-final-presidential-election-debate/index.html

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We've seen this time and time again. Trump, likely drugged up, behaves somewhat normal, manages to not shit then not throw it against the walls, and all of a sudden the press is lulled into thinking a new tone has been set. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me, fool me a whole bunch of times, shame on the press. It's uncanny how the press has succumbed to this man who is completely unequipped to be president. As the nation witnessed last night, for anyone with enough critical thinking skills, Trump lied incessently through the debate. There was nothing new except that he toned down his usual maniacal self. And before the press can relax today, Trump will be tweeting more conspiratorial bullshit, rest assured.

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I wake up and see precisely what I expected--The DC Press Corpse once again reciting GOP talking points doing anything to get Trump re-elected.

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ha. if nothing else, they are predictable. Let's face it, they'd love the race to tighten

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I expect the press to continue to shower trump with attention even if/when 🙏Biden wins by a landslide.

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Talking Points Memo posted a good article with links to tweets trashing the media for the same old enabling of Republicans.

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/how-are-you-all-still-doing-this-pundits-roasted-for-painting-trump-as-a-newly-tamed-beast

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Press Corpse...😂👏👍

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Hi Eric I've got a generic question which just seems like a glaring "media" sweep-it-under-the-rug rewrite of history.

On October 28, 2016 - 11 days before the election - James Comey sent his letter to notifying Congress that the FBI was reopening Hillary Clinton email investigation.

Credible sources such as Nate Silver indicate this may have swing 2% of vote to Trump (am I making this up?) yet now media dis-remembers this as part of Trump's magical comeback, not once mentioned in any horse race analysis of how Trump "roared back" from defeat to victory in 2016.

Is this fair or unfair critique? I read lots of "who won" columns today which reference how Trump may replicate 2016, none mentioned Comey as 2016 factor; unless current DNI Ratcliffe can wave his "hard-drive from hell" magic wand, what do you think?

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in general, press refuses to own up to its 2016 failures. for first yr after campaign they hit idea Hillary was just “bad candidate.” They’ve kind of dropped that since and certainly gone into radio silence in terms of key role they played

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Eric, you’re typical media. You are all one sided not non-partisan at all. You obviously don’t want to mention all the lies, which are proven, by Biden. Can you be a real reporter and list President Trump’s lies you say along with the verification and proof of each one.

A real reporter can do this. Thanks.

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The Adam Nagourney article on The Times's website doesn't come CLOSE to discussing lies, while David Leonhardt's daily newsletter from The Times is all about them. I guess it's ok when it's not IN the paper? Interestingly, Nagourney is based in LA, so he isn't part of the DC political media brothel (the chief chucktodd of them all, madam).

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founding

Nags is a republican, the Sulzbergs are republicans or are so afraid of being called out by republicans, that they publish accordingly. We are witnessing the final phase of the Lewis Powell memo.

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They are not republicans, but they, like the rest of the media, sacrifice all to "objectivity" instead of letting the facts fall where they may--like PBS and NPR, they look for the other side and create one when it doesn't exist.

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author

Good pt!

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