Joe Biden is the Mister Rodgers of politics. He's Uncle Joe. You can't go after Mister Rodgers and not look like a jerk. They perceive Kamala Harris as getable because she simply doesn't have the folksy warmth of Biden - she's much more to-the-point and intellectual which triggers the DC cocktail party press.
The media not only watches for gaffes, they too often manufacture them. For example they knew that Gore had never claimed to have invented the internet or discovered the Love Canal pollution and that those were just Republican talking point created by misquoting him, yet they gleefully repeated those lies.
When Hillary gave a very compassionate statement about her plans to help people in coal country the media ignored everything she said so they could take one sentence about taking coal jobs away out of context to portray her as heartless. The fact that she had a detailed $30 billion plan to help those communities was ignored; worse, many in the media blamed her loss on the “fact” that she had had nothing to offer those kinds of people.
Lester Holt embarrassed himself in the interview. VP Harris had patiently explained that the administration was focusing on WHY so many Guatemalans were headed north, and what could be done to mitigate that motivation. Determined to carry GOP water, Holt ignored her response and AGAIN asked why she hadn't gone to the US border, prompting a semi-exasperated VP to say, "I don't understand what you are asking." Holt conceded, "Republicans are saying..." as if that fact legitimized his pursuit of a gotcha quote. Eric is right...the beltway media longs for the 6AM jackhammer of BS that the Former Guy gave them.
Thank you for saying what I have been thinking. Although I have not watched the news lately, this is the sense I get of the coverage related to the VP. No coverage has been given to the policies being implemented towards Guatemala and Mexico.
It's typical Republican strategy that the mainstream media embraces. Consistently say as many negative things as possible until they stick. The Republican Party as well as the owners of the mainstream press are old white men. To them, there are three strikes against VP Kamala Harris. Strike one: she's a person of color, strike 2: she's a woman, and strike 3: She's a Democrat, a popular one. It's that simple.
Dunno that “gotcha” isn’t a deceptive term. If gotcha journalism was directed at both parties, maybe it would be fair. But it’s only directed at one party so I’d ditch the term.
As for Harris’ performance, well, giving the shitty jobs to the veep is heritage. Vis a vis Guatemala, unless she was going down there to undo nearly century or more of our imperialism and de facto colonialism, it was all going to be theater and nothing more.
And as the WaPo piece, one can always find the occasional exception to the rule of shitty, dishonest, disinformative reportage. I’m unimpressed that they ran an isolated honest piece amongst the usual BS economic reporting.
WaPo’s Robin Givhan wrote a great piece on June 8 about Kamala’s trip and mentioned not a word about one ‘off note’ but instead wrote about Vice President Harris’s historic significance as a black/AAIP woman of great accomplishment and sharp political acumen while on her trip. It was the kind of piece that enlightened the reader about Harris’s exceptional talents and celebrated the accomplishments of this unique American. I’m proud to have her as our US VP and very much appreciate Givhan’s clear eyed perspective. CNN’s snark brings to mind the pettiness and envy of fourth grade mean girls who refuse to acknowledge the redeeming quality of their targets, no matter the critic’s gender. (Btw, I read Bruni’s piece the way Larry did; ie Kamala's no win situation vis a vis media critics).
Of course we know the right-wing is treasonous and should be prosecuted as such. As for the rest, I'm waiting for MoDoDo, the grand wizard of The Times's Op-Ed Page, to start in on her, since she demonstrated her racism over eight years of "Barry."
A couple of points. There’s a saying that sums up the media GOP coverage: “It’s always good news for Republicans.” The press seems determined to positive spin every story, downplay the negatives, explain why it’s always a problem for the Democrats. (For example - dysfunction in the Senate is because Democrats are divided, not because McConnell has the GOP in solid opposition to everything.
Second. The press is largely ignoring a big labor story - too busy focusing on people don’t want to work.
“ All of that is happening, right now, outside Tuscaloosa, Alabama. From AL.com:
More than 1,100 workers at Warrior Met Coal hit the picket lines on April 1, striking for better pay and benefits. Nearly two weeks into the strike, it appeared a settlement had been reached, but that was rejected after the union members “emphatically” voted down the tentative agreement, saying it was not sufficient, according to the United Mine Workers of America. In May, nearly a dozen miners were arrested during a protest outside a mine in Tuscaloosa County. Warrior Met Coal has continued with operations during the strike.
Moreover, there is video of vehicles turning into picket lines, and there also was an unpleasant encounter between representatives of the United Mine Workers and some leftist podcasters, an intramural schismatic conflict that also seems suited to bygone days. The workers rejected a proposed contract between the UMWA and the Warrior Met company at the beginning of April. Meanwhile, the mine itself has been an environmental problem.”
Biden is abroad doing a big push on democracy v autocracy. BUT the U.S. press — a key part of any functioning democracy — has gotten less access than under previous administrations. And is now forced to resort to updates on from...the Turkish government Twitter account.
So glad you highlighted the media's coverage of VP Harris, Eric. Another one that can be added to the fray is Politico Playbook. I was incensed (or maybe somewhat enraged) when I saw the headline for their Thursday morning edition, and mad tweeted at them immediately at 3:40am PDT:
Merrick
@broddybounce
--------
@playbookdc
@EugeneDaniels2
@rachaelmbade
@RyanLizza
@tarapalmeri
"Former Harris aides: Foreign trip exposed her political weakness"
🤦♂️
You guys just don't know how to stop with the TMZ-like headlines, do you?
The gotcha press comes for Kamala Harris
Joe Biden is the Mister Rodgers of politics. He's Uncle Joe. You can't go after Mister Rodgers and not look like a jerk. They perceive Kamala Harris as getable because she simply doesn't have the folksy warmth of Biden - she's much more to-the-point and intellectual which triggers the DC cocktail party press.
The media not only watches for gaffes, they too often manufacture them. For example they knew that Gore had never claimed to have invented the internet or discovered the Love Canal pollution and that those were just Republican talking point created by misquoting him, yet they gleefully repeated those lies.
When Hillary gave a very compassionate statement about her plans to help people in coal country the media ignored everything she said so they could take one sentence about taking coal jobs away out of context to portray her as heartless. The fact that she had a detailed $30 billion plan to help those communities was ignored; worse, many in the media blamed her loss on the “fact” that she had had nothing to offer those kinds of people.
https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2017/9/15/16306158/hillary-clinton-hall-of-mirrors
Now Harris is getting the same dishonest treatment.
Lester Holt embarrassed himself in the interview. VP Harris had patiently explained that the administration was focusing on WHY so many Guatemalans were headed north, and what could be done to mitigate that motivation. Determined to carry GOP water, Holt ignored her response and AGAIN asked why she hadn't gone to the US border, prompting a semi-exasperated VP to say, "I don't understand what you are asking." Holt conceded, "Republicans are saying..." as if that fact legitimized his pursuit of a gotcha quote. Eric is right...the beltway media longs for the 6AM jackhammer of BS that the Former Guy gave them.
Thank you for saying what I have been thinking. Although I have not watched the news lately, this is the sense I get of the coverage related to the VP. No coverage has been given to the policies being implemented towards Guatemala and Mexico.
It's typical Republican strategy that the mainstream media embraces. Consistently say as many negative things as possible until they stick. The Republican Party as well as the owners of the mainstream press are old white men. To them, there are three strikes against VP Kamala Harris. Strike one: she's a person of color, strike 2: she's a woman, and strike 3: She's a Democrat, a popular one. It's that simple.
Dunno that “gotcha” isn’t a deceptive term. If gotcha journalism was directed at both parties, maybe it would be fair. But it’s only directed at one party so I’d ditch the term.
As for Harris’ performance, well, giving the shitty jobs to the veep is heritage. Vis a vis Guatemala, unless she was going down there to undo nearly century or more of our imperialism and de facto colonialism, it was all going to be theater and nothing more.
And as the WaPo piece, one can always find the occasional exception to the rule of shitty, dishonest, disinformative reportage. I’m unimpressed that they ran an isolated honest piece amongst the usual BS economic reporting.
WaPo’s Robin Givhan wrote a great piece on June 8 about Kamala’s trip and mentioned not a word about one ‘off note’ but instead wrote about Vice President Harris’s historic significance as a black/AAIP woman of great accomplishment and sharp political acumen while on her trip. It was the kind of piece that enlightened the reader about Harris’s exceptional talents and celebrated the accomplishments of this unique American. I’m proud to have her as our US VP and very much appreciate Givhan’s clear eyed perspective. CNN’s snark brings to mind the pettiness and envy of fourth grade mean girls who refuse to acknowledge the redeeming quality of their targets, no matter the critic’s gender. (Btw, I read Bruni’s piece the way Larry did; ie Kamala's no win situation vis a vis media critics).
Of course we know the right-wing is treasonous and should be prosecuted as such. As for the rest, I'm waiting for MoDoDo, the grand wizard of The Times's Op-Ed Page, to start in on her, since she demonstrated her racism over eight years of "Barry."
Kamala: I am working with leaders to ensure Guatemalans can water their crops to produce food supply.
Media: Republicans claim Brawndo has the electrolytes crops crave.
Media continue to frame attacks coming from a criminal cabal which staged a violent coup attempt. This behavior is beyond sick.
A couple of points. There’s a saying that sums up the media GOP coverage: “It’s always good news for Republicans.” The press seems determined to positive spin every story, downplay the negatives, explain why it’s always a problem for the Democrats. (For example - dysfunction in the Senate is because Democrats are divided, not because McConnell has the GOP in solid opposition to everything.
Second. The press is largely ignoring a big labor story - too busy focusing on people don’t want to work.
“ All of that is happening, right now, outside Tuscaloosa, Alabama. From AL.com:
More than 1,100 workers at Warrior Met Coal hit the picket lines on April 1, striking for better pay and benefits. Nearly two weeks into the strike, it appeared a settlement had been reached, but that was rejected after the union members “emphatically” voted down the tentative agreement, saying it was not sufficient, according to the United Mine Workers of America. In May, nearly a dozen miners were arrested during a protest outside a mine in Tuscaloosa County. Warrior Met Coal has continued with operations during the strike.
Moreover, there is video of vehicles turning into picket lines, and there also was an unpleasant encounter between representatives of the United Mine Workers and some leftist podcasters, an intramural schismatic conflict that also seems suited to bygone days. The workers rejected a proposed contract between the UMWA and the Warrior Met company at the beginning of April. Meanwhile, the mine itself has been an environmental problem.”
Charlie Pierce is paying attention at least.
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a36664836/united-mine-workers-strike-alabama/
I always look forward to what you write Eric
And then there's this:
@AshleyRParker
Biden is abroad doing a big push on democracy v autocracy. BUT the U.S. press — a key part of any functioning democracy — has gotten less access than under previous administrations. And is now forced to resort to updates on from...the Turkish government Twitter account.
I think Frank Bruni's column is mischaracterized here as joining in the attack. Actually, he was saying much the same thing as Eric.
So glad you highlighted the media's coverage of VP Harris, Eric. Another one that can be added to the fray is Politico Playbook. I was incensed (or maybe somewhat enraged) when I saw the headline for their Thursday morning edition, and mad tweeted at them immediately at 3:40am PDT:
Merrick
@broddybounce
--------
@playbookdc
@EugeneDaniels2
@rachaelmbade
@RyanLizza
@tarapalmeri
"Former Harris aides: Foreign trip exposed her political weakness"
🤦♂️
You guys just don't know how to stop with the TMZ-like headlines, do you?