The Media Adrift

For John, BLUF:  I used to watch CNN all the time, and then it seemed to drift away from me.  I trusted the three major news networks, until they became less credible in my mind, like pushing the fake letter on Candidate George Bush's National Guard Service.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Chuck Todd Finds All the Disinformation In 'Ecosystem Problem' on the Right

From News Busters, by reporter Tim Graham, 29 December 2019.

I just watched today's edition of Meet the Press, "Alternative Facts Inside the Weaponization of Disinformation," with Host Chuck Todd.

By and large Mr Todd and his guests were totally lacking in introspection, except perhaps for the Mohawk coiffured Mr Joshua Johnson. Mr Todd made it all about the Russians and the Republicans.  Even when he talked about the DNC Server and Crowd Strike he never approached the question of what happened to the Server and why it was not turned over to the FBI.  With Russia supposedly hacking our 2016 Presidential Election, why would that analysis be subcontracted out to a Ukrainian Company?  There may be a very good explanation, but it was skipped over with a "Trust Me" assertion.

The show did not take any of the issues that Republicans felt bubbled up during and following the 2016 Presidential Election, and were dismissed by the Main Stream Media.  For example, the Steele Dossier, the conflicting memos between Representatives Nunes and Schiff (which the DOJ IG found to be in favor of Rep Nunes).  There was the violations of Mr Carter Page's Civil Rights by the Department of Justice.  Then there was the boasting of the Mueller Investigation and the continued support of it as proving President Trump as corrupt and a traitor.  And then the support for Ms Rachel Maddow and her pumping of the Steele Dossier.  There is no reflection on the possibility the Main Stream Media has been wrong here.  Look at their dealing with BREXIT and with the recent British Election.  It felt like dealing with the Proud and Clueless.

I don't expect things to get better any time soon.

Regards  —  Cliff