Eric Boehlert: The media's summer of discontent -- waging war on Biden

[babylonsister]

https://pressrun.media/p/the-medias-summer-of-discontent-waging

The media's summer of discontent — waging war on Biden
The excited pile-on
Eric Boehlert
2 hr ago

snip//

Commenting on Biden’s Monday address to the nation and the cultural disconnect between the public and the press, MSNBC’s Nicolle Wallace observed, “"95% of the American people will agree with everything [President Biden] just said. 95% of the press covering this White House will disagree."

The question is, why? Why is there such a chasm between the public and the press. (Prior to the withdrawal, Americans overwhelmingly supported Biden’s plan to bring U.S. troops home.) Why has the Beltway media covered the Afghanistan story with an unrestrained frenzy that so far outweighs the facts in play?

Laser focused on blaming Biden for a military defeat two decades in the making, while wildly overplaying the evacuation story in terms of historical context, the press seems genuinely eager to echo GOP spin and denounce the White House, as well as demand weird public acts of contrition.

snip//

The press should absolutely hold public officials accountable. But it’s not possible to watch the last several days and suggest the administration has refused to explain and detail what’s unfolding in Afghanistan. Unlike the previous administration, which lied to the press nonstop about every conceivable topic, the Biden White House has been offering serious, specific, and factual responses to all inquiries. It’s just that the press, just like the GOP, doesn’t like the answers.

snip//

This is also the same press corps that two weeks ago largely looked away when the U.S. economy shocked analysts by posting nearly one million new jobs. Two of the three network evening newscasts didn’t even bother covering the blockbuster jobs report.

Good news for Biden is often treated as no news by the press, which is far more interested in pushing “crisis” stories. It’s a key reason why they leaned so hard into the Afghanistan story.

[spanone]

1. K&R

[sop]

2. Corporate media has been eagerly waiting for this moment for the last six months, sharpening

their knives, ready to pounce on the new administration. So far they haven't had any real opportunities to shift into their usual both-siderism mode...you know, to prove they're real journalists, and not a bunch of overpaid hacks.

[Me.]

3. And Yet, Even With That Observation By Nicolle

she allowed her guests to beat up on Biden with little push-back and couldn't seem to decide, one way or the other, where she stood on the matter

[spanone]

5. she's conflicted...she was part of the administration (bu$h) that started this debacle

[Me.]

6. She May Be Conflicted ButIt's Not Right THey Way....

she let armchair analysts like Peter Baker act like he's some kind of real expert and kick PJB around

[Hugin]

4. They're putting together the horse race for 2022. n/t