Fake News

The problem with so-called “Fake News” is not simply that it is misleading. The lazy journalists that stand behind are as perplexing. The neo-liberal western press is pulling out all the stops these days, in a way that makes 1970’s tabloids look credible. Here’s a brief survey of some of the laziest and most despicable of the lot. As your read below, please understand the difference between “news” and “editorial”. The following journalists are writing news, not opinion.

A Politico piece by presents attuned readers with a stark look at sellout journalism. As if the Obama-Clinton zombies had not already showed their asses in broad daylight, Michael Crowley decided to moon the waking world in a diatribe of wishful Washington-Kremlin thinking,  in a White House beat story entitled; “Kremlin-backed media turns on Trump”. The news bit rejects the notion of credibility, and forgets everything but the title of an RT Op-Ed – “Sessions Scandal: ‘U.S Headed to Constitutional Crisis”.  Forget the fact the story on US Attorney General Jeff Sessions is defending the Trump appointee from the “hysteria” churned up by media LIKE Politico, anything will serve as evidence in Wonka-Washington these days. If only Crowley had chosen to read the RT article’s first paragraph:

“The Democrat attack on the Attorney General is not accidental as he would be dealing with accusations against the administration of fraternizing with Russians – the latest US hysteria, says Gilbert Doctorow of the American Committee for East-West Accord.”

A final note on Crowley, who can forget his rousing TIME cover piece on Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, which painted the leader as a kind of “second coming” of the savior. Interestingly, once his “Savior of Mexico” cover became a meme on Twitter, the former Time journalists tweeted:

“Remarkable how many critics of Mexico’s president seem to believe I must have literally taken a bribe to write a positive story about him.”

And there you have it – Crowley-Politico-Fake News- End of Story.

Over at the now Fake News notorious Washington Post, Ashley Parker and Jenna Johnson just play dumb and dumber. Their headline reads “White House aides struggle to defend Trump wiretap claims”. This, concerning the assertion that former President Barack Obama wiretapped Trump Tower, took two Jeff Bezos bought and paid for authors to fight unfounded claim with another unfounded claim? The WP writers claim Trump White House officials were hard pressed to defend Trump’s statements so:

“Speaking to reporters from the White House briefing room without cameras present, White House press secretary Sean Spicer referred reporters to his weekend statement calling on the House and Senate intelligence committees to investigate the wiretapping charges as part of their broader probe of alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. He refused to add clarity or context to Trump’s Twitter missives, saying neither the president nor the White House would comment further until the congressional investigations are completed.”

This in no way proves that Spicer and other officials were, in Parker’s and Johnson’s words; “contorted themselves trying to defend the president’s claims.” This assurance is “color additive” and bias period. Remember the difference between news and opinion please. Somehow I have a hard time connecting Spicer’s official statement with the vision of sneaky snake Trump minions writhing on the press room floor in pain.

Parker-Johnson-Jeff Bezos-Washington Post are “Fake” – End of Story.

Christ in Heaven, how many “persons familiar with the matter” can CNN reporters cite? Pamela Brown and Shimon Prokupecz round out what should be a “five stooges” of Fake News I suppose. According to their source, or the editor who suggested using the most sensational descriptives to describe anything “Trump”, “FBI Director James Comey was ‘incredulous’ over Trump’s tweets”. Their unnamed source deep within the FBI (probably CNN headquarters) said the FBI Director was jumping up and down like Yosemite Sam when he read Trump’s wiretap tweet! The pair of CNN reporters worked hard to milk this source, finally coming up with their own unsubstantiated take what were Comey’s motives:

“The source said Comey was concerned that the allegation would make the FBI look bad, and that concern was part of what prompted the FBI director to have his staff reach out to staff at the Justice Department asking them to knock down the allegation.”

The CNN piece bounces back and forth between credibility and total bullshit, leaning heavily on “the source” and a mix of truth and speculation. Then BAM! The snake in the grass appears like a specter of New World Democracy! To quote the piece (and the probably source):

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, told reporters Monday evening that the wiretapping “would be earth-shattering if it happened,” adding that he did not know of any evidence to support the President’s claim, but agreed with Trump that Congress should investigate the matter.

All I can say about Pamela Brown is that the daughter of actress and former Miss USA Phyllis George should do better than play puppet doll for the world’s most mistrusted TV News network, CNN. In this case, Pamela Brown-Shimon Prokupecz -CNN-100% Fake – End of Story.

Those who really seek the truth marvel at the unskilled liar. But the real essence of Fake News is its power to convince no matter what. I am reminded of something from Jonathan Swift, that explains why mainstream media has no qualms about misleading us today:

“Falsehood flies, and truth comes limping after it, so that when men come to be undeceived, it is too late; the jest is over, and the tale hath had its effect: like a man, who hath thought of a good repartee when the discourse is changed, or the company parted; or like a physician, who hath found out an infallible medicine, after the patient is dead.”