Woke USA Today Gives Unfunny Lecture on Modern Comedy

When historians reflect on the current state of free speech in America they’ll come away with two distinct impressions. It was a terrible stain on a great country’s legacy The mainstream media played a pivotal role in speech’s decline That’s never more true than when it comes to comedy. Mainstream journalists alternately empower Cancel Culture or question its existence. They tag-team against comics like Ricky Gervais, Dave Chappelle and others who defy the Cancel Culture scolds or simply follow the funny wherever it leads. The tells are obvious. Journalists either put scare quotes around the term Cancel Culture, or they preface it by “so-called.” The real proof is in the reportage, and USA Today offers a prime example. The liberal outlet published a series on comedy in the modern age. The funniest part? One segment explores the role of “stereotypes” in comedy, but the overall project smacks of progressive stereotypes tied to modern humor. “Punching Up/Down” “Marginalized Communities” “Speaking Truth to Power” The article summing up the series is typical of the approach. “To keep with the times and celebrate more voices, of course, (comedy) has to be updated,” author and comedian Phoebe Robinson tells USA TODAY. Although there are “great foundational aspects to comedy,” she says, it’s important to “not rely on what worked before and push the genre further.” Yes, let’s dismiss the groundbreaking work by Richard Pryor, George Carlin and Lenny Bruce for the wit and wisdom of Phoebe Robinson. Who? Instead, let’s look to Hannah Gadsby and fellow woke comedians, the kind who deliver TED Talks that rarely deliver laughs.     USA Today did some investigative digging into the topic – “We talked to dozens of comedians and industry experts to find out where comedy is today.” Not one voice vehemently disagreed with the newspaper’s thesis, though. Odd. Where’s Tyler Fischer? Ryan Long? Dave Chappelle? Bill Burr? Rob Schneider? Steven Crowder? Dave Landau? Chrissie Mayr? Anthony Cumia? Andrew Schulz? Nick Di Paolo? We do get canned quotes from Rowan Atkinson railing against Cancel Culture and acknowledging that comedy always has a target. And Shane Gillis, fired from “Saturday Night Live” for offensive Asian jokes, is quoted, too. That’s as much balance as USA Today can offer. In its place, we learn that comedy must “evolve.” We never hear how today’s comedians treat the Biden administration with care, avoiding hard jokes against it until the media gives them the “all-clear” sign. Nor does it mention that cruel comedy is perfectly acceptable if the targets are on the Right. That’s speaking “Truth to Power,” as our biased press sees it. USA Today isn’t alone in this mindset. TheWrap.com, purportedly a site covering creative expression, cheered on Cancel Culture with a series of videos last year. Journalism’s credibility is in free fall, and for very good reason. Series like the USA Today comedy showcase hardly help. [Cross-posted from Hollywood in Toto.]

Velshi Blasts Florida For Not Giving 'Gender-Affirming Care' To Minors

MSNBC’s Ali Velshi was not happy with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s latest decision to remove the ability to use Medicaid to pay for gender dysphoria treatment. Velshi alleged on his Saturday show that move is on the level of not providing puberty blockers to minors and the “Don’t Say Gay bill.” As part of his monologue, Velshi declared, “Since Governor Ron DeSantis took office, few states have been more hostile toward LGBTQ+ community than Florida.”     After reporting on the new Medicaid provisions, Velshi portrayed them as anti-scientific, “In making this change, Florida asserts that treatments like hormone replacement therapy, and puberty blockers, aren't quote, 'a medical necessity.' Even though the American Medical Association has endorsed those treatments for years as part of standard medical care.” Velshi claimed that “This is the culmination of months-long efforts to deny transgender individuals, including trans minors, treatment that they want and deserve.” Like the Medicaid rules, this was also alleged to be anti-scientific, “Back in June, the state—the-- released a report which falsely stated that gender affirming care was ineffective, and under-researched. A team of scientists and a law professor at Yale University subsequently criticized that report for lying on pseudoscience, and making misleading claims.” Florida’s rules that Velshi is attacking are in line with Finland and Sweden, which aren’t exactly full of right-wing culture warriors. Still, despite portraying himself as the factual one, Velshi concluded by repeating another common falsehood, “And this is only the latest action taken by the state that discriminates against members of the LGBT community, like late last month. A new law that critics called the Don't Say Gay bill took effect which restricted educators can teach, or say in the classroom, about sexual identity and gender diversity.” Neither Velshi nor “critics” have ever provided a compelling reason why children third grade and under should be taught about matters of sexuality and left-wing gender theory. This segment was sponsored by IHOP Here is a transcript for the August 13 show: MSNBC Velshi 8/13/2022 8:34 AM ET ALI VELSHI: Since Governor Ron DeSantis took office, few states have been more hostile toward LGBTQ+ community than Florida. And soon will be more difficult for some transgender residents of all ages to receive gender-affirming care in the states--in that particular state. Beginning August 21st, trans Floridians will no longer be able to use Medicaid to pay for treatment for gender dysphoria, a condition that refers to the psychological distress that some people experience because their biological sex doesn't align with the gender identity.  In making this change, Florida asserts that treatments like hormone replacement therapy, and puberty blockers, aren't quote, "a medical necessity." Even though the American Medical Association has endorsed those treatments for years as part of standard medical care.  This is the culmination of months-long efforts to deny transgender individuals, including trans minors, treatment that they want and deserve. Back in June, the state—the-- released a report which falsely stated that gender affirming care was ineffective, and under-researched. A team of scientists and a law professor at Yale University subsequently criticized that report for lying on pseudoscience, and making misleading claims.  And this is only the latest action taken by the state that discriminates against members of the LGBT community, like late last month. A new law that critics called the Don't Say Gay bill took effect which restricted educators can teach, or say in the classroom, about sexual identity and gender diversity.

Tons of Anti-White Racism in Freeform’s ‘grown-ish': Calls White College Staff 'A Few Tiki Torches Shy of a Hate Crime'

Freeform’s racist comedy and black-ish spinoff, grown-ish, has unfortunately returned for a fifth season, but the show has been revamped with a mix of new and old characters, now that main character Zoey (Yara Shahidi) has graduated from California University (Cal U), where the show is set. What hasn’t changed, sadly, is the show’s hatred towards white people and conservatives as evidenced in its latest episode.   Kiela (Daniella Perkins), whose character debuted last season, has returned in a more vital role. In Wednesday’s episode, “Look What U Started,” she and newcomer Brandon (Matthew Sato) are both trying out for a position with Cal U’s Social Justice Society (SJS). Before their interviews, they get into a virtue-signaling debate about who's more worthy for the position - a “blossoming anarcho-Marxist” or a freshman who was on Biden’s transition team: Brandon: What's up, Kiela? You interviewing, too? We met at the SJS meeting, right? Uh, you made me prove to you that I wasn't subscribed to Ben Shapiro before I put my name on the sign-up list. Kiela: Right. Yeah. Um...Brendan. Brandon: Brandon. Kiela: Sorry, you're interviewing for director of strategy for the social justice society? Brandon: Yep. Yeah, I gotta say, I'm surprised a blossoming anarcho-Marxist like yourself is interested in something this...institutional.   Kiela: Okay, look, if you need, like, a résumé-padder for your Peace Corps app, there's like a thriving hacky sack club on the east quad. And, you know, just a...an FYI, they've never given this position to a freshman. Brandon: Oh. Well, how often do they meet a freshman who was on Biden's transition team? Interviewer: Kiela. Come on in. Brandon was on Biden's transition team? That's just begging for a "Let's go, Brandon," joke! During the interview process, it’s revealed that Kiela and Brandon are complete opposites in their approach to obtaining their goals, which leads to them both being hired, after Kiela calls former president Ronald Reagan a “genocidal clown": Kiela: Making change is about getting people to stop and pay attention. Brandon: Look, we all know the levers of change are pulled by like five old white dudes in a smoke-filled room. So, the question is... Both: How do you get them to listen? Brandon: Collaborate, not alienate. Kiela: Explosive, disruptive. Brandon: Tactical, laser focused. Kiela: Drive the conversation and mobilize revolution. Brandon: Work behind the scenes toward concrete, achievable goals. Kaden: I'm writing my thesis on activism during the AIDS crisis. And do you know what my biggest takeaway has been? Kiela: Reagan was a genocidal clown? Kaden: You need the act up die-hards handcuffing themselves to the stock exchange, and you need the HRC insiders lobbying senators. Do you see what I'm getting at? Your tactics couldn't be more different. Which is why you'll make incredible co-directors. Congratulations. Another returning character is Afro-Centric professor Aaron Jackson (Trevor Jackson), boyfriend of Zoey. As a refresher, Aaron is the one who said, “white people are inherently bad,” that it’s okay for black people to lie about having a felony on their resume because, “the system is designed to work against people of color,” and that conservatives are “idiots” who support policies that oppress black and poor people. In this episode, Aaron makes a viral TikTok complaining about how many white people are on the school’s faculty, mocking them on looks alone with critiques such as, “a few tiki torches shy of a hate crime,” and having a “’60s country club whiteness": Aaron: Hey, how you guys doing? Professor Jackson here, and today I'm gonna be rating Cal U's faculty diversity by department. That's a few tiki torches shy of a hate crime. Zero out of 10. Now, you see that? That right there, that's giving '60s country club whiteness, but there are some ladies in the mix, so we'll give them a 2 out of 10. It's not great, but it's better than the last one. Now, finally, see that? There's that Benetton Energy we've been looking for. You're probably wondering what department that is. Is that history? Film studies? No, it isn't. It's global studies, guys. Global studies. And you see that guy right there in the corner? That's me, next to all my friends that Cal U panic-hired over the last six months. Junior: At first, Aaron's TikTok flopped, until one student saw the comic potential and used Aaron's sound for his own riff... Aaron: Zero out of ten. Junior: Rating the lack of seasonings at various dining hall stations. When it blew up, suddenly students started using Aaron's sound to call out everything problematic at Cal U. So, after Aaron forgot about his scream into the social media void, it popped off, too. Yo, bro. Congrats on sticking it to the man. Aaron: Thanks? What...what are you talking about? Junior: Your TikTok. It blew up. Check out the comments. Aaron: Uh... Let's see here. "If Noah Beck and Malcolm X had a baby." Oh, Lord help these kids. Hold on. Whoa, I just got like 100 kids trying to audit my class. Wow. 101. Okay. Junior: Looks like people are psyched to see professor TikTok in action. I guess so. The professors end up angry at Aaron after seeing the video, leading Aaron to complain to Zoey about the tension. Zoey encourages him to make amends, advising, “If you want people to be on your side, you're gonna have to win them over a little bit. Show them that you’re one of them.” Aaron decides to take her advice, but when he goes to mingle with the white faculty, he has visions of them as vapid and rude borderline racists and thus decides he can’t bring himself to associate with them: Aaron: Okay, okay, it's just drinks. Drinks with coworkers. That's all it is. Zoey's right, just bring the charm. Show them what you're all about. It's not ass-kissing, it's career development. Big difference. How bad could it be? Man: Where'd you get that tie? It's so dope! Man 2: What I love about Kamala is she's so real. Aaron: She's...she's so real. She's so real. Hey, what are you doing? Alright. Yeah, that's my...That's my hair. Thank you. Nope, nope. Nope. Haha? black-ish may finally have ended its reign of racist “comedy,” but it looks like its legacy will unfortunately live on through grown-ish for the unforeseeable future. Conservatives Fight Back! This episode was sponsored by Olive Garden, Walmart, and GEICO. Click each advertiser for their contact information so you can let them know how you feel.

Flashback to When MSNBC Hated 'Odious' and 'Toxic' Liz Cheney

Now that journalists see Liz Cheney as a heroic Joan of Arc, willing to be burned at the political stake, it’s good to sometimes remind everyone of the seething hatred many in the liberal media had for the daughter of Dick Cheney. One such example is the July 17, 2013 edition of MSNBC’s All In.  Host Chris Hayes raged at the “odious,” “toxic” Republican  who was then running for Senate. Referring to her father, Hayes ranted:  Now, whatever you think about her father, you got to allow Dick Cheney this. He came about his infamy honestly. He is a real up by the bootstraps kind of villain. But Liz Cheney is the knockoff version. She's a legacy case, a toxic example of what affirmative action for over privileged white people looks like.     Regarding Cheney's decision to run in the GOP primary against incumbent Republican Mike Enzi, Hayes continued:  Now, there are a few things we should all keep in mind about this new development in Wyoming politics, besides the fact that Liz Cheney is apparently a really crappy friend. Ms. Cheney is truly one of the most odious presences in American politics today. ... Liz Cheney does not just argue her point of view. She boils up a stew of the most repugnant factless fearmongering propaganda to rile up the darkest forces of the far political fringe. Back in 2022, here’s how Hayes trying to square the liberal circle on Cheney appreciation.      For more examples from our weekly flashback series, which we call NewsBusters Time Machine, go here.  A transcript of the July 17, 2013 edition of All In can be found below. Click “expand” to read more.  CHRIS HAYES, BEFORE COMMERCIAL BREAK: Okay, here's a fun fact: The state fish of Wyoming is called the cut-throat trout? What does that have to do with the way Liz Cheney has entered into the Senate race there for 2014? I don't know, but it sure seems apropos, doesn't it? Don't go away. (...) [LIZ CHENEY] HAYES: That, of course, was Liz Cheney, people pleaser, announcing by way of YouTube yesterday she will bow to the great pressure  from the good people of Wyoming and run for the Senate next year. But here's the thing: There's not an open U.S. Senate seat in Wyoming next year. The seat she's currently running for is occupied by someone from her own party. Republican Mike Enzi, who's serving his third term and who, it just so happens, announced his own intentions to run for another term just yesterday. [SENATOR MIKE ENZI (R-WY)] HAYES: Now, there are a few things we should all keep in mind about this new development in Wyoming politics, besides the fact that Liz Cheney is apparently a really crappy friend. Ms. Cheney is truly one of the most odious presences in American politics today. Liz Cheney, for example, is responsible for the shameless far right pressure group that cast Justice Department lawyers who were called upon to represent Guantanamo prisoners as al-Qaeda sympathizers, the same group that helped lead the charge against the Muslim community center in Lower Manhattan, cleverly if completely inaccurately, nicknamed by the far right as the Ground Zero mosque. Just a few months ago, she all but accused the President of being an anti-American agent, writing, quote, "The President has so effectively diminished American strength abroad, there's no longer question whether this was his intent." Last year, she went even further, suggesting that by supporting defense cuts, the President was basically working for the Taliban. LIZ CHENEY: What President Obama is doing is something that America's enemies, the Taliban, al-Qaeda, you know, have been unable to do, which is to decimate the fighting capability of this nation. HAYES: And if you asked Liz Cheney what with all this pro al-Qaeda, Taliban sympathizing, you can't really blame the fringe crazies for thinking President Obama must be a secret Kenyan Muslim terrorist plant. Here's how she explained the all American phenomenon of birthers back in 2009. CHENEY: People are uncomfortable with having, for the first time ever I think, a President who seems so reluctant to defend the nation overseas. HAYES: Liz Cheney does not just argue her point of view. She boils up a stew of the most repugnant factless fearmongering propaganda to rile up the darkest forces of the far political fringe. As an added bonus, she's in the "global warming is fake because of snow caucus" as well. Now, whatever you think about her father, you got to allow Dick Cheney this. He came about his infamy honestly. He is a real up by the bootstraps kind of villain. But Liz Cheney is the knockoff version. She's a legacy case, a toxic example of what affirmative action for over privileged white people looks like. She bought a house in Wyoming last year, and as far as anyone could tell, the justification for her campaign is that she would very much like to be a U.S. senator, thank you very much. And, presumably, her dad will be helping her raise money with his fabulously wealthy and powerful friends. And to be perfectly honest, there is no real reason to care about this race on its face, a race that will probably be decided by fewer people than simultaneously did the "Gangnam Style" horse dance with Psy in Seoul last fall. But here's what's fascinating about it anyway. Liz Cheney's candidacy represents a return to the 200 proof neoconism into the Republican Party. She'll be spending the next year playing to a conservative base that has gone increasingly anti-interventionist, a la Rand Paul, in terms of foreign policy. So what's about to unfold in Wyoming is a captivating test case as to whether the Republican base can beat back the neocon aristocracy. Joining me now is Matt Welch, editor-in-chief of the libertarian magazine Reason, co-author of the book, The Declaration Of Independence: How Libertarian Politics Can Fix What's Wrong With America. Well, Liz Cheney is what's wrong with America, and I'm hoping that the Wyoming libertarian streak is going to beat her back. Because, I genuinely think that one of the most fascinating elements of center by politics is that the base is no, no, no, nowhere near as interventionist as the oligarchy that runs foreign policy. And here we have got a perfect test case. (...) So here's the fascinating thing. So the way that Liz, the question about Liz Cheney is, how do you win a race where you represent the establishment? How do you get the grassroots that hates the establishment on your side? I think the answer is, "I'm going to out Obama hate anyone." Right? That's the card she is going to play. Here she is making her case for how she's growing to run this race.

Ruhle Invites Democratic Congresswoman To Fact Check 87,000 New IRS Agents Claim

MSNBC’s Stephanie Ruhle illustrated some bizarre fact checking standards on Friday’s edition of The 11th Hour. She argued that President Biden is fighting inflation simply because Democrats just passed something called the Inflation Reduction Act while also thinking a Democratic politician is a credible source to fact check GOP claims about the IRA’s provision that will lead to 87,000 new IRS agents. During an interview with Rep. Katie Porter, Ruhle declared “Inflation Reduction Act, great name” and addressing Biden’s critics, added “Now for all of those who say, ‘President Biden, what are you going to do about inflation?’ You've got it.”       Ruhle proceeded to simply ask Porter to “Explain to us how it’s going to help the American people.” After Porter explained the Democratic arguments for the bill, none of which had anything to do with the immediate inflation crisis, Ruhle switched to the IRS, “There are some Republicans out there warning, with the passage of this bill, there will be, quote, ‘an army of 87,000 IRS agents coming for Americans earning less than $75,000 a year.’ You want to fact check that?” Porter declared that such claims were “a load of malarkey” and that the new agents are really just about better customer service, “The number one agency that the American people would like to have – have-- more agents, be more helpful, pick up the phone, build better technology, be more responsive -- is the IRS. So, this is an investment in allowing the IRS to modernize and prepare for the wave of anticipated retirements in customer service agents that we’re already facing.” She then claimed the audit portion was directed solely at big corporations. Proceeding to do her best Tim Russert impression, Porter pulled out a whiteboard and argued, “For every dollar that we invest in IRS enforcement, of the most wealthy Americans, and the largest corporations -- with an army of lawyers and accountants to do their bidding -- we can recover $5 in taxes that are owed to the rest of us.” Instead of fawning over the whiteboard gimmick, Ruhle should’ve asked why Democrats voted down an amendment that would’ve codified new agents only auditing the rich, but fact checking wasn’t really Ruhle’s goal for the segment. This segment was sponsored by 4imprint. Here is a transcript for the August 12 show: MSNBC The 11th Hour with Stephanie Ruhle 8/12/2022 11:49 PM ET STEPHANIE RUHLE: Inflation Reduction Act, great name. Now for all of those who say, “President Biden, what are you going to do about inflation?” You've got it. Explain to us how it’s going to help the American people.  KATIE PORTER: Well, the thrust of the bill is bringing down costs and for American families, in the short term, through things like reducing the health care premiums that families pay within the Affordable Care Act, reducing the price of prescription drugs, and reducing energy costs for families in terms of heating and cooling their homes. So, those are the three areas that families are going to see immediate investments.  But the other part about this is about creating a kind of, strong, stable, globally competitive economy that’s going to have the kind of energy independence and energy security that will help us fight forces like global instability that can lead to inflation in the future.  So, I think this is a terrific economic plan in that it both addresses short term concerns, where American families are right now. But also, as a mom, as someone who's thinking about the future, this sets us up to equal and best our global competitors in terms of the economy of tomorrow.  RUHLE: There are some Republicans out there warning, with the passage of this bill, there will be, quote, “an army of 87,000 IRS agents coming for Americans earning less than $75,000 a year.” You want to fact check that?  PORTER: What – what-- would a load of malarkey. That is just not true. Let me tell you the straight deal. I get phone calls every day from my constituents and colleagues around the country, asking for help with federal agencies that are not being responsive, that they're waiting on answers from. The number one agency that the American people would like to have – have-- more agents, be more helpful, pick up the phone, build better technology, be more responsive -- is the IRS.  So, this is an investment in allowing the IRS to modernize and prepare for the wave of anticipated retirements in customer service agents that we’re already facing. The audit piece of this is focused on big corporations. And that is exactly why you're hearing Republicans, who are beholden to those big corporations, try to weaken and attack this piece.  The reality is, the focus of the bill on the audit piece is on big corporations. It’s on cracking down on corporate tax cheats. And here is how that math works. For every dollar that we invest in IRS enforcement, of the most wealthy Americans, and the largest corporations -- with an army of lawyers and accountants to do their bidding -- we can recover $5 in taxes that are owed to the rest of us. And ultimately, this kind of investment is going to let us have a more stable tax structure going forward. 

NY Times: One-Issue 'Freedom' Voters Good for Democrats, Dangerous for GOP

See the New York Times ideological hypocrisy regarding single-issue voters: When Democrats cynically employ the word “freedom” but apply it only to the single issue of abortion, it’s a praiseworthy political tactic. But when it’s Democrats joining Republicans to support actual freedom by opposing harmful vaccine mandates, mask mandates, and school closings, it’s potentially dangerous. Reporter Katie Glueck huddled up with the Democrats on their new campaign tactic while reporting “Progressive Groups Push Democrats on ‘Freedom’ for Midterm Election Message,” which redefined “freedom” as “abortion.” As if saying “freedom” will make voters forget years of moralistic liberal calls for lockdowns and mandates at the expense of actual individual freedom. What does this freedom entail? Abortion, mostly. The move is the latest evidence that Democrats at every level of the party and of varying ideological stripes….are increasingly seeking to reclaim language about freedom and personal liberty from Republicans. It is a dynamic that grew out of the overturning of Roe v. Wade in June, and one that is intensifying as more states navigate abortion bans while Republicans nominate election deniers for high office. Glueck at least allowed a Republican a pithy quote: In a statement, Emma Vaughn, a spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee, highlighted the effort to paint Democrats as anti-freedom over pandemic measures, calling them the party of “shuttered businesses, school lockdowns, masks on toddlers and forced vaccines.” Last month, The Washington Post also hyped the Democrats as the "party of freedom" because of their support for abortion on demand. By contrast, reporter Sheera Frenkel’s alarmist front-page August 1 story on mothers moved to protest Covid-related mandates and school closures took a strange angle: “Pandemic Made Some Parents Fervent Anti-Mandate Voters.”  They waved signs that read “Defeat the mandates” and “No vaccines.” They chanted “Protect our kids” and “Our kids, our choice.” Almost everyone in the crowd of more than three dozen was a parent. And as they protested on a recent Friday in the Bay Area suburb of Orinda, Calif., they had the same refrain: They were there for their children. Most had never been to a political rally before. But after seeing their children isolated and despondent early in the coronavirus pandemic, they despaired, they said. On Facebook, they found other worried parents who sympathized with them. They shared notes and online articles -- many of them misleading -- about the reopening of schools and the efficacy of vaccines and masks. Soon, those issues crowded out other concerns. Frenkel didn’t bother analyzing the strengths of the actual argument to keep schools open, as if admitting that keeping public schools shuttered was indefensible policy. Ms. Longnecker and her fellow objectors are part of a potentially destabilizing new movement: parents who joined the anti-vaccine and anti-mask cause during the pandemic, narrowing their political beliefs to a single-minded obsession over those issues. Their thinking hardened even as Covid-19 restrictions and mandates were eased and lifted, cementing in some cases into a skepticism of all vaccines. …. ….Fueled by a sense of righteousness after Covid vaccine and mask mandates ended, many of these parents have become increasingly dogmatic, convinced that unless they act, new mandates will be passed after the midterms. A correction revealed Frenkel’s desire to tar the fight for normal lives for children as extremist. Because of an editing error, the article included a link to a “Stop the Steal” Facebook group, suggesting that it was among the groups [former Democrat and mother Natalya] Murakhver had joined. She was not engaged with that group, and the link was removed from the article.

NewsBusters Podcast: A 'Brutal Payback' for the Trump Raid?

Attorney General Merrick Garland kept reporters and TV networks waiting (and filling air time) for more than a half-hour before he came out and made a brief statement and took no questions from reporters. It was not a demonstration of transparency after this unprecedented step of the FBI raiding the home of a former president like he was a criminal.  The networks tried to present Garland as reasonable and nonpartisan -- insisting of course, he must have a good reason for this raid. Then an ABC reporter turned to frighten the public with neo-Nazis ripping Garland on message boards -- he's Jewish -- and seemingly associated all Garland's critics with the worst extremists.  Wall Street Journal columnist Kimberly Strassel predicts that if Republicans take Congress, "The Payback Will Be Brutal." She wrote "to read the left’s media scribes, Monday’s search was a ho-hum day in crime-fighting. The Beltway press circled the wagons around Attorney General Merrick Garland and primly parroted Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s piety that “no one is above the law.” Democrats may be betting that adverse coverage of Mr. Trump will help them in November, or in 2024. They’d better hope so. Their media defenders recklessly ignore the boomerang history of unleashed governmental powers and the long-term political danger of violating precedents and norms. We wrap today by taking a minute to talk to our departing summer news-analyzing interns Margaret Buckley, Aidan Moorehouse, and Emma Schultz. Our interns dig right into "news-busting," and these young people make us feel optimistic about the future. Enjoy the podcast below, or wherever you enjoy your podcasts.   

MSNBC Guest Calls GOP Behavior 'Treasonous,' Forgets to Call Out Liberal Violence

On Friday, Morning Joe made everyone wish they had just stayed in bed by having New York Times editorial board member Mara Gay come on the show. Her dangerous anti-Republican rhetoric included calling the Republican Party’s behavior in the wake of the FBI’s raid on Mar-a-Lago “treasonous” and “stomach churning.” Gay lectured viewers: “Patriotism is not simply about waving a flag, it is actually about doing the right thing and the hard thing to defend the country, even when it means holding your own party accountable.”     She then labeled “seeing the democracy denigrated” as “stomach churning,” further accusing Republicans and other right-wingers of “creating an environment of political violence.” She even thought it would be important to bring up the fact that it was also “the anniversary of Charlottesville” the previous day.  “They are putting Americans at risk,” she warned the audience, “not only FBI agents, but any American or anybody really who is seen as the target of the far right.” According to Gay, what these evil-doing Republicans are doing “has historical precedent,” despite her clarifying “I'm not a historian, I’m not—I don't feel qualified to talk about,” saying it dates back to the Civil War. It looks like she needs to go back to elementary-level history class, because the Civil War era was a much worse time in terms of racism. Even after the slaves were thankfully freed, they still had to struggle to get equal rights, so civil rights had come a long way since then. But she is too cooped up in her lefty bubble to use her critical thinking skills. She added that “what they're doing is telling a story that the true Americans are Trump supporters, everybody else is the enemy,” saying that once again, “it is very scary and it is very serious and it is treasonous behavior in my view.” Gay conveniently forgot the attempted assassination of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh earlier this summer, the terrorist attacks against pro-life centers across the country, and the attempted assassination of multiple Republican members of Congress a few years ago by an avid MSNBC viewer (just to name a few). Once she and Joe Scarborough address every single crazy act of violence that the side they cater to has done, maybe then they can talk about accountability. This example of eye-rolling leftist hypocrisy was made possible by HughesNet and The Farmer's Dog. Click "expand" for the full transcript of this lecture. MSNBC’s Morning Joe August 12, 2022 9:18:39 a.m. Eastern MARA GAY: It is remarkable, Joe. You know, I'm old enough to remember a time in which the Republican Party wrapped itself in the flag and at least stood up for those values that the flag represented in its own vision. You know—patriotism is not simply about waving a flag, it is actually about doing the right thing and the hard thing to defend the country, even when it means holding your own party accountable.  And so this is really when we find out, you know, who the patriots are, and you know— this behavior is treasonous. And, on top of that, it is not just the principle of seeing the democracy denigrated that is so upsetting and deeply just stomach churning, it is also the fact that these Republicans and others are creating an environment of political violence. Yesterday, we already saw just an inkling of what is possible when somebody tried to breach the FBI field office in Ohio.  And this is not the first time, obviously yesterday was also the anniversary of Charlottesville, so this is a very dangerous environment that they're creating. They are putting Americans at risk, not only FBI agents, but any American or anybody really who is seen as the target of the far right. And so, that could really be anybody.  And I think it is also important because what they're doing is telling a story that the true Americans are Trump supporters, everybody else is the enemy. So, it is very dangerous. It has historical precedent but you know—I'm not a historian, I’m not—I don't feel qualified to talk about, but that dates back to the Civil War. It is very scary and it is very serious and it is treasonous behavior in my view. 

Pulling Out: Jeffrey Toobin Finishes Tenure in CNN, Sticking Book Together

CNN masturbation expert and chief legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin announced he was leaving the third-place network on Twitter Friday afternoon, a little over a year after his return following his suspension due to a sticky situation he got himself into at The New Yorker during a zoom meeting. And he announced he’ll be writing another book. “Friends, I’ve decided that, after 20 years, I’m leaving [CNN] after my vacation. Was great to spend my last day on air with pals Wolf, Anderson and Don. Love all my former colleagues. Watch for my next book, about the Oklahoma City bombing, coming in 2023 from [Simon & Schuster],” he explained in the tweet (with comments wisely turned off).   Friends, I’ve decided that, after 20 years, I’m leaving @cnn after my vacation. Was great to spend my last day on air with pals Wolf, Anderson and Don. Love all my former colleagues. Watch for my next book, about the Oklahoma City bombing, coming in 2023 from @simonandschuster — Jeffrey Toobin (@JeffreyToobin) August 12, 2022   Toobin’s sudden departure came 14 months after his awkward return to the network, where he made CNN Newsroom host Alisyn Camerota explain to the audience that he was suspended for nearly nine months because he masturbated during a Zoom call with journalist colleagues: CAMEROTA: It’s been awhile. TOOBIN: It has been awhile indeed. CAMEROTA: I feel like we should address what's happened in the months since we've seen you, since some of our viewers may not know what has happened, so I guess I'll recap. I'll do the honors. TOOBIN: Help yourself. CAMEROTA: Okay. In October, you were on a Zoom call with your colleagues from The New Yorker magazine. Everyone took a break for several minutes, during which time you were caught masturbating on camera. You were subsequently fired from that job after 27 years of working there, and you since then have been on leave from CNN. Do I have all that right? TOOBIN: You’ve got it all right. Sad to say. In the little more than a year since he’s been back on CNN, Toobin made sure to leave a mark of his presence. When Democrats attempted a federal takeover of state elections systems and the filibuster was all that was standing in the way, Toobin argued in favor of Democrats by suggesting “this is life and death for the democracy.” During the confirmation hearings for new liberal U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, Toobin decried Republican focus on her child porn rulings. “You have a judge here who has been on the bench for ten years almost. And we had the entire half-hour of Senator Hawley's question about a single case where he got to recite the grisly details of and say pedophilia over and over again. This is about appealing to the QAnon audience,” he asserted at the time. Toobin peaked when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. In some of his analyses, he raged at originalism: The originalists are winning. And they won yesterday, at least that's how Justice Thomas raised his opinion in the guns case. But, you know, again, it depends how cynical you are about how the Supreme Court works. Some justices want to reach one result or reach another result and find a justification. Abortion is an issue near and dear to Toobin. He once knocked up Casey Greenfield, the daughter to his former CNN colleague Jeff Greenfield and tried to pressure her into getting an abortion. He then had to be dragged into court and ordered to make child support payments. He will not be missed.

NewsGuard Advisor Seems to Agree Trump Should Be Executed for Allegedly Having Nuke Docs

A former CIA director and NewsGuard advisor yesterday seemingly promoted the execution of former President Donald Trump on Twitter. A Washington Post “exclusive” released Aug. 11 speculated that the FBI raided Trump’s Mar-a-Lago, Fla., estate to locate alleged missing nuclear documents. NBC News presidential historian Michael Beschloss tweeted shortly after the “exclusive” was released that the “Rosenbergs were convicted for giving U.S. nuclear secrets to Moscow, and were executed June 1953.”  Retired Gen. Michael Hayden quote-tweeted Beschloss’s post with the comment, “Sounds about right.”  Washington Examiner Justice Department reporter Jerry Dunleavy blasted Hayden and Beschloss for their apparent flirtation with killing a former president. “NBD just a former NSA & CIA Director (who also was among the dozens of ex-intel officials who signed the infamous October 2020 Hunter Biden laptop letter) out here suggesting that Trump should be executed,” Dunleavy tweeted. Hayden is listed as an “advisor” for leftist online “credibility” arbiter NewsGuard.    Sounds about right. https://t.co/hJCjxhN2BQ — Gen Michael Hayden (@GenMhayden) August 12, 2022   The former CIA director has a history of spouting insanity. Hayden went on emotional rants on CNN in October 2020 against then-President Donald Trump. In 2018, Hayden compared the Trump administration’s zero-tolerance policy regarding illegal immigration to the Nazi concentration camp of Auschwitz. NewsGuard claims to give news outlets and websites red or green ratings based on the supposed “credibility” of the sites’ content. But MRC Free Speech America has found on multiple occasions that NewsGuard is nothing but a rubber stamp of approval for leftist media.   In February, NewsGuard co-CEO Steven Brill painted his company as a sort of white knight that can save impressionable dupes from repeating another Jan. 6 “insurrection,” and asserted Fox News and OANN traffic in conspiracy theories. “Imagine if we watched the Moon Landing,” Brill opined. “Today, you would have, whether it was Fox or OANN or something like that, they would say, ‘It is a fraud. Biden did not really achieve that.’” Brill also became notorious for calling the now-verified Hunter Biden laptop scandal a “hoax" even as his firm doled out perfect 100/100 scores to liberal media outlets that tried to cast the whole story as Russian disinformation. An MRC study found that outlets classified as “left” or “lean left” by AllSides received an average NewsGuard score of 93/100. Sites considered “right” or “lean right” by AllSides had an average NewsGuard rating of 66/100. NewsGuard has even rated several Chinese state-run media outlets higher than U.S. media outlets OANN, Newsmax and LifeNews. MRC Free Speech America reached out to NewsGuard for comment but received no response as of the publication of this story. Conservatives are under attack. Contact NewsGuard General Manager Matt Skibinski matt.skibinski@newsguardtech.com and demand the firm release a statement on Hayden’s sordid tweet seemingly promoting the execution of a former president.

You Love to See it: Brianna Keilar takes KJP to Task Over Inflation Reduction Act

In an unexpected but not unwelcome act of journalism on Friday morning, CNN anchor and New Day co-host Brianna Keilar pushed back on White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre’s misleading answers about the Inflation Reduction Act. Keilar began with the simple question of whether or not the White House is confident all Democrats in the House will vote for the bill. Jean-Pierre said “we are confident” about Pelosi’s ability to whip her caucus to vote for the bill, but not before misspeaking and calling the Inflation Reduction Act a “really critical, important anti-inflammation bill out of the Senate.”     Jean-Pierre then gushed about the contents of the bill, particularly the climate and healthcare provisions:  If you look at what it's going to do for climate change, there's been special interest groups — again, for 30 years, those climate deniers — who have stopped, who have tried to stop us for putting in significant investments like clean and — for a clean energy future, for our clean — for clean energy jobs. This is going to do that. And also, continue those ACA premiums so we keep — keep lowering costs — uh, for healthcare for Americans. So this is a win. But Keilar didn’t uncritically accept Jean-Pierre’s boilerplate rhetoric at face value, retorting, “How does it bring it down right now, though?” A little unsteadied by this challenge, Jean-Pierre replied, “So for — uh, ACA, those premiums, those 800 — about average about $800 dollars a month savings — uh, for Americans, that's going to continue.” A clearly skeptical Keilar asked, “They're going to feel that right away?” and pressed her for a more specific timetable when Jean-Pierre repeated her first question in the affirmative. Clearly shaken at this point, Jean-Pierre made the generalized assertion that, “Uh, well, let's get this bill passed and then we’ll see how the mechanics and all of that’s going to work through,” but did specify that the price of prescription drugs would be lowered, “earlier in the year next year.” Showing she had done her homework, Keilar pointed out, “But the actual phase-in will be many years later,” and, “I don't think people should be expecting on — on their drug prices that that's going to kick in here.” Nevertheless, Jean-Pierre doubled down, claiming, “Well, they're gonna put the first ten pieces, the — the first — uh, ten — um, medication out there, right, to start the process so they can start negotiating the lowering costs.” Over Jean-Pierre’s objections, Keilar pointed out some key missing details: KEILAR: That's 2026?  JEAN-PIERRE: No, no. Wait. KEILAR: Isn't it? For the first ten —  JEAN-PIERRE: Well —  KEILAR: — and then the additional ones phasing into —   JEAN-PIERRE: Well — KEILAR: — 2029? Perhaps feeling pity for the Press Secretary, Keilar ordered the fact barrage to cease, generously conceding, “I think we have different — maybe some different — uh, timeline reference points on that,” and the final few minutes of the interview were non-confrontational. It isn’t often that CNN hosts push back hard against Democratic talking points, so NewsBusters likes to highlight it when they do. Kudos to Keilar for a tough but not obnoxiously aggressive interview. This unexpected act of journalism was made possible by Volkswagen and Sleep Number. Their contact information is linked. Click “Expand” to see the relevant transcript. CNN’s New Day 08/12/22 6:42:32 AM ET BRIANNA KEILAR: The House is voting on the Inflation Reduction Act today. Uh, do you think that you have all Democrats?  KARINE JEAN-PIERRE: Well look, first, let me just — uh, just — we're grateful and congratulate Senator Schumer and — uh, Senator Manchin for getting — uh, this really critical, important anti-inflammation bill out of the Senate. Now it's in the Speaker's hands. We know that — uh, she is very ept to get this through with her leadership. So we are confident. And we have been involved in helping in any way that we can to make sure that it gets through.  The thing that I want to say about this piece of legislation, it is a win. It is a huge win for the American people. If you think about, Brianna, the last 30 years, and how special interest groups, wealthy special interest group has — has tried to stop negotiating Medicare so that we can bring prices down. This bill is going to bring prices down for the American people as you look at — uh — uh, drugs and pharmaceutical drugs, especially for your seniors.  If you look at what it's going to do for climate change, there's been special interest groups — again, for 30 years, those climate deniers — who have stopped, who have tried to stop us for putting in significant investments like clean and — for a clean energy future, for our clean — for clean energy jobs. This is going to do that. And also, continue those ACA premiums so we keep — keep lowering costs — uh, for healthcare for Americans. So this is a win. KEILAR: How does it bring it down right now, though? In for — JEAN-PIERRE: So —  KEILAR: — Americans need it right now.  JEAN-PIERRE: So for — uh, ACA, those premiums, those 800 — about average about $800 dollars a month savings — uh, for Americans, that's going to continue. Uh, that is something that we were fighting for for the past year. And so you'll have that.  When you think about the energy costs and utility bills because of the investments that we're making, that's going to — they're going to feel that —  KEILAR: But that's not — JEAN-PIERRE: — right away.  KEILAR: They're going to feel that right away? JEAN-PIERRE: They're going to feel that right away.  KEILAR: How soon? JEAN-PIERRE: Uh, well, let's get this bill passed and then we’ll see how the mechanics and all of that’s going to work through. But those are things specifically that the Americans are gonna feel right away —  KEILAR: You —  JEAN-PIERRE: — when it comes to lowering prescription drugs, that’ll be — uh, earlier in the year next year.  KEILAR: When it comes to lowering prescription drugs?  JEAN-PIERRE: Right. Because that's something that Medicare has to negotiate. So that’s gonna be a process and that’s gonna come at —  KEILAR: But the actual phase-in will be many years later. Just to be clear on the —  JEAN-PIERRE: Well it’s gonna be —  KEILAR: — negotiation on the highest-priced drugs.  JEAN-PIERRE: Right. That's exactly right. But the process starts early next year. But look, this is a big —  KEILAR: I just — I just want to be clear, I don't think people should be expecting on — on their drug prices that that's going to kick in here.  JEAN-PIERRE: Well, they're gonna put the first ten pieces, the — the first — uh, ten — um, medication out there, right, to start the process so they can start negotiating the lowering costs. But the point that I'm making is that this is an investment —  KEILAR: That's 2026?  JEAN-PIERRE: No, no. Wait. KEILAR: Isn't it? For the first ten —  JEAN-PIERRE: Well —  KEILAR: — and then the additional ones phasing into —   JEAN-PIERRE: Well — KEILAR: — 2029? JEAN-PIERRE: Well, here’s — the point that I'm making here is they're going to see energy costs, utility bills, that’s gonna come down.  KEILAR: Okay —  JEAN-PIERRE: They’re going —  KEILAR: I guess — JEAN-PIERRE: No, no, no, wait, wait —  KEILAR: — I was trying to speak about the immediate impacts. But I do want to ask you —  JEAN-PIERRE: But those are the immediate impacts. When you think about utility bills —  KEILAR: I was — I — I’m talking about here in the coming months, just to be —  JEAN-PIERRE: I —  KEILAR: — I think we have different — maybe some different — uh, timeline reference points on that.  JEAN-PIERRE: No. KEILAR: But I — I — JEAN-PIERRE: But you're asking me about immediate — immediate impact. I'm talking about the energy costs. That’s gonna be immediate. I'm talking about the ACA, the Affordable Care Act. Those premiums, that’s going to continue. That's going to lower costs for 13 million Americans. 13 million Americans. That matters.  KEILAR: Continuing to keep —  JEAN-PIERRE: Right. KEILAR: — to keep those.  JEAN-PIERRE: Right. But remember that was not going to happen without — KEILAR: That's right. It would have —  JEAN-PIERRE: Exactly. KEILAR: — it would have increased just to be clear.  JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah. That's a continuation. That's important to 13 million —  KEILAR: Yes. JEAN-PIERRE: — Americans.  KEILAR: No, certainly. They don't want rising cost —  JEAN-PIERRE: Exactly. KEILAR: — in the middle of all this.  JEAN-PIERRE: So that — so that totally matters. And let's not forget, there's been gas prices that we have seen come down every day this summer — KEILAR: Yeah. JEAN-PIERRE: — and that has been the work of the American people as well. (...)

Beto Male: Beto O’Rourke Calls Heckler “Motherf*cker”

Another day, another leftist politician acting like an unhinged lunatic. This time it's everyone’s favorite non-Mexican furry, Beto O’Rourke.  Texas Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Beto O’Rourke Called A Heckler “Motherf*cker” Over His Claims About AR-15s. This @BetoORourke response, to a man in the crowd laughing about using AR-15s in schools, is perfection.  — Amee Vanderpool (@girlsreallyrule) August 11, 2022 The tweet shows that Beto took the time to go after an Abbott supporter who began laughing while the gubernatorial candidate was talking about the Uvalde Massacre. “It may be funny to you motherf*cker, but its not funny to me, OK?,” Beto says to the cheers of his supporters. Beto seems pretty upset over the man who interrupted his event. Did he forget about the time he interrupted a press conference on the Uvalde shooting? Does he deserve the title of motherf*cker too? Related: Hidin' Biden: White House Provides Scant Details on President's Vacation The video reveals that the Abbott supporter was not laughing at the Uvalde shooting, but at Beto’s inaccurate history of the AR-15. Beto claimed these guns were “originally designed for use on the battlefield in Vietnam to penetrate an enemy soldier’s helmet at 500 feet and knock him down dead.” Just like the rest of his leftist politicians, Beto fails to understand the history of the AR-15. Does he not know that there are more powerful guns that are considered hunting guns? But of course, the AR-15 is the big, bad boogeyman.  Beto has once again displayed his lack of respect and lack of masculinity. Just another day in leftist fairytale land.

The Atlantic Asks 'Just How Meaningful Is Jane’s Revenge'

The Atlantic styles itself as the outlet for the more intellectual and sophisticated news consumer and on Friday it raised an important question “Just how meaningful is Jane’s Revenge?” The question was raised by staff writer Kaitlyn Tiffany and the answer would appear to be self-evident as the article’s subheadline reads “A mysterious pro-abortion-rights group is claiming credit for acts of vandalism around the country, and right-wing activists and politicians are eating it up.” In the article’s second paragraph, Tiffany continued with the “conservatives pounce” angle, “Right-wing media outlets have provided ample coverage of this new threat, and anti-abortion politicians have demanded government action to address it. But the group’s practical significance remains in question. Just how meaningful is Jane’s Revenge?” Tiffany also cited how Jane’s Revenge has taken credit for acts of violence across 16 cities including “the offices of a Christian-fundamentalist lobbying group in Madison, Wisconsin.” Still, Tiffany didn’t see what the big deal was, “But at this point nothing indicates that the authors of the anonymous blog posts have any real connection to the actions they cite.” The story isn’t that pro-lifers are being targeted, it’s that Republicans are calling attention to it: Erin Gallagher, a research assistant at Harvard’s Shorenstein Center… found major nodes of activity at the Twitter accounts of Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri … and the right-wing journalist Andy Ngo … In other words, Hawley and Ngo are among the figures driving the most discussion of the group. ‘I think it’s helpful to see whose voices are dominating a particular conversation on Twitter, especially when elected officials are prominent in the discussion,’ Gallagher told me recently. ‘Content about their ideological enemies doing evil things likely performs very well.’ Tiffany also noted that “news articles about the threat of Jane’s Revenge have also clustered at conservative sources.” That would suggest that non-conservative sources are refusing to cover something that contradicts their narrative that violence is a pro-life or right-wing phenomenon, but Tiffany declared it actually proves conservatives are exaggerating: That includes specific incidents of arson for which Jane’s Revenge has claimed credit in its blog posts, but also many other property crimes, such as smashed windows and pro-abortion-rights graffiti. One report on the list describes a fire at a Catholic bookstore that has not been ruled an arson, much less a politically charged attack. Eleven other instances of reported vandalism or suspected arson on the list have no obvious ties to Jane’s Revenge or the Dobbs decision.” The media will tie every possible extremist to the GOP, but no less than 16 examples of left-wingers engaging violence: does not imply the existence of a complex, coordinated campaign of violence. ‘Looking at the way in which the moral panic around antifa operated throughout the Trump years is a really good way of understanding what’s happening now with the Jane’s Revenge activity,’ Stanislav Vysotsky, a sociologist and the author of the 2020 book American Antifa, told me.  Ultimately, Tiffany decided to blame the victims, “A fixation on the threat of “Jane’s Revenge” may ultimately contribute to its spread, Vysotsky told me. Something similar happened with antifa: After the election of Donald Trump and the outbreak of violence at the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, right-leaning media outlets kept talking about the group, and raised its profile among a certain segment of sympathetic listeners. All that publicity helped build support, Vysotsky said.” No, that was all the comparisons to D-Day soldiers. Even if, for the sake of discussion, Tiffany is right about Jane’s Revenge, the story should still be about widespread pro-abortion violence, not how pro-lifers are reacting.

HystoWRECKED: Boston Children's Offers 'Gender-Affirming' Hysterectomies

When reading daily headlines, I often find myself thinking that I dreamt what they say due to the extreme level of radical lunacy … Friday was one of those days.  Boston Children’s Hospital recently boasted about its new procedures for kids. It plans to offer hysterectomies as part of its “gender-affirming" treatment in order to help children remove organs that they don’t want.  Boston Children’s Hospital (@BostonChildrens) is now offering “gender affirming hysterectomies” for young girls pic.twitter.com/JOH5fFtGJ0 — Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) August 11, 2022 No, this is not part of a dystopian fictional narrative. This is August, 2022 where even the craziest of stories and situations are coming to fruition.  Boston Children’s, one of the nation's leading pediatric hospitals, released a YouTube video titled “What happens during a gender-affirming hysterectomy?” The video seems to have been released early Aug. but as of Aug. 12, the video appears it is listed as private and therefore unavailable.  The video featured Dr. Frances Grimstad who specializes in gynecology. Grimstad walked viewers through the steps of a “gender-affirming hysterectomy.” A  hysterectomy for kids is the same as adults. Surgeons remove the uterus, cervix, and fallopian tubes — all of which are reproductive organs. The procedure permanently prevents a patient from any possibility of bearing children. The procedure is non-reversible. Grimstad's delight when explaining the process of mutilating children is terrifying. To make matters worse, Boston Children’s updated its YouTube series titled “Understanding Gender: Answers for Families,'' where videos about “vaginoplasty,” “tucking,” “breast augmentation” and “choosing a bathroom” are all highlighted. The hospital boasted about its "full suite of surgical options for transgender teens,” the Post Millennial reported.  Having a dedicated “suite” to surgically remove the organs of children is evil. Thankfully, people who are against the medically reckless castration of patients have stood in opposition. The Daily Wire’s Michael Knowles put it great in Friday’s podcast episode of The Michael Knowles Show.  You expect, when you see this kind of evil in the country, you expect it to come with a pitchfork and horns and maybe a kind of scary, demonic voice, Grrrrrraaaa. Listen kids, we’re gonna cut your womb out, argh. But it’s not how it happens actually. It’s even more insidious than that.  He’s spot on. These psychotic doctors are posing as so-called friends and companions of these impressionable and vulnerable kids. They are approaching kids with “compassion,” as Knowles put it, to affirm a delusional sense of identity.  Director of Outreach at Parents Defending Education Erika Sanzi tweeted her worry for these kids and the glamorized idea that it’s okay to promote life-altering and unnecessary medical procedures.  Sanzi told The National Desk “A world renown pediatric facility proudly talking about removing the uteruses of healthy young girls in the name of gender affirming care is terrifying” and reaffirmed that this is “mutilation” of healthy bodies.  Boston Children's has the potential to help and save so many lives but this “gender-affirming care” is a regression of those possibilities. This will only hurt children in the long run and the media needs to expose the group for its lunacy in order to combat these vile, malicious, and destructive practices.   

Djokovic Still Banned From U.S. Open Due To Vaccination Status

The U.S. government is serving up some nonsense to tennis star Novak Djokovic. Under the current rules of entry for the United States, the Serbian star and defending Wimbledon champion cannot participate in the final installment of the Grand Slam because he is not vaccinated. The ban still stands despite the fact that U.S. Senator Marsha Balckburn (R-TN) has recently written a letter to Rochelle Walensky, M.D., the director of the CDC, asking that this sham of a health organization remove its ludicrous COVID policies and allow Djokovic to play. “Americans are ready to move beyond the pandemic and its endless list of rules, but the Biden Administration wants a forever pandemic,” part of Blackburn’s letter reads. By barring Novak Djokovic from competing in the U.S. Open, the Biden Administration is making it clear that it would like to impose a "forever pandemic." However, the hypocrisy in this power grab is clear. Illegal immigrants can cross the border without proof of vaccinations or negative COVID tests, but Djokovic cannot fly to the United States and compete in the U.S. Open. Ace, Blackburn. Related: Another Kaepernick Documentary? America Takes New Hit From Ex-NFL Radical  While the U.S. Open “not have a vaccination mandate in place for players,” this U.S. law would prevent Djokovic from entering the country. As Blackburn pointed out, it's just another way the Biden administration is perpetuating the COVID fear and using any means they can to take obsessive control over the American people. And that is a shame.

'Be Bullish': NBC Claims Inflation 'Finally Peaked' Despite Soaring Prices

On Friday, NBC’s Today show joined the morning broadcast chorus of ABC and CBS in claiming a .6 percent drop in inflation heralded the end to America’s economic woes. And despite admitting food prices are still “soaring” and the price of crude oil was creeping up again, correspondent Sam Brock tried to paint a rosy picture of the economy. “Also this morning, there are fresh signs the U.S. economy jolted by record inflation may finally be starting to pump the brakes on the runaway prices,” co-anchor Savannah Guthrie boasted. “And today the House is set to vote on that landmark economic and climate package passed along party lines in the Senate earlier this week.” Brock initially agreed, noting that “gas prices falling is certainly a great first step because fuel affects the cost of just about everything else.” But he then informed Guthrie that “family and business owners” would tell her “food costs right now are soaring. Menus, in many cases, are double what they were a year ago and rents are relentless.” But that didn’t stop him from adding: “Still, there’s optimism right now we’re headed in a better direction.”     Going into the video portion of the segment, Brock touted how gas prices were down (though they’re still high) and a .5 percent drop in costs for producers: For an American economy that’s been beaten up by soaring inflation, there are critical clues this morning things may be slowly improving. Average gas prices dropped below $4 for the first time since March. (…) And the PPI, what producers pay for their goods, fell half a percent last month, its first dip since 2020. Still, some say the real benchmark for progress is clear. After highlighting a family who could afford a vacation in Florida, Brock went back to covering the runaway prices of food. He spoke with a crab restaurant owner who told him, “Labor costs are still very high. Packaging supplies are much higher than they were. Food cost is still very high. Even though we are starting to see a little relief in that area.” Brock eventually got around to propping up the so-called “Inflation Reduction” Act and lauded it for “provid[ing] tax credits for cleaner homes and cars, and ultimately cap Medicare drug costs.” Although he did admit the negotiation for drug costs won’t kick in for four years, he omitted the fact that economists have said the bill would not reduce inflation but make it worse. Coming back to the live shot, Brock suggested that “another reason to be bullish” was that “the inflation rate has remained the same month over month after massive increases, Savannah and Craig, perhaps indicative of the fact that rising costs may have finally peaked.” But he warned “the cost of crude oil per barrel is up $6 in the last few days. It could be signs that our progress on the gas front could be short-lived.” “Ugh. Hope not,” Guthrie groaned. NBC’s gaslighting about the economy was made possible because of lucrative sponsorships from Hyundai and Comcast. Their contact information is linked. The transcript is below, click "expand" to read: NBC’s Today August 12, 2022 7:13:13 a.m. Eastern SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Also this morning, there are fresh signs the U.S. economy jolted by record inflation may finally be starting to pump the brakes on the runaway prices. And today the House is set to vote on that landmark economic and climate package passed along party lines in the Senate earlier this week. So, what does it all add up to you – for you? NBC’s Sam Brock joins us with more on that. Sam, good morning. SAM BROCK: Savannah, good morning. Look, gas prices falling is certainly a great first step because fuel affects the cost of just about everything else. But you talk, Savannah, to family and business owners, they’ll tell you food costs right now are soaring. Menus, in many cases, are double what they were a year ago and rents are relentless. Still, there’s optimism right now we’re headed in a better direction. [Cuts to video] For an American economy that’s been beaten up by soaring inflation, there are critical clues this morning things may be slowly improving. Average gas prices dropped below $4 for the first time since March. UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN 1: Yes, I really did see a big difference. BROCK: And the PPI, what producers pay for their goods, fell half a percent last month, its first dip since 2020. Still, some say the real benchmark for progress is clear. UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN 2: Prices will drop. It's real simple. BROCK: The Polinskys of Connecticut are taking their first vacation this year to Florida. MR. POLINSKY: I think we both feel a little more comfortable with the way the economy is going. BROACK: And hope is on the horizon for businesses battling inflation. What has this wave of inflation done to your menu? BRIAN HERSHEY: Well, all of the prices on our menu have gone up. BROCK: Brian Hershey is owner of Billy's Stone Crab Inc. in Hollywood, Florida. He’s cautiously optimistic inflation will turn a corner and he can drop prices, like the signature stone crab now at $51 a pound. What were they a year ago? HERSHEY: They were about a year and a half ago they were $28 a pound. BROCK: He said lower fuel bills helped immensely. But it's part of a larger picture. HERSHEY: Labor costs are still very high. Packaging supplies are much higher than they were. Food cost is still very high. Even though we are starting to see a little relief in that area. BROCK: Later today, the House will vote on the Inflation Reduction Act that already has cleared the Senate which, among other things, will provide tax credits for cleaner homes and cars, and ultimately cap Medicare drug costs, although not any time soon. BRIAN SULLIVAN (senior national correspondent, CNBC): Let’s be clear, the Medicare pricing provision negotiating prices for 10 drugs doesn't kick in until the year 2026 and then expand to 15 drugs in 2027. BROCK: But many Americans are looking for help now. This has felt like a tidal wave. UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN 2: A tidal wave. A huge tidal wave. And it needs to stop. [Cuts back to live] BROCK: And another reason to be bullish. The inflation rate has remained the same month over month after massive increases, Savannah and Craig, perhaps indicative of the fact that rising costs may have finally peaked. However, beware, the cost of crude oil per barrel is up $6 in the last few days. It could be signs that our progress on the gas front could be short-lived. Guys, back to you. GUTHRIE: Ugh. Hope not. Sam, thank you very much.

‘Playing Games’: Frank Luntz Slaps Biden for ‘Orwellian’ Zero Inflation Claim

Pollster Frank Luntz wrecked the Biden administration for claiming that inflation is at “zero” when most Americans are struggling with grocery and gas prices, among other prices.  President Joe Biden said the economy had “zero inflation last month” during an Aug. 10 event at the White House. But Luntz didn’t mince words on his reaction to Biden’s skull-dragging press conference on the Aug. 11 edition of Squawk Box.  “It’s cynical,” Luntz said. “It is a destruction of the meaning of words; it’s Orwellian at its worst.” Luntz also said that Americans will remember Biden’s inflation nonsense for “playing games with the English language.”      And Luntz didn’t stop there. He later slammed Biden for his zero inflation hoax. It is “the height of hypocrisy and a president has the responsibility to tell the American people the truth,” Luntz said. Luntz emphasized that Biden’s invective “plays into our belief that we can’t trust our elected officials and we can’t trust our institutions.” And to make things worse, it doesn’t seem that Americans are buying the government line on inflation, according to Luntz.  “We’ve been polling this issue, and the American people think that it’s harder now to make it to get by,” he said. “More than seventy percent of Americans have trouble making ends meet. One out of four literally have trouble paying their bills at the end of the week or end of the month because of inflation.”  The pollster said that Americans should also be angry at Biden for his attempts to redefine the word “recession.” “For Joe Biden to redefine what that means and to attempt to do it for the word ‘recession’ is really the thing that the American people should be angriest about.”  Conservatives are under attack. Contact ABC News at 818-460-7477, CBS News at 212-975-3247 and NBC News at 212-664-6192 and demand they report honestly on Biden’s attempts to spin inflation.

Comically Degenerate: Would-be Kavanaugh Assassin a ‘Sissy Slave,’ ‘Trans Gamer Girl’

No surprise that the kinds of people that would attempt to assassinate Supreme Court justices would also be into some pretty depraved things online. Town Hall reported August 10 that the would-be Kavanaugh assassin was, on the website Reddit, “Sophie, the trans gamer girl.” Really. In investigating Nicholas John Roske, the FBI “identified several Reddit accounts Roske operated in recent years — one of which the suspect used to embrace his transexual "femme" and submissive "sissy slave" persona, according to the search warrant applications filed in federal court,” said TownHall.  The Kavanaugh assassin was a degenerate leftist? Who would have thought? But, unfortunately, there’s more. It seems that he wrote in a Reddit post saying that he was struggling with a depressive disorder. Townhall said, “In the pair's latest session, the counselor observed his patient's ‘steadily declining mental state’ and advised Roske to return to taking medicine to help remedy his ‘existential angst.’ A year prior, Roske questioned on Reddit if medication helps with ‘intellectual anxiety.’” Yeah, if the weird sexual fetish stuff didn’t already indicate his declining mental state, then this is the nail in the coffin. The Reddit account u/AmericanNick was also Roske and was active on “r/GamerPals” identifying himself as a “trans gamer girl seeking friend,” and he introduced himself as “Sophie”, his female alter ego. He was also, in a separate Reddit community, “scouting for ‘play partners’,” and described himself as someone “pretty kinky,” said Town Hall.  Leftism is a mental illness, plain and simple. It’s pure brain rot that can get people to attempt assassinating a SCOTUS justice in the name of killing babies. God bless America because we need Him now more than ever. 

MEDIO DEL RÉGIMEN: Univisión informa que el precio de la gasolina 'alegra el alma'

El presidente Joe Biden afirmó falsamente frente a las cámaras que en el mes de julio "nuestra economía tuvo una inflación de cero por ciento". El equipo de noticias matutinas de Univisión informó que el ritmo de la inflación había descendido a 8.7%, "todavía alto pero inferior al  9.1% de junio". Pero el reportero Galo Arellano, fungiendo de propagandista para el régimen, insistió en que el precio actual de la gasolina, de menos de $4 por galón, "alegra el alma", tal y como supuestamente observó en "rotros felices". Veamos cómo Galo pasa la agenda de Biden como noticia de forma tan exagerada que recuerda a los anuncios de Crazy Eddie y sus ´Precios de locura´ de los años 80. Tal fue el nivel de pavoneo a favor del régimen responsable porque el precio de la gasolina esté al doble de lo pagamos hace un año y medio: Despierta América, Univisión 08/10/2022 GALO ARELLANO: Los economistas dicen que para cantar Victoria, esta tendencia a la baja por lo menos debe mantenerse por seis semanas consecutivas y eso todavía no ha sucedido. Pero lo bueno es de que esta mañana lo primero que hicimos es ir a una gasolinera y se pueden ver rostros felices. ... En este momento me encuentro en una gasolinería de el Doral (Florida), y ustedes tiene que ver muy bien con atención los precios de los combustibles. Ahora mismo está en $3.63 el galón de gasolina regular; la plus está en $3.97. ¡Son precios que realmente alegran el alma! La compilación anterior de dos informes transmitidos por Despierta América el martes, 9 de agosto de 2022, ilustra la creciente desconexión entre los medios corporativos en español y su público, así como la mayoría de los ciudadanos estadounidenses obligados a pagar casi el doble de lo que pagaba por la gasolina cuando Joe Biden asumió el cargo. A nadie le engaña el teatro de Univisión, diseñado para hacernos creer a todos que todo es bello y que nuestras almas se alegran por pagar $4 por galón de gasolina. Esta propaganda de Univisión nos llega gracias a anunciantes como Kellogs. Acceda este enlace para comunicarse con la empresa.

Another Kaepernick Documentary? America Takes New Hit From Ex-NFL Radical

Just what we don’t need: another Colin Kaepernick documentary. “Kaepernick & America” begins Sept. 2 on streaming television.  A Variety story says director Tommy Walker was personally captivated by the Kaepernick saga and the insights it provided about ongoing racial turmoil in the nation. The documentary explores “the intersection between his protest in the summer of 2016 and the widespread reactions they spurred.”  Walker stated, “The film we have made seeks to discover the parallels between the life and activism of Colin Kaepernick and the tumultuous and divisive factors that have colored America’s racial divide.”  A review of the documentary by Creators Faire describes the year 2016 as a time when “a discordant national cauldron” was ready to boil over. It included “the birth of Trumpism”, as well. “Then, Colin Kaepernick took a knee and America lost its mind. Kaep’s knee touched down on the divide between America’s Black and white tectonic plates, creating an earthquake in the eternal race debate. The aftershocks of his singular gesture have already rippled through our country for years.”  Though Kaepernick’s radical anti-Americanism as a member of the San Francisco 49ers ignited a social justice revolution in sports, Walker tries to convince people that his America-hating “actually reveals more about America, the land that reacted so profoundly to such a simple gesture.”  Kaepernick’s national anthem and verbal protests supposedly presented a racist America in a mirror and millions of people didn’t like what they saw. “The young man stood his ground in the face of the brutal backlash, continuing his protest for 20 consecutive weeks,” Walker said. “Somehow, with his right knee on the field and his arms passively crossed in front of him, he managed to point a finger at injustice without saying a word.”  It’s outrageous to claim Kaepernick didn’t say a word. Truthfully, he said plenty of inflammatory remarks in 2016:  I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.  This from the guy that did a press conference in Miami wearing a Fidel Castro tee shirt.Outraged Americans burned Kaepernick shirts and the ensuing social justice eruptions throughout sports turned countless fans away from the games they once loved. He was a quarterback in decline and one with a losing career record, not one team was willing to bring him and his incendiary rhetoric back to the NFL.  The “Kaepernick & America” documentary does not appear to offer much in the way of political or cultural balance. It includes conversations with CNN lefty Don Lemon, NFL sideline reporter Pam Oliver, NFL Network reporter Steve Wyche, who gave Kaepernick a microphone to spew his accusations of so-called systemic racism in America, and others.  All this bile will be viewable on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV via iTunes, along with AT&T, Charter, Comcast, Dish and Verizon Fios.  A past Kaepernick documentary, Netflix’s “Colin Kaepernick in Black and White,” presented the NFL draft as a “slave auction” -- the same NFL he wants to return to! -- and America as a racist nation.  

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