BY BRIAN BEUTLER

& CROOKED MEDIA

Thursday, March 7, 2019

—Mitch McConnell, cartoon supervillain, on why the Senate won't debate making voting easier

OUR OWN WORST ENEMY

Political reporters have largely condemned or criticized the Democratic Party’s decision not to allow Fox News to host a Democratic presidential primary debate.

“There are plenty of quality journalists at Fox, some of whom have been excellent questioners at past presidential debates,” writes NBC’s Jonathan Allen. “And really, if you can't answer questions -- especially if they're not the questions you want asked -- maybe you don't have good answers.”

“If you can’t handle questions from @BretBaier or @FoxNewsSunday’s Chris Wallace, do you really have what it takes to be president?” asks the New York Times’ Peter Baker, linking to a column by Jack Schafer. (Answer: Donald Trump is president NOW, and he can’t handle questions about practically anything!)

These would be fair points to make in solidarity with a real news organization, but Fox News is not that. It’s an unethical impostor organization, a political messaging firm masquerading as a news outlet that spreads disinformation and fans racism to help elect Republicans. It is unique in that way—no major media outlets serve that function for Democrats—which is why Democrats won’t partner with Fox on a Democratic primary debate.

But set aside larger questions about partisanship, race, propaganda, even democracy: What makes this reflexive defense of Fox so baffling is that Fox also exists to destroy journalism as a vocation; day after day, its hosts fan the false notion that the mainstream media is a propaganda arm of the Democratic Party in order to sow doubt about the very notion that dispassionate, nonpartisan political journalism is possible. In doing so, they smear the very reporters currently rushing to their network's defense.

The few Fox reporters who conduct themselves decently as interviewers and ask probing questions are either sympathetic to their company’s larger mission, play along because it’s lucrative, or simply have not grappled with the moral calamity in which they're participants. Fox News is among the most destructive forces in American public life. Journalists who defend it are not defending “journalism”—they’re refusing to accept what Fox News is and the harm it is doing every day. They’re falling short of their basic calling to see things clearly and bear witness faithfully, which would be bad enough if they weren’t also playing a hand in the destruction of their own profession. Chris Wallace asks pretty good questions? Perhaps he should ask himself a few.

The House has passed a resolution condemning antisemitism, white nationalism, and other forms of bigotry, in response to the backlash against Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), who condemned the pro-Israel lobby for pressuring members of Congress to “pledge allegiance” to Israel. But 23 House Republicans—including Liz Cheney, who is a member of GOP leadership—voted no and white nationalist Rep. Steve King (R-IA) voted present. From Brian: House Democrats did not follow my advice, but Republicans managed to reveal their true colors anyhow. Nancy Pelosi, as usual, has a good handle on things.

A federal judge in Virginia has sentenced President Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort to only 47 months in prison, well below the guidelines for the financial crimes he committed, which could have landed him in prison for 19.5-24 years. He will be sentenced again next week for different crimes by a different federal judge in Washington, DC, who is unlikely to be so forgiving, particularly against the backdrop of this leniency.  

The Trump Organization stopped honoring its commitment to pay for Michael Cohen’s legal defense when it got wind of the fact that Cohen might cooperate with federal prosecutors, according to a new lawsuit Cohen has filed. 🤔 What an ugly break up! It’s like they forgot why they fell in love in the first place.

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), a labor progressive with a demonstrated record of electability in the Rust Belt, will not run for president. Too bad.

The Trump administration awarded a Finnish journalist an International Women of Courage Award for exposing Russian propaganda efforts in the face of real personal danger, then withdrew the award when it discovered that she had criticized Trump on social media. The irony was lost on them, because they’re terrible.

Walking national security risk Jared Kushner shut U.S. embassy staff out of meetings with the Saudis on his recent trip to the Middle East, during which he met with his bff Mohammed bin Salman, who ordered the murder of U.S. journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) wants to lower the voting age from 18 to 16. We agree.

Former White House Chief of Staff John Kelly is pretending to be scandalized by Trump’s national emergency declaration in the hope of making a smooth re-entry into the political establishment. He’s a disgraced, lying racist and he should never be allowed to live it down, though he probably will.

President Obama’s first attorney general, Eric Holder, has endorsed “expanding the Supreme Court to restore adherence to previously accepted norms for judicial nominations.” Good for him. Unfortunately, many Democratic senators remain reluctant to reform or abolish the filibuster. That is the only way to bring accountability to norm violators or make our other institutions more democratic, and until that changes, Republicans will keep their stolen Supreme Court seats and get away with the corruption they’ve been reveling in for the past several years.

There is only one Blockbuster [for youngsters, read: antiquated video/DVD rental store] left on the entire planet, and it is in Bend, OR. Hang in there, old friend.

Airmen repeatedly sexually assaulted Sen. Martha McSally (R-AZ) when she was an Air Force combat pilot, including a superior officer who raped her. McSally went public with her story at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Wednesday.

Watch →

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House intelligence committee chairman Adam Schiff has introduced legislation crafted to discourage presidents from issuing pardons or commutations for crimes when they or their family members are ensnared in the same criminal investigations. All pardons are unreviewable under the Constitution, but Schiff’s bill would require the Justice Department to provide Congress with the complete investigative file in the event that a president tried to pardon himself or his family clear of criminal exposure, as someone we know is apparently contemplating.

Apple CEO Tim Cook changed his Twitter name to Tim  after President Trump called him “Tim Apple” at a White House event on Wednesday. Haha! Except you’re still meeting with Trump and bolstering his standing and playing along, while pretending to make fun of him. Tim Bad Apple, am I right?

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