Major media figures claim that Josh Hawley is ‘transphobic’ because he thinks men can’t get pregnant



Multiple prominent media figures took the side of Berkeley law professor Khiara Bridges, who accused Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) of being "transphobic" because he does not believe that men can get pregnant in a viral clip on Tuesday.

During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the impact of overturning Roe v. Wade, Bridges repeatedly used the torturous phrase "people with a capacity for pregnancy" as a gender-neutral substitute for "women." When Hawley called her out on it, highlighting the absurdity of erasing the word "women" from a discussion on abortion rights, Bridges told him that his "line of questioning is transphobic."

Bridges said Hawley was "denying that trans people exist" and opening them up to violence because he would not recognize "that men can get pregnant."

Some supposedly objective media outlets revealed which side they took in their coverage of the back-and-forth.

The Washington Post said Hawley "refused to acknowledge that some transgender men can get pregnant," which is inaccurate. Hawley never said that "transgender men" can't get pregnant — his position is that "transgender men" are women, because women are the only people who can get pregnant.

\u201cThis @washingtonpost news story hits @HawleyMO for \u201crefusing to acknowledge\u201d men can get pregnant\n\nWe need a total and complete shutdown of WaPo until we figure out what is going on\u201d
— Brent Scher (@Brent Scher) 1657677316

Most mainstream news headlines reported that Hawley was "called" or "accused" of asking "transphobic" questions, framing the story more neutrally. But a CNN video used the headline, "Hawley called out for 'transphobic' questions," which adopted the left's view of the exchange.

The U.K. Independent had more direct bias, writing that Bidges "rebuked" Hawley for his "transphobic" questions.

"In a series of extraordinary testimony to a Senate committee on the future of abortion in the US after the dissolve of Roe v Wade, an abortion rights advocate and law professor issued a sharp rebuke to Republican Senator Josh Hawley, who appeared to dismiss that transgender people could become pregnant," the Independent reported.

Meanwhile, progressive media declared unambiguous victory for Bridges over Hawley, who they insisted "got owned."

Salon and HuffPo each ran headlines that insisted the Missouri Republican was "schooled." Jezebel published a video titled, "Berkeley Law Professor Eviscerates Sen. Josh Hawley at Post-Roe Hearing." Heartland Signal said Hawley was "put in place" by Bridges.

Vox wrote that Hawley used "transphobic rhetoric to rile up the GOP's base" and sided with Bridges' contested claim that Hawley's language equates to violence.

"Bridges’s concerns reflect the fact that lawmakers’ political attacks on trans people — including denying their existence, and using legislation to limit their freedom of movement, access to activities, and availability of health care — have coincided with an increase in physical violence," Li Zhou wrote for Vox. "According to a 2021 Time report, anti-trans violence has surged in the wake of an increase in legislation targeting trans people. A 2021 UCLA report also found that trans people, particularly Black and brown trans people, were significantly more likely to be victims of violent crime than cis people."

Progressives on Twitter also praised Bridges and mocked Hawley.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said Hawley "feigned shock at the recognition that he incites violence."

\u201cThank you for your service, Professor Bridges\ud83d\udc4f\ud83c\udffd\ud83d\udc4f\ud83c\udffd\ud83d\udc4f\ud83c\udffd\n\nAlso lol @ Hawley\u2019s feigned shock at the recognition that he incites violence. The man raised a fist w/ Jan 6th-ers who yelled \u201cHang Mike Pence\u201d & fundraised off it.\n\nNow he wants to be all \u201cMe?? Opening people to violence??\ud83d\ude24\u201d\u201d
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1657651252

"KA-BLOW" tweeted Imani Gandy, the senior editor of law and policy for Rewire News Group, after Bridges declared Hawley was denying transgender people exist because he doesn't think men can get pregnant.

\u201cHawley: Are you saying I'm transphobic.\n\nBridges: your line of questioning is. Denying their existence leads to violence. \n\nHawley: I'm not denying they exist.\n\nBridges: Do you believe men can get pregnant?\n\nHawley: No.\n\nBridges: Then you're denying they exist.\n\nKA-BLOW\u201d
— \u2693\ufe0fImani Two-Kitchens Gandy\u2693\ufe0f (@\u2693\ufe0fImani Two-Kitchens Gandy\u2693\ufe0f) 1657641538

Many others ridiculed Hawley for his supposed embarrassment by a professor who thinks men can be women and women can be men, rendering the distinctions between the two sexes meaningless.

But Stephen Porter, the assistant editor for USA Today Opinion, urged progressives, "Don't feign ignorance about Sen. Josh Hawley's 'questions.'"

"He was making a statement. His claim? That trans men & nonbinary people who can get pregnant are ~actually~ women. He's asserting that their reproductive organs define their gender," Porter tweeted.

"That's literally ✨transphobic✨," he said.

\u201cDon\u2019t feign ignorance about Sen. Josh Hawley\u2019s \u201cquestions.\u201d He was making a statement. His claim? That trans men & nonbinary people who can get pregnant are ~actually~ women. He\u2019s asserting that their reproductive organs define their gender. \n\nThat\u2019s literally \u2728transphobic\u2728.\u201d
— Steven Porter (@Steven Porter) 1657688124

In a lengthy thread, Porter went on to say that Hawley "derives some inhumane political benefit" from making "transphobic comments." He demanded that people "sympathetic to Hawley's message" but who don't want to be labeled transphobic "show us what you think it means to treat transgender people with kindness, dignity & respect."

\u201cMaybe you object to the \u201corthodoxy\u201d of trans-inclusive language. Then show us how to speak thoughtfully about reproductive health care for people who have the capacity to get pregnant & don\u2019t identify as women. Show us a better way.\u201d
— Steven Porter (@Steven Porter) 1657688124

Responding to the hysterics Wednesday morning, Hawley told Fox News that Democrats "have lost their minds."

"The Democrats have become such extremists. Now their official line is men can get pregnant — and if you disagree, you’re violent," Hawley said. "They have lost their minds and the whole country can see it."

Miss Universe pageant trounced for claiming that men can menstruate: 'The war on women is real'



The Miss Universe organization is facing strong backlash for claiming that men can menstruate.

This week, the Miss Universe organization pushed a message that biological males who transition to transgender women are capable of menstruation. The messaging was shared on the Miss Universe Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter – which have nearly 20 million followers in total.

"Inclusive language is important, especially when speaking about periods," the post read. "Thinking menstrual health is only a niche topic for woman excludes transgender, non-binary and gender-nonconforming people who have periods from the conversation."

The social media post had the hashtag: "menstrual equity."

The post had graphics that explained: "How to talk about periods."

The slides advocated for people to replace the term "women's health" with "reproductive health." Another graphic instructed everyone to stop using the term "women who have periods" and only use "people who have periods."

"Not all women menstruate and not all people who menstruate are women," the final slide states.

\u201cInclusive language is important, especially when speaking about periods.\n\nThinking menstrual health is only a niche topic for woman excludes transgender, non-binary and gender-nonconforming people who have periods from the conversation.\n\n#menstrualequity\u201d
— Miss Universe (@Miss Universe) 1655230581

Twitter reactions ridiculed the Miss Universe organization over the claim that men can menstruate.

Many online commentators pointed out that the beauty pageant's own profile bio stated: "Miss Universe exists to advocate for a future forged by women with courage to push the limits of what’s possible."

\u201cCLOWN WORLD GETS A TIARA\u201d
— Brent A. Williams, MD (@Brent A. Williams, MD) 1655305343

Political analyst Camryn Kinsey proclaimed, "The war on women is real."

Columnist Daniella Greenbaum Davis: "Stop erasing women."

Radio host Dana Loesch tweeted, "Stop erasing women. We’ll say what we want, when we want, how we want, 'Miss.'"

YouTube personality Amanda Ensing: "Decades of fighting for women's rights & just like that, the term woman is being erased. We went from empower all women, to being a woman has no definition. What is a woman?"

Lawyer Sarah Beth Burwick remarked, "Being a women is 'niche' now."

Pro-life advocate Obianuju Ekeocha added, "Why are these clowns even still using 'MISS?' That is specifically a female title. Yet they are ready to erase women. They can just become 'X Universe.'"

Podcast host Allie Beth Stuckey joked, "Ok, Mx Universe."

Author Zach Elliott wrote, "We’re not changing language to accommodate a tiny minority of adult human females who don’t see themselves as women. We’re going to use the word woman. And when there are instances where we want to use something broader, we can use 'female.'"

Evolutionary biologist Colin Wright noted, "Pay attention. Being 'gender non-conforming' is now seen as incompatible with being a woman."

Claremont Institute senior fellow David Reaboi sarcastically goaded, "Miss Universe pageant with trans is absolutely gonna be a big hit all around the world. Go for it."

Lesbian feminist Eva Kurilova explained, "This is where gender ideology takes you. You start sticking women who simply don't conform to sex stereotypes into some other, non-woman category and you think you're being so woke when really you're just being an idiot."

Even transgender pornographic film actor Buck Angel questioned Miss Universe, "Is this for real?"

In 2012, Jenna Talackova – who was born a male and then underwent gender reassignment surgery at 19 – was disqualified from participating in the Miss Universe Canada pageant after judges found out she was not a "naturally born female."

Following a lawsuit by Talackova and pressure from LGBTQ advocacy groups, the Miss Universe organization allowed transgender contestants.

In 2018, Angela Ponce became the first transgender contestant in the Miss Universe pageant.

Bill Maher hammers New York Times for burying Brett Kavanaugh assassination attempt



Bill Maher slammed the New York Times for burying the attempted assassination of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

A California man traveled to Kavanaugh's home in Chevy Chase, Maryland. On Wednesday, 26-year-old Nicholas Roske was stopped by Montgomery County Police Department officers and admitted he wanted to assassinate Justice Kavanaugh. Roske had a handgun, two magazines, ammunition, a tactical knife, zip ties, a hammer, screwdriver, crowbar, tactical chest rig, and duct tape. Roske was arrested and hit with federal charges of attempted murder of a Supreme Court justice.

The New York Times placed its coverage of the assassination attempt on a United States Supreme Court justice far down on its front page and the actual story was on page A20 of the Thursday edition of the newspaper.

\u201cLook at how far down the page The New York Times buried the story of the Democrat terrorist who showed up to a conservative Supreme Court Justices\u2019 home to murder him with a gun because the justice supports the Second Amendment and doesn\u2019t support killing babies via abortion.\u201d
— Ryan Saavedra (@Ryan Saavedra) 1654747585


\u201cThe news that\u2019s barely fit to print\u201d
— Guy Benson (@Guy Benson) 1654782739

Maher hammered the New York Times for burying the news story and having leftist media bias.

The liberal talk show host agreed with guest Kellyanne Conway.

"The New York Times buried this," Maher exclaimed. "If this had been a liberal Supreme Court justice that someone came to kill, it would have been on the front page."

"And that's what's so disappointing about a paper like the New York Times because they just wear their bias on their sleeves," Maher said, adding, "And, 'If it's not part of something that feeds our narrative, f*** it, we bury it.'"

Maher also criticized Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) for using "very inflammatory words" against Supreme Court justices in the past.

In March 2020, Schumer verbally threatened Supreme Court Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch.

"I want to tell you, Gorsuch, I want to tell you, Kavanaugh, you have released the whirlwind and you will pay the price," Schumer proclaimed. "You won't know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions."

\u201cFLASHBACK: Democrat Senator Chuck Schumer threatened U.S. Supreme Court Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.\n\n"You have released the whirlwind and you will pay the price! You won't know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions!"\nhttps://t.co/e1qKzocJDj\u201d
— Steve Guest (@Steve Guest) 1654699422

Substack writer Josh Barro said the assassination attempt is concerning because it is "related to the perception that a lot of Americans have where they don't think these institutions are legitimate anymore."

"And that creates the willingness these nutty people have to go and try to take matters into their own hands and shoot people," Barro continued. "And I think it's a really worrying trend in our politics and I agree it's not solely limited to one side of the aisle."

\u201c\u201cThe New York Times buried this. If this had been a liberal Supreme Court justice that someone came to kill, it would\u2019ve been on the front page...They wear their bias on their sleeves and if it\u2019s not part of something that feeds our narrative, fuck it\u201d \u2013 @BillMaher #RealTime\u201d
— Brent Baker \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Brent Baker \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1654915902

Watch: The best and worst jokes from the jam-packed White House Correspondents' Dinner – Biden needles Trump and DeSantis



The White House Correspondents’ Dinner took place in Washington, D.C., on Saturday night. This was the first WHCD since 2020 because of the pandemic.

The packed indoor event at the Washington Hilton was hosted by "Daily Show" host Trevor Noah, and attended by journalists, politicos, and celebrities. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden were also in attendance.

The WHCD began with a video of a pre-recorded skit with "Late Late Show" host James Corden filling in for White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki.

Corden is most concerned about President Biden's opinion on the budding romance between Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson – who were in attendance at the WHCD. Psaki provides Corden with talking points for his White House press conference – such as "War with Russia: bad," and "CDC: good."

James Corden Takes Over Press Briefing www.youtube.com

Biden then took the podium and addressed his dismal approval rating by giving "a special thanks to the 42% of you who actually applauded." He then mocked journalists as the "only group of Americans with a lower approval rating than I have."

Biden noted that the 2022 White House Correspondents' Dinner was the first time a sitting U.S. president attended the event since 2016 because former President Donald Trump boycotted the WHCD during his presidency.

Biden then insinuated that the Trump presidency was a "plague."

"This is the first time a president has attended this dinner in six years," Biden said. "It's understandable, we had a horrible plague followed by two years of COVID."

The president then said that if Trump had attended the event, it would have been a "real coup" – a joke about the Jan. 6 riot, which Biden previously called an "armed insurrection" on a day that "democracy was attacked."

Biden then quipped, "I'm not here to roast the GOP. That's not my style. Besides, there's nothing I can say about the GOP that Kevin McCarthy hasn't already put on tape."

The president acknowledged the anti-Biden slogan "Let's go Brandon."

"Republicans seem to support one fellow," Biden said. "Some guy named Brandon. He's having a really good year. And I'm kind of happy for him."

President Biden: "We had a horrible plague followed by two years of COVID."\n\n#WHCD #WHCD2022 #nerdprompic.twitter.com/jSeUCGrUE5
— CSPAN (@CSPAN) 1651371312

Biden took aim at possible 2024 GOP presidential candidate and current Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis over his handling of Disney's fight against the Parental Rights in Education law.

While flubbing Ronald Regan's iconic "tear down this wall" speech from 1987, Biden declared, "Ronald Reagan said, 'Mr. Gorbachev, tear this wall down!' Today’s Republicans say, 'Tear down Mickey Mouse's house!' And pretty soon they’ll be storming Cinderella's castle, and you can be sure of it."

President Biden: "Ronald Reagan said, 'Mr. Gorbachev, tear this wall down! Today\u2019s Republicans say, tear down Mickey Mouse's house! And pretty soon they\u2019ll be storming Cinderella's castle, and you can be sure of it."pic.twitter.com/ajwVYmQ5Ga
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@Mary Margaret Olohan) 1651371651

Trevor Noah began his monologue by calling out the hypocrisy of press members attending a packed indoor event.

"It is my great honor to be speaking tonight at the nation's most distinguished superspreader event," Noah stated. "For real, what are we doing here? Did none of you learn anything from the Gridiron dinner? Nothing?”

Noah is referencing the corporate media dinner held last month that even MSNBC labeled as a "superspreader event." At least 72 people who attended the event tested positive for COVID-19, including Attorney General Merrick Garland and New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

Noah lambasted the press, "Do you read any of your own newspapers? I mean, I expect this out of Sean Hannity, but the rest of you? What are you doing here?

The "Daily Show" host highlighted the media's hypocrisy on COVID-19 precautions, "You guys spent the last two years telling everyone the importance of wearing masks and avoiding large indoor gatherings, then the second someone offers you a free dinner, you all turn into Joe Rogan.”

"I mean, Dr. Fauci dropped out," the comedian continued. "That should have been a pretty big sign."

"Fauci thought it was too dangerous to come tonight," Noah stated, before adding, "Pete Davidson thought it was okay. And we all went with Pete. Okay. Alright then."

.@Trevornoah: "It is my great honor to speaking tonight \nat the nation's most distinguished super-spreader event. For real, what are we doing here? Did none of you learn anything from the Gridiron dinner? Nothing?"pic.twitter.com/r4IXpnpigl
— CSPAN (@CSPAN) 1651372310

Washington Post reporter Jada Yuan said the jam-packed room is "like a horror film."

"Literally getting trapped between tables," Yuan wrote on Twitter. "Fear of breathing near people but people are everywhere. Creeping sense that you’re the only one who know this is insane."

This room is like a horror film. No exits. Literally getting trapped between tables. Fear of breathing near people but people are everywhere. Creeping sense that you\u2019re the only one who know this is insane.pic.twitter.com/nsxrDYU3aG
— Jada Yuan (@Jada Yuan) 1651370158

Noah mocked the president for the historic inflation that is causing financial ruin for Americans – which garnered laughter from the audience and Biden.

"Ever since you've come into office things are really looking up," Noah began. "Gas is up. Rent is up. Food is up. Everything."

\u201cSince you\u2019ve come into office, things are really looking up. Gas is up, rent is up, food is up! Everything!\u201d\n\nBIDEN: *laughs*pic.twitter.com/Chtdwotnrs
— RNC Research (@RNC Research) 1651372732

Noah needled former CNN anchor Chris Cuomo and his cozy on-air relationship with his older brother – former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

"Some people think that this [dinner] shows that the media is too cozy with politicians, but what those people don’t understand is that you guys have integrity," Noah said. "You would never allow personal connections to affect your ability to be good journalists — isn’t that right Chris Cuomo. Where is Chris Cuomo, by the way, is he here?”

The Comedy Central talk show host skewered Jen Psaki about joining MSNBC, "When Trump was in office, your show was all about how bad he was. And now Biden is in office, your show is about how bad Trump was."

At #WHCD, Trevor Noah joked about Psacki joining MSNBC and actually took a mild shot at the left wing channel: \u201cWhen Trump was in office, your show was all about how bad he was. And now Biden is in office, your show is about how bad Trump was.\u201dpic.twitter.com/uestzYQanh
— Brent Baker \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Brent Baker \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1651373119

"Interesting fact: Even as first lady Dr. Biden continued her teaching career, the first time a presidential spouse has ever done so," he said of Jill Biden. "Congratulations. Now, you might think it's because she loves teaching so much, but it’s actually because she's still paying off her student debt. I'm sorry about that, Jill. Yeah, I guess you should've voted for Bernie."

\u201cDr. Biden kept her teaching career \u2026 everyone thinks it\u2019s because she loves teaching but it's actually because she's still paying off her student debt. Shoulda voted for Bernie.\u201d - Trevor Noah at the #WHCDpic.twitter.com/Qx2lOCwPcX
— philip lewis (@philip lewis) 1651375778

To conclude the festivities, Noah took a parting shot at Biden's tumultuous withdrawal from Afghanistan.

"Please be careful leaving tonight. We all know this administration doesn't handle evacuations well," Noah signed off.

Trevor Noah at the WHCD: \n\n"Please be careful leaving tonight. We all know this administration doesn't handle evacuations well."pic.twitter.com/EwJJAYNrEr
— TheBlaze (@TheBlaze) 1651373699

You can watch the entire 2022 White House Correspondents' Dinner below.

LIVE: 2022 White House Correspondents' Dinner www.youtube.com

'That's why people don't trust the media': Bill Maher accuses left-wing media of burying Hunter Biden laptop story because it didn't fit their narrative



Liberal talk show Bill Maher host accused left-wing media outlets of burying the Hunter Biden laptop story.

Maher addressed how liberal media outlets are finally acknowledging the Hunter Biden laptop story that was first reported in October 2020 by the New York Post.

"I remember reading about this a couple of years ago, the New York Post came across… Hunter Biden's computer, which he apparently left at a computer repair store," Maher recalled.

Maher advised that Hunter Biden should never leave his computer with other people "just for the personal stuff" that was allegedly found on the laptop.

"But it also had stuff about how, you know, c'mon, he's a ne'er-do-well. I'm sorry, Hunter Biden, but you are," Maher remarked. "You made a living being ne'er-do-well who was taking money just because you were the vice president's son and you had influence."

"He got, I think $4.8, yes, million from Chinese energy companies to sit on the board and consult," Maher stated.

After reviewing government records, court documents, bank statements, and emails from Biden's laptop, the Washington Post confirmed this week that the Chinese energy conglomerate CEFC China Energy paid $4.8 million to entities controlled by Hunter Biden and his uncle, James Biden. The Chinese energy conglomerate paid a $1 million legal retainer and $3.8 million in consulting fees.

Maher joked, "Yeah, that was his passion in life: energy exploration. Hooker exploration was his passion."

Maher acknowledged, "So the New York Post got a hold of what was in the computer. And, you know, because the New York Post is a Republican paper, and the New York Times and the Washington Post are the Democratic paper[s]."

"And the Republican paper, Twitter… canceled their account! They can't even report on this story," Maher said in regards to the New York Post – a newspaper that was founded by Alexander Hamilton more than 220 years ago – being locked out of its official Twitter account for 16 days for sharing the Hunter Biden scandal accusations on social media.

He added, "And now two years later, the New York Times and the Washington Post have come around and say, ‘Okay, there was something there.'"

The New York Times finally authenticated key details in the Hunter Biden story last month.

Maher conceded that the Hunter Biden laptop story should have been taken with a "giant thing of salt" since the New York Post received the information from hardcore Trump allies Rudy Giuliani and Steve Bannon.

Maher also noted that it shouldn't have taken "two years" to verify the accusations.

"It looks like the left-wing media just buried the story because it wasn't part of their narrative and that's why people don't trust the media," Maher said of the story that was censored and dismissed in the weeks leading up to the 2020 presidential election between Donald Trump and Joe Biden.

Former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang was a guest on Friday night's "Real Time with Bill Maher," where he pointed out that trust in media "falls very sharply along party lines."

A Gallup poll from October found that 68% of Democrats had a "great deal" or "fair amount" of trust in the media, but that number plunges to 31% when it comes to independents, and only 11% of Republicans believe the media. Overall, 7% of Americans have "a great deal" and 29% "a fair amount" of trust and confidence in newspapers, television and radio news reporting. This is the lowest since the record low in 2016.

Yang stated, "This is part of the erosion of institutional trust, where one side feels like the media is on their side."

"And it does seem like this Hunter Biden laptop story did get buried because of the timing," he added. "I mean, it was coming out during the height of the election in 2020. And they did not want that out in the mainstream."

CNN legal analyst Laura Coates attempted to defend corporate media for ignoring the Hunter Biden scandal.

"I think it can also be about the idea of you know, one, the priorities that the media has about what stories to put forward. And sometimes it's tied to obviously what is in the national zeitgeist," Coates said. "Other times, it's according to what actually is there to report on? What is the new information that's going to better inform the population?"

"And of course, here we are in the world, as you well know, where not only do we have different slants for different media they are suggesting, but also you've got people who want these silos," Coates continued. "They just want echo chambers. We used to say things like… 'You're preaching to the choir.' Well, now it's, 'Why aren't you preaching to the choir? It's all I'm here for.' So you preach to as a member of the choir."

On Wednesday, CNN finally admitted that Hunter Biden's laptop is authentic – 532 days after the initial story broke. CNN was one of numerous legacy media outlets that dismissed the Hunter Biden laptop scandal as "Russian disinformation."

At the time of the New York Post story went viral, Maher dismissed the allegations and passed off the accusations as something Donald Trump Jr. would do.

Here's how @BillMaher reacted to the Hunter Biden laptop story on his October 16, 2020 show:https://twitter.com/BrentHBaker/status/1510244281931477002\u00a0\u2026
— Brent Baker \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Brent Baker \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1648905522


CNN's Brian Stelter defends his network from critics who say it's 'lacking journalism' and spouts 'opinions all the time': 'They're not watching CNN'



CNN's Brian Stelter — the cable network's chief media correspondent — ran some P.R. for his company at the end of his "Reliable Sources" show Sunday, defending it from critics who say CNN is "lacking journalism" and deals in "opinions all the time."

Stelter's verdict? "They're not watching CNN," he told his viewers.

What's been happening at CNN?

Indeed, it's been one thing after another for CNN of late.

In December, CNN fired its infamously left-wing anchor Chris Cuomo after an investigation showed how deeply involved he was in attempting to protect his brother, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, from scandals. Also that month, a CNN producer was charged with allegedly luring and grooming underage girls for sexual assaults.

In January, folks brutally mocked CNN after it announced the creation of a news team "dedicated to covering misinformation" — and also after Stelter interviewed eighth-graders who were learning about detecting "misinformation."

And soon Stelter got distressed because he admitted that podcaster Joe Rogan is "trusted by people" who don't trust "major newsrooms like CNN." For his part, Rogan eviscerated CNN and said "people know they're full of s**t ... they disseminate propaganda."

Then came last week's shocking resignation of CNN boss Jeff Zucker following revelations about his relationship with Allison Gollust, his second in command at the network.

But on Sunday, Stelter soldiered on and shot back at CNN's critics after telling his viewers he was "gonna go a little bit rogue" during his show-capping monologue.

What did he say?

"Jeff Zucker's departure was shocking to the staff of CNN. But CNN was not built by just one man, not by only Ted Turner, and it was not led only by Jeff Zucker. CNN is so much bigger than any single individual," Stelter said. "It is about teams and teams of people, thousands of individuals who make up CNN."

His voice then took on a dramatic tone: "This place is not perfect. It will never be perfect. We will always have flaws, we will always screw up, we will always have to run corrections, we will always have to keep working to make it better and better and better every single day. That is the goal. But the people who say we’re lacking journalism, that we’ve become an all-talk channel, that we’ve run off, and we're all opinions all the time, that Jeff Zucker led us astray, those people aren’t watching CNN. They’re not watching CNN. They’re watching complaints about CNN on other channels that don’t know what they’re talking about. That’s the truth."

Then after declaring that on the day Zucker resigned "more than 135 reporters" aired pieces for CNN, and that the cable network published "more than 215 stories," Stelter boasted that it was a "hell of a lot of news" and "hell of a lot of journalism."

"Do some of the anchors say provocative things? Yes," he admitted. "Do some of those clips get played over and over again on other channels and mislead people about what CNN actually is? Yes."

End of his CNN show, @BrianStelter: \u201cPeople who say we\u2019re lacking journalism...that we've run off and we\u2019re all our opinions all the time....those people aren\u2019t watching CNN. They\u2019re watching complaints about CNN on other channels that don't know what they're talking about.\u201dpic.twitter.com/KKRGXZtLSY
— Brent Baker (@Brent Baker) 1644169397

"We lost our leader this week, but we’re not going anywhere," Stelter promised his listeners, according to Fox News.

How did folks react?

You might say Stelter's monologue provided commenters with a target-rich environment. Here's a small sampling from Twitter:

  • "They've been so slanted for so long they don't know what objective reporting is," one commenter said.
  • "I watch CNN, less than I did prior to 2016, but a lot more than I watch Fox," another commenter wrote. "CNN has injected politics into EVERYTHING ... it’s not about news anymore, it’s about pushing biased narratives & opinions that turn out to be wrong — a lot."
  • "If you have to tell your audience that you actually do journalism, the argument, your credibility, and your ratings are lost," another commenter said.
  • And then this classic retort: "Brian, if you rant during your show, which no one is watching, does anyone hear you?"

'60 Minutes' finally responds to criticism for hit piece on Florida Gov. DeSantis: 'Some viewers ... applauded the story'



After a week of getting slapped around for a clear hit piece on Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis accusing the executive of a pay-to-play scheme involving COVID-19 vaccine distribution, CBS News' "60 Minutes" finally responded Sunday night.

However, the response was limited to a claim that "some viewers" — including, the show noted, a "retired newsman" — actually "applauded" what was the program's deceptively edited exchange and smear of DeSantis. The short CBS News reaction said "viewers focused" on the edited back-and-forth with the governor, and it failed to address the controversy at the heart of the criticisms.

What's the background?

The long-running news show ran a deceptively edited segment with Gov. DeSantis on April 4, accusing the governor of corruption.

CBS News' Sharyn Alfonsi reported that the governor received a $100,000 donation to his PAC from Publix grocery stores, which later partnered with the state to distribute COVID-19 vaccines. "60 Minutes" aired a clip of Alfonsi confronting DeSantis at a news conference, accusing the governor of engaging in a "pay-to-play" scheme by giving Publix exclusive rights to distribute the vaccine in exchange for the donation.

DeSantis told the reporter she was spreading a "fake narrative" and then corrected the record in an extended answer, which was cut out of the segment by CBS editors before it aired.

The news program's efforts were so egregious that even CNN's Brian Stelter pointed out CBS' malfeasance. And the Democratic mayor of Palm Beach County, Dave Kerner, came out in defense of DeSantis, saying the report "was not just based on bad information — it was intentionally false."

What did '60 Minutes' say?

One week later, after taking a beating online — both from the left and the right — "60 Minutes" addressed the controversy ... in a less-than-one-minute segment that appeared to blame viewers who "focused" on the show's deceptive editing.

Sunday's episode ended with Alfonsi addressing her hit piece in a "mail" segment about messages from viewers regarding the anti-DeSantis report.

"Viewers focused on an exchange with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at a press conference," Alfonsi began, neglecting to note it was her "exchange" with DeSantis that people were "focused on."

As she reported the messages from viewers, Alfonsi focused first on positive feedback CBS had received, including from a "retired newsman."

"Some viewers, including a retired newsman, applauded the story," Alfonsi said. "Ron DeSantis will continue to deny, refute ... call your reporting a witch hunt ... I can only hope ... that you continue to investigate and expose the truth," she continued, quoting "retired newsman" Nick Boryack of Vero Beach, Florida.

But that's where the glowing reviews of Alfonsi's report ended.

"Many more comments condemned our editing and reporting," Alfonsi said, without saying what the actual problems with the editing and reporting were.

"Shameful biased reporting — that is what you are guilty of. You are no longer journalists, but lobbyists and advocates," one viewer wrote, Alfonsi said.

Anther viewer wrote, "I have watched 60 MINUTES for decades. After you biased piece on Governor DeSantis, I will only watch it one more time. Just to see if you broadcast this message," the reporter said.

And with that, Alfonsi signed off without uttering a word about her role in the controversy, a correction, or any information on what happened.

Sunday’s @60Minutes ended with @Sharyn_Alfonsi reading comments about her shoddy hit piece on @RonDeSantisFL. She d… https://t.co/KtBAd4VpRE
— Brent Baker (@Brent Baker)1618187446.0

(H/T: HotAir)

Bill Maher blasts cancel culture as 'Stalinesque,' warns woke 'brats' control the media



Bill Maher came out swinging against cancel culture in the latest episode of "Real Time." Maher cited the most recent victims of cancel culture: former Teen Vogue editor-in-chief Alexi McCammond and Mumford & Sons banjo player Winston Marshall.

"I swear to God, I don't want to talk about cancel culture and this nonsense every week, but I just think people understand how this is a tsunami and how fast the goalposts change almost on a weekly basis," Maher started the discussion. Maher recently issued a warning about cancel culture, declaring it to be "real, insane, and coming to a neighborhood to you" in a February episode of his HBO talk show.

Maher pointed out that you can get canceled not only for your current supposed infractions but "anything you've ever done." The HBO host was referring to McCammond, who was forced to resign from Teen Vogue for offensive tweets she wrote a decade ago when she was 17-years-old.

Maher exploded, "Can I just say something? People talk s*** in private! We can't legislate that away! For f*** sake, can we have a little common sense? People talk s*** about each other in private."

One of Maher's guests, former Democratic Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, attempted to blame Republicans for cancel culture by bringing up the "war on Christmas." Maher responded, "Yeah, they're snowflakes, too, but they don't control the media the way these brats do. That's the problem. I don't think that it was Republicans who got Alexi [fired]."

Maher then moved on to the canceling of a musician for reading a book.

"I was reading about this guy Winston Marshall, the banjo player in Mumford & Sons," Maher said. "This guy tweeted out that he liked a book. It's a book called 'Unmasked.' I never heard of it, you never heard of it, It's apparently not favorable to Antifa, so it's criticizing Antifa. Okay, people write books."

"He tweeted out, 'Finally had the time to read your important book, you're a brave man, to the author," Maher said of the book's author, Andy Ngo. "Now he has to step away, everyone is always 'stepping away,' from the band."

Maher then read the apology from Marshall, and said, "This is his apology, so Soviet. 'Over the past few days, I have come to better understand the pain I caused by the book I endorsed.' What?!?! Did you hit someone over the head with it? 'I have offended not only a lot of people I don't know but also those closest to me, including my bandmates. And for that, I am truly sorry.'"

"It's so Stalinesque," Maher explained. "You know what, how about, 'I can read what I want. I'm a musician. Don't worry, it won't happen again!'"

Maher compared the current cancel culture climate to the blacklist era of the 1950s.

"Not just what you say, it's now what you listen to, they can catch you for that," he said. "What you order, who you say you like, anything sort of association, if you retweet something."

"I never thought I would live in an era, I remember watching movies about the 50s and the blacklist era when people would whisper that you were you're a communist and all it took was someone informing on you and us saying they saw you at a rally or a peace march and you are branded, and your career was over or you were on the blacklist," he said.

"People go to parties now and they don't want to talk. They're like, 'Can I talk? I don't know your girlfriend. She might be woke.' Really. I'm not making this up," Maher stated. "This informant thing, it's not just what you do, it's what you don't report. That's another way the goalpost moved."

(Content Warning: Explicit language):

Taking on “woke" demands. @BillMaher says it reminds him of Hollywood's “blacklists" where now “people go to partie… https://t.co/utUPolTpH8
— Brent Baker (@Brent Baker)1616216672.0

Outrage mob tries to cancel 'cis white male' Bill Burr for Grammy's appearance where he mocks feminists



Bill Burr was a top trend on Twitter early Thursday evening, not for one of his many highly-rated comedy specials or his role as Migs Mayfeld in "The Mandalorian." Instead, the stand-up comedy veteran was being assailed by the outrage mob, who were actively trying to cancel him for jokes he made during the 2021 Grammy Awards.

In an unusual move, the comedian presented the Grammy Award for "Best Regional Mexican Album,” which aired before the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards ceremony. Burr, who is never shy to tell the audience exactly what he is thinking, angered many people with his brash and unapologetic comedy style.

From the get-go, Burr set the tone that he was not going to be your typical Grammy's Award presenter. The comedian joked, "Was I the only one who wanted to kill himself after that piano solo."

Then he did some self-deprecating humor and called himself a "moron" for buying a new suit to present an award during the pre-Grammy's show that was done remotely and nobody would see.

Bill Burr came out to present at the Grammys after a piano performance “Was I the only one who wanted to kill hims… https://t.co/kCRSWPTWm2
— gifdsports (@gifdsports)1615753361.0

Burr then awkwardly mispronounced the winner's name, Natalia Lafourcade.

Bill Burr butchers women’s name and then is awkwardly forced to accept the award for her at the Grammys https://t.co/xp3143GY1J
— gifdsports (@gifdsports)1615754111.0

While presenting the "Best Tropical Latin Album," Burr made a joke about feminists. "How many feminists are like going nuts, 'Why is this cis white male doing all this Latino stuff?'"

Bill Burr the GOAT LololRare comedian that will joke about stuff like this https://t.co/Aq5dzKva0E
— Tmo (@Tmo)1615752578.0

The wisecrack mocking woke culture hit a nerve and unleashed hundreds of tweets demanding the comedian be canceled for saying a joke.

There were furious calls to "ban all white men" and "for all white men to be kept in cages." Another commenter inexplicably said he was "making fun of civil rights movements." One person said Burr doesn't have a comedic bone in his body. Burr has six comedy specials and was a regular on "Chappelle's Show."

(Content Warning: Explicit language):

ban bill burr. actually just ban white men. a disgrace.
— bora (@bora)1615751340.0


btw this is a bill burr hate tweet, mf can’t make a single joke without punching down and making fun of civil right… https://t.co/QRKsJ54i0Y
— miqo🌤 (@miqo🌤)1615752270.0


People who think being an offensive asshole on purpose is funny are the actual least humorous people alive like jus… https://t.co/ERKayUvYNk
— leah⁷ (@leah⁷)1615751623.0


Idk what he said but god I love bill burr https://t.co/SlyPhr74jx
— Blake (@Blake)1615752531.0


Who decided Bill Burr was a good idea? Ugh.
— Audrie⁷ ♡ (@Audrie⁷ ♡)1615751478.0


The @RecordingAcad needs to own up to this failure of selecting Bill Burr as a presenter. What a terrible choice. H… https://t.co/lDxE3JAihy
— ♡ binniebear⁷ (@♡ binniebear⁷)1615752221.0


If Bill Burr presenting these nominees isn't an accurate representation of the Academy @ non white artists..
— WYWYG 💗 (@WYWYG 💗)1615751542.0

There were plenty of people defending Burr for telling jokes, and lampooning those who were said to be outraged over his comedy.

Bill Burr is a Rorschach test as to whether you have the slightest sense of humor or a huge stick up your ass. He'… https://t.co/qQ7Yy3YhOd
— LB (@LB)1615757842.0


It’s the quarterly attempt at cancelling Bill Burr for being hilarious I see.
— Bridget Phetasy (@Bridget Phetasy)1615752962.0


Bill Burr is trending so I'm assuming all the right people are mad about something.
— Stephen L. Miller (@Stephen L. Miller)1615752201.0


I don’t know what #BillBurr said to piss marshmallows off, but I AGREE.
— Maj Toure (@Maj Toure)1615758066.0


GenZ calling Bill Burr a racist... 😬😳Bill Burr and his beautiful wife Nia. 💕 https://t.co/C9XsPhtIQZ
— 𝒜𝓂𝒷𝑒𝓇 (@𝒜𝓂𝒷𝑒𝓇)1615752332.0


Bill Burr after being cancelled https://t.co/PYRLGharjO
— Brent Edge-ucated Hawkings (@Brent Edge-ucated Hawkings)1615753698.0


*Bill Burr intentionally makes Politically incorrect jokesTwitter: https://t.co/lzrGnyaSK5
— Tyler Mills🤘🏻 (@Tyler Mills🤘🏻)1615753938.0

One Twitter user shared a video clip from Burr talking to Bill Maher about cancel culture from a few years ago, where he dismissed his haters.

reminder that bill burr doesn't give a fuck about the culture war bullshit between performatively "woke" liberals a… https://t.co/XIi7iBUX5i
— ☀️👀 (@☀️👀)1615756220.0

Bill Burr also obliterated cancel culture when he hosted "Saturday Night Live" in 2019. The comedian also defended his fellow "The Mandalorian" star Gina Carano when she was canceled from the hit Disney show.

Journalist Glenn Greenwald resigns from The Intercept claiming censorship of Biden-critical article — Intercept fires back



Claiming "trends of repression, censorship and ideological homogeneity" have overtaken the publication he co-founded and the mainstream media at large, journalist Glenn Greenwald resigned from The Intercept on Thursday.

In an essay announcing his resignation, Greenwald said a decision by the Intercept's New York-based editors to censor an article he wrote that criticized Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden was the "final, precipitating cause" of his departure. He lamented that the "pathologies, illiberalism, and repressive mentality that led to the bizarre spectacle of my being censored by my own media outlet are ones that are by no means unique to The Intercept."

My Resignation From The InterceptThe same trends of repression, censorship and ideological homogeneity plaguing t… https://t.co/hjTed6IW6j
— Glenn Greenwald (@Glenn Greenwald)1603993157.0

According to Greenwald, an article he wrote this week criticized Biden, the Democratic nominee, over recent revelations about his business relations with foreign entities as reported by the New York Post and by a witness who claims to be a former business partner of the Biden family. He also critiqued "the media's rank-closing attempt, in a deeply unholy union with Silicon Valley and the 'intelligence community,' to suppress" the Hunter Biden materials. But Greenwald's editors wouldn't let him publish the story unless he removed the parts critical of Biden.

"The final, precipitating cause is that The Intercept's editors, in violation of my contractual right of editorial freedom, censored an article I wrote this week, refusing to publish it unless I remove all sections critical of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, the candidate vehemently supported by all New-York-based Intercept editors involved in this effort at suppression," Greenwald wrote.

"The censored article, based on recently revealed emails and witness testimony, raised critical questions about Biden's conduct. Not content to simply prevent publication of this article at the media outlet I co-founded, these Intercept editors also demanded that I refrain from exercising a separate contractual right to publish this article with any other publication."

He added that his editors rejected a suggestion that they publish their own article airing disagreements with his views on the Biden evidence rather than preventing him from publishing the story.

"So censorship of my article, rather than engagement with it, was the path these Biden-supporting editors chose," Greenwald wrote.

In response, he chose to leave, "voluntarily sacrificing the support of a large institution and guaranteed salary in exchange for nothing other than a belief that there are enough people who believe in the virtues of independent journalism and the need for free discourse who will be willing to support my work by subscribing."

"Like anyone with young children, a family and numerous obligations, I do this with some trepidation, but also with the conviction that there is no other choice," Greenwald wrote. "I could not sleep at night knowing that I allowed any institution to censor what I want to say and believe — least of all a media outlet I co-founded with the explicit goal of ensuring this never happens to other journalists, let alone to me, let alone because I have written an article critical of a powerful Democratic politician vehemently supported by the editors in the imminent national election."

Greenwald co-founded The Intercept and its parent company First Look Media in 2013 with Jeremy Scahill and Laura Poitras. He said the original mission of the publication was "to create a new media outlets where all talented, responsible journalists would enjoy the same right of editorial freedom I had always insisted upon for myself."

He believes that The Intercept of today is "completely unrecognizable when compared to that original vision."

"Rather than offering a venue for airing dissent, marginalized voices and unheard perspectives, it is rapidly becoming just another media outlet with mandated ideological and partisan loyalties, a rigid and narrow range of permitted viewpoints (ranging from establishment liberalism to soft leftism, but always anchored in ultimate support for the Democratic Party), a deep fear of offending hegemonic cultural liberalism and center-left Twitter luminaries, and an overarching need to secure the approval and admiration of the very mainstream media outlets we created The Intercept to oppose, critique and subvert."

Sounding off on the ideological bent of "every mainstream center-left political organization, academic institution, and newsroom," Greenwald declared his independence from groupthink.

"I began writing about politics fifteen years ago with the goal of combatting media propaganda and repression, and — regardless of the risks involved — simply cannot accept any situation, no matter how secure or lucrative, that forces me to submit my journalism and right of free expression to its suffocating constraints and dogmatic dictates."

The Intercept on Thursday published a response to Greenwald's criticisms, accusing him of crafting a "narrative" "teeming with distortions and inaccuracies."

Glenn Greenwald's decision to resign from The Intercept stems from a fundamental disagreement over the role of editors in the production of journalism and the nature of censorship. Glenn demands the absolute right to determine what he will publish. He believes that anyone who disagrees with him is corrupt, and anyone who presumes to edit his words is a censor. Thus, the preposterous charge that The Intercept's editors and reporters, with the lone, noble exception of Glenn Greenwald, have betrayed our mission to engage in fearless investigative journalism because we have been seduced by the lure of a Joe Biden presidency. A brief glance at the stories The Intercept has published on Biden will suffice to refute those claims.

We have the greatest respect for the journalist Glenn Greenwald used to be, and we remain proud of much of the work we did with him over the past six years. It is Glenn who has strayed from his original journalistic roots, not The Intercept.

In tweets sent after the Intercept's response was published, Greenwald refused to get into a "tit-for-tat" with his former employer, but announced he would publish the emails sent back and forth between him and his editors over the article "so people can decide for themselves if it was censored."

3) Given their claims, I'm going to publish -- along with the censored article -- the emails about it so people can… https://t.co/rfMtDVPOdi
— Glenn Greenwald (@Glenn Greenwald)1604000490.0

The news of Greenwald's resignation was received with admiration and respect from many journalists and political commentators.

Lee Fang, a reporter for The Intercept and now former colleague of Greenwald, called him "the most principled person in media today."

Glenn Greenwald is the most principled person in media today. https://t.co/xKFGuxDWXi
— Lee Fang (@Lee Fang)1603995175.0

Others applauded Greenwald for his "courage."

Bravo to Glenn Greenwald for his courage in standing up for what journalism is supposed to be.Without those committ… https://t.co/pcQ1fOTSMI
— Lara Logan (@Lara Logan)1603999304.0
Because he is a brave journalist ... I just subscribed to Greenwald https://t.co/lrl3Rr1K4M Also subscribed to… https://t.co/SfjE9cKJKy
— Mollie (@Mollie)1603994346.0
Glenn: I can’t overstate how much I admire your integrity and intellectual independence. We’d be honored to have yo… https://t.co/PdYD0SaSrf
— Sohrab Ahmari (@Sohrab Ahmari)1603995016.0
In an era of corporate media corruption, the voices of rebellion against the dominant narrative are increasingly st… https://t.co/6ekXCinPzd
— Ben Domenech (@Ben Domenech)1603994906.0
"Courage is required to step out of line, to question and poke at those pieties most sacred in one’s own milieu, bu… https://t.co/av2XIStzXF
— Bari Weiss (@Bari Weiss)1603994825.0
Let's be clear. I'm sure there are many things I don't agree with Glenn Greenwald about, but he is a dying breed, a… https://t.co/tlFd7oM4Mv
— Brent Bozell (@Brent Bozell)1603999607.0
I disagree with Glenn a lot, but I have always been impressed by his willingness to stand on his principles. The MS… https://t.co/t5XiVLIy6b
— Ari Fleischer (@Ari Fleischer)1603998995.0
Glenn Greenwald1000% respectwow https://t.co/nWmsW3wTjv
— Tim Pool (@Tim Pool)1603993487.0

But Greenwald is not without some detractors.

The Intercept: *applies editorial standards*Glenn Greenwald: https://t.co/erO8uuDu7o
— Joe Berkowitz (@Joe Berkowitz)1603995634.0
This is such amazingly *great* news for THE INTERCEPT, a truly impressive news outfit whose investigative journalis… https://t.co/DjHjLvLgnR
— Seth Abramson (@Seth Abramson)1603994744.0
Inevitable. There are still good reporters at The Intercept and I hope they can now be free of the stain of Greenwa… https://t.co/TKJ4URz5ab
— Wajahat "Wears a Mask Because of a Pandemic" Ali (@Wajahat "Wears a Mask Because of a Pandemic" Ali)1603995150.0