New York Times hit with online backlash over 'blatant media bias' in describing Republican candidate



The New York Times was hit with online backlash over what many saw as "blatant media bias" in its description of the Republican candidate in the Wisconsin Senate race.

The Times was reporting on the debate Thursday between Republican Senator Ron Johnson, the incumbent, and Democrat candidate Mandela Barnes for Wisconsin's seat in the U.S. Senate.

\u201cAfter a respectful first debate, Senator Ron Johnson and Lt. Gov Mandela Barnes of Wisconsin will debate again tonight at 7 p.m. ET. This time, the candidates will be allowed to offer rebuttals, which may result in a more lively hour. https://t.co/AtiOWnd87M\u201d
— The New York Times (@The New York Times) 1665696006

The tweet described Johnson as a "leading peddler of misinformation" while describing Barnes as a "liberal Democrat who has been touted as one of the party's rising stars."

Critics of the news outlet excoriated its blatant bias on social media.

"I’m sensing a mild leaning towards one of the candidates over the other. It’s subtle, but if you look closely, I think you’ll be able to see what I found," read a very popular tweet.

"Not even making a show of pretense anymore," replied Jon Levine of the New York Post.

"This has to be one of the most jaw dropping examples of blatant media bias in existence," read another tweet.

"NYT at least isn’t trying to hide its extreme partisanship, bias and electioneering," read another response.

"It's subtle, but if you really look closely, you can detect ways in which the media inserts its bias," joked one commenter.

"Ron Johnson, a big smelly buttface, will debate Mandela Barnes, awesome person and rising Democratic star, a Black man and descendant of slaves, for the Wisconsin Senate seat, where Jacob Blake was brutally shot in the back," quipped another critic.

In the most recent polling, Johnson has a hefty lead over Barnes, ranking 52% to 46% among likely voters. While most experts believe Republicans will win enough seats in the midterms to seize control of the House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate will stay under Democratic control if Republicans are unable to move the needle on close Senate elections.

Here's more about the bias from the Times:

LISTEN: New York Times tries to SPIN Biden’s FAILING economywww.youtube.com

New York Times COVID writer says lab leak theory is racist, then deletes her tweet after online blowback



A New York Times writer covering the COVID-19 pandemic deleted a tweet claiming that that the "lab leak theory" is racist after receiving online blowback.

Apoorva Mandavilli, the Times science and global health reporter, issued the missive on Wednesday.

"Someday we will stop talking about the lab leak theory and maybe even admit its racist roots," she wrote. "But alas, that day is not yet here."

The possibility that the coronavirus was a creation in a laboratory has been theorized by many including former President Donald Trump and has gained popularity as more and more evidence is revealed publicly. Many on the left have dismissed those discussing the lab leak theory as conspiracy theorists.

Critics pounced on Mandavilli's tweet as the latest incident proving bias at the Times.

"Nyt covid-19 reporter instills perfect confidence in the paper's ability to actually report the issue," replied commentator Becket Adams.

'I think my favorite thing about dismissing the lab theory as 'racist' is that it asks us instead to believe the virus started in a filthy chinese wet market filled with bats and pangolin stomaches or whatever," he added.

"Can someone explain to me why it's racist to wonder if a virus escaped from a Chinese lab, but it's not racist to insist that it infected humans because of Chinese wet markets? If anything, isn't the latter more racist?" asked Glenn Greenwald.

Mandavilli deleted the tweet but appeared to defend her position to a critic.

"A theory can have racist roots and still gather reasonable supporters along the way," she said in a tweet documented at Fox News. "Doesn't make the roots any less racist or the theory any more convincing, though."

Hours later, she offered a much different take on the issue.

"I deleted my earlier tweets about the origins of the pandemic because they were badly phrased," said Mandavilli.

I deleted my earlier tweets about the origins of the pandemic because they were badly phrased. The origin of the pa… https://t.co/OUyWPNbeza

— Apoorva Mandavilli (@apoorva_nyc) 1622065855.0

"The origin of the pandemic is an important line of reporting that my colleagues are covering aggressively," she added.

A report released by House Republicans claimed that there was significant circumstantial evidence that the pandemic might have originated from a laboratory in Wuhan, China. On Wednesday, President Joe Biden said he had ordered the intelligence community to redouble their efforts to discover the true origin of the coronavirus pandemic.

Mandavilli had previously reported that experts believed that total herd immunity was not a reachable goal and that the U.S. would need to face regular outbreaks of the coronavirus. MSNBC's Rachel Maddow called the report "crushing," and "scary."

Here's Mandavilli on MSNBC:

What Happens If The U.S. Falls Short Of 'Herd Immunity' To Covid? | Rachel Maddow | MSNBCwww.youtube.com

New York Times editor gets scorched online for tweeting her 'chills' at Biden's arrival in Maryland



An editor at the New York Times faced online condemnation and ridicule after she tweeted that she had gotten "chills" from seeing that President-elect Joe Biden had landed in Maryland just ahead of Inauguration Day.

"Biden landing at Joint Base Andrews now. I have chills," Lauren Wolfe said in a tweet with a screenshot of a report from CNN showing Biden's plane landing.

Among those criticizing Wolfe for her reaction was Brit Hume, the veteran journalist at Fox News.

"I hope it's because it's cold out. But I suspect not," said Hume.

I hope it’s because it’s cold out. But I suspect not. https://t.co/TJjZmI4hXd
— Brit Hume (@Brit Hume)1611096124.0

Wolfe responded to his tweet and claimed that she had merely been expressing excitement over the historical importance of the transition of presidential power.

"Really, Brit? You've never felt excited at historical moments? Stop inciting your fans who are coming after me with threats. This was an innocuous tweet and you know it," she replied.

She later deleted that tweet.

Wolfe also responded to another critic who tweeted, "A journalist having 'chills' before a president is even sworn in is chilling... Not in your sense of the word, though."

"I'm shocked that you all don't feel the importance. Such historical events are deeply moving and thrilling. This attempt to s**t on me is nothing more than shortsighted presumption," she responded.

She also deleted that tweet.

Wolfe lashed out in general at her critics over the responses to her "chills" tweet.

So a bunch of people think me being excited for the transfer of power tomorrow is somehow disgusting/idiotic/agains… https://t.co/cBQmx1OkoH
— Lauren Wolfe (@Lauren Wolfe)1611094997.0

"So a bunch of people think me being excited for the transfer of power tomorrow is somehow disgusting/idiotic/against journalism. It's a shame. We should all be interested on historical moments," she added.

Other social media users didn't find her explanation sufficient.

"You are a biased hack. Were those chills present in 2016? Or were you too busy foaming at the mouth to have chills?" said one respondent.

"Nothing wrong with being excited about Trump being gone or Biden being sworn in. But, given your *job*, you're not supposed to say it out loud or make it super obvious. Makes you look like a cheerleader, not a reporter. Tell your friends," responded another user.

Wolfe then asked if there was some kind of "gross organizing" to criticize journalists.

"So, Ben Shapiro attacked one of my tweets a few days ago, despite the fact that I blocked him years ago. Now Brit Hume has sicced his followers on me (based on nothing), so I have to wonder: Is there some gross organizing to come after journalists they think are not objective?" she asked.

She also deleted that tweet minutes later.

Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris are set to be sworn in at noon EST Wednesday on the west front of the Capitol, in a ceremony with about 1,000 attendees, including Congress.

President Donald Trump said unequivocally that he would not be attending the inauguration Wednesday of his successor.

Here's more about Inauguration Day:

Washington, DC on high alert ahead of Inauguration Daywww.youtube.com