Quote of the Day:
“CNN has painted itself into a tiny, twisted corner. Is there anyone who doubts that this sentence in its ‘blockbuster’ story was flat out false? If it’s not false, how they can refuse to explain it? Are we fine with major media deceit if it’s in service of a particular agenda?”
— Glenn Greenwald, journalist, The Intercept.
Media Matters journo says Lauer and Halperin never mattered
“The thing to remember about people like Matt Lauer and Mark Halperin is that the supposedly giant voice they left were illusory and quickly, easily filled or forgotten.” — Simon Malloy in a supposedly really deep thought pattern. He’s a senior writer at Media Matters, a newsletter for the Democratic Party.
HuffPost and New York Mag’s Yashar Ali: “Amen.”
Samantha Bee writer reacts to Lauer’s plan to return to TV
This amazing news for me, someone who was VERY WORRIED I would never again watch someone on television who is accused of locking a woman in his office then raping her until she passed out!!!!!!!!!!!” — Nicole Silverberg, writer for “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee.”
How the media should celebrate John McCain’s life
“My broader point is this: perhaps the best way to celebrate John McCain’s life is for the media to talk more about John McCain’s life and spend less time on Trump and what he is or isn’t doing to celebrate it.” — Amy Walter, The Cook Political Report.
Avenatti shouts from rooftops: ‘I AM NOT A CELEBRITY’
“To the press – pls stop calling me a ‘celebrity.’ I am not one. I am a 18 yr lawyer that has successfully fought on behalf of Davids vs. Goliaths in complicated cases across the nation, including many involving constitutional law. I first started working on FISA issues in 1996.” — Michael Avenatti, the lawyer for porn star Stormy Daniels.
Don Jr. tells Chelsea Handler to get lost
“Hey Chelsea, now that your show is canceled it’s not too late to make good on your promise. Really no excuse for you to stay anymore. ‘Chelsea Handler Insists She’ll Leave the U.S. if Donald Trump Becomes President.'” — Donald Trump, Jr.
Chelsea Handler tells vicious sex joke about Rep. Nunes
“Devin Nunes is like that guy who looks up your dress, and then blames you for wearing one.” — Handler, anti-Trump, anti-GOP comedian.
Editor says potential lawsuit against NBC News is ‘going well’
“Good progress in our impending lawsuit against NBC News and MSNBC. I wonder if the other alternative sites will follow suit, since we are all getting attacked by weeks-long operations carried out by teams of fake reporters.” — Patrick Howley, EIC, Big League Politics.
The Atlantic snags Facebook employee
Alex Hardiman, who is currently the head of news products at Facebook, is going to work for The Atlantic where she will be the mag’s chief business and product officer. She’ll be based in New York and Washington.
She’s thrilled.
“The Atlantic has never been more vital than it is right now. In this moment of growth and transformation, I’m thrilled—and humbled—by the opportunity to partner with brilliant minds to ensure that as many people as possible experience its products and perspectives,” Hardiman said in a release.
“I do think it’s the case that the use of anonymous sources is out of control and is damaging journalism. But since Trump has made such an issue of it–saying anonymous sources mean the story’s fiction–shouldn’t reporters now refuse to let White House sources speak on background?” — Bill Kristol, editor-at-large, The Weekly Standard.
Kristol was responding to President Trump, who wrote, “When you see “anonymous source,” stop reading the story, it is fiction!”
Sonny Bunch is mad as hell at Twitter
Me: “Hey Twitter, how about an editor button or a way to mass-delete old tweets without getting a third party app?”
Twitter: “…”
Me: “…”
Twitter: “How about a shitty hard-to-read font instead?”
Bunch works for Washington Free Beacon.
Overheard in the newsroom…
“Nuance is dead. It’s dead!” — Anonymous reporter.
Whatchu talkin’ bout Willis?
“I love that people act like 9 mos of Louis C.K. lying back and enjoying his money was like being chained and walking barefoot through the desert as penance. men get away with too much shit.” — Oliver Willis, senior writer, ShareBlue.
Journo is really into cats and Twitter (ugh)
Libby works for SplinterNews.
this cat is so good at sleeping https://t.co/f1wnkiSl4B pic.twitter.com/YV5jsdHTcI
— libby watson (@libbycwatson) August 28, 2018
Gossip Roundup
TMZ: LeBron James didn’t always want to be around white people. Here.
SplinterNews: Texas GOP focuses on Beto O’Rourke‘s good looks. He’s good looking for politics, but he’s not that attractive. Here.
NYMag’s The Cut: Rebecca Traister needs more time for Matt Lauer and Louis C.K. to be in life purgatory. In a piece with the headline, “Too much, too soon,” she says the urge for them to be there isn’t really “punitive.” She suggests they get jobs at the Gap (and more giving vocations) before returning to their old jobs. She writes, “Go ahead, guys: learn, grow, love, consider your own trajectory and the damage you’ve done to others along the way; work at something, find a path toward dignity and fulfillment, be best, the whole nine.” Here.