Quote of the Day:
“Oh so I can’t bring a flask of whiskey into the courthouse but this person can bring a screaming baby — got it.”
— Greg Burmeister, TV film producer, truTV.
President Trump’s latest media smackdown
“NBC news is #FakeNews and more dishonest than even CNN. They are a disgrace to good reporting. No wonder their news ratings are way down!” — Trump.
CNN’s cat-loving Andrew Kaczynski had a congratulatory note of sorts for NBC: “Congrats to NBC News on surpassing CNN on the Trump most dishonest list. We had a good run atop the power rankings.”
Polyamorous Berkeley Journo Calls Me A ‘Bad Jew’ During Yom Kippur
Late last week, I requested a video from our video department and well, things got very lost in translation. The video was posted too soon and all hell broke loose on Journo Twitter, where very few presumed good will. On Friday night at sundown, I began fasting for the Yom Kippur holiday.
I don’t participate in every holiday — but this one I do. Midway through the evening, Seth Millstein, a journalist for Bustle and a self-described “polyamorous socialist DJ” in Berkeley, Calif., began berating me as a “bad Jew.” Millstein didn’t care about facts. He just cared about making assumptions, piling on to Chutzpah-Gate and, I can only presume, trying to teach me how to be a good Jew by telling me what a “bad Jew” I am.
Here’s our conversation. Enjoy!
For the backstory, read here first. By the way, I think Millstein — for his incredible stupidity and poor timing — should be sentenced to adult Hebrew school for the rest of his life. And for the record, I’d rather be a so-called “bad Jew” than a stupid one any day of the week.
HIM: Betsy Rothstein is a bad Jew in more ways than one.
ME: Hey Seth, you idiot, it’s Yom Kippur. So I think calling me a “bad Jew” on today of all days automatically makes you one for life.
HIM: You told a Jew to “go to hell” twice on Yom Kippur. Does that automatically make you one thing or another, or nah?
ME: Actually I did not do that tonight. Your timing is off. I’m not sure you know much about this holiday, Seth.
HIM: I got the timing of your tweets wrong, not the holiday, but yeah, I’ll admit I messed that up by a few hours.
Please note: A few hours? Try an entire day.
ME: Seth, you seem to be devoting your Y. Kippur holiday to yelling at me. Don’t think God would approve. Stop being preachy. Do your homework.
HIM: Look, the video you made—intentionally or not—catered to anti-Semitic impulses amongst your readership. Maybe it was an honest mistake…
HIM: …and if you say it was, I believe you. But I wish you’d acknowledge that the end result, regardless of intent, was a gross dog whistle.
ME: I’ve already acknowledged the video on its own didn’t look good — repeatedly. I think the fasting is making you dizzy.
HIM: All right. Best of luck to you Betsy, and a belated Shana Tovah.
ME: I don’t need your luck. You were wrong to judge my religion in the first place. And incorrectly at that.
HIM: All the best.
ME: Um, Seth, I think you have a lot more groveling left to do from your starting point, which was calling me a “bad Jew” during Yom Kippur.
HIM: You’re free to think that. Goodbye.
ME: Thank you for giving me a safe space to think whatever I want to. Appreciate that. You’re such a mensch.
This pol cheated on his wife. He also drove staff while monster multi-tasking.
“The memo also referenced a town hall meeting Mr. Murphy held on June 5 and said that Mr. Murphy drove the car with staff to events later that day. As he drove in a torrential downpour, the memo says, his driving was ‘dangerous and erratic,’ while he read his iPad, played YouTube videos and texted.”
— A story by Paula Reed Ward from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Journo lets us all know he’s leaving Twitter for two whole hours
Thank God. What would we do if we didn’t know where Seth Mandel was on Tuesday afternoon?
“Aright have some writing to do going twitter dark for next hour or two.” — Seth Mandel, op-ed editor, New York Post. (As some may recall from my Monday piece on CNN’s “Reliable Sources,” the Mandel parents don’t allow their small children to know who the President of the United States is. I spoke with a father of a 3-year-old, who, weirdly, told me that the toddler is allowed to know who the President is.)
Travel Bitches
“There is nothing more demoralizing then when you forget to check in for your southwest flight right away so you’re suddenly in group G.” — Kelly Cohen, Washington Examiner.
Twitter advice from a Twitter dweller
“Please stop quote tweeting idiots that we all muted long ago. It’s Twitter clickbait.” — Justin Green, newsdesk editor, Axios.
More on that congressman cad who had an affair…
“Rep. Tim Murphy, who reportedly urged a mistress to have an abortion, just voted for bill to ban abortions after 20 weeks.” — CNN’s Manu Raju, Tuesday night.
The Observer
“Jarring to hear President Trump say ‘good going! You’re here!’ after this man described worrying the 2nd floor of his house might fly off.” — Olivia Nuzzi, New York Mag.
Trump gives his daughter a shout-out (Ivanka, of course)
“I am very proud of Ivanka!” — President Trump on Tuesday at 2:30 p.m.
“Talking to a family of storm victims in Puerto Rico, Trump said: ‘We’re going to help you out. Have a good time.'” — Kyle Griffin, producer, MSNBC’s “The Last Word.”
Journo wants to punch walls over spotty wifi
“Nothing makes me want to punch a hole in a wall more than slow WIFI when I’m trying to break a story. I’ll type and then the page freezes.” — Laura Loomer, self-described investigative journalist, former an operative with James O’Keefe‘s Project Veritas.
TV reporter has a wish
“I need CBS All Access to stop putting out press releases boasting about record subscriber sign-ups, but providing no data.” — Daniel Fienberg, TV scribe, The Hollywood Reporter.
The Observer
“The President of the United States is clinically incapable of expressing empathy. Lets argue on Twitter about it for 8 years.” — Tim Miller, co-founder, America Rising, partner, Definers, a public affairs firm.
Kurt Eichenwald unleashes his insanity over gun violence
Read the whole nutty, volatile exchange on Twitchy here.
Salon writer calls Trump out for his ‘relentless masturbating’
“Can’t you say ONE THING about Puerto Rico without relentlessly masturbating? It’s not all about you, Biff.” — Bob Cesca, writer, Salon.
He was reacting to this tweet from President Trump:
“Great meeting with Governor Mapp of the #USVI. He is very thankful for the great job done by @FEMA and First Responders.”
Anticipation…
“Imagine the crazy ass shit Trump is going to say tomorrow in Vegas.” — BuzzFeed‘s John Stanton on Tuesday.
Journo wants Gorsuch’s secret steak rub
Kevin Daley covers the Supreme Court for The Daily Caller News Foundation.
This I vow: I shall bring every journalistic wile & resource to bear in the pursuit of Gorsuch’s secret steak rub. #SCOTUS #AppellateTwitter pic.twitter.com/X6v0HQAIoV
— Kevin Daley (@KevinDaleyDC) October 3, 2017
Travel Angels
“My flight just landed an hour early. That never happens.” — Patrick Gleason, director of state affairs for Americans for Tax Reform, contributor, Forbes.
Translation: If you don’t think like this WaPo columnist, you’re trash
“Quick test: If you don’t feel Donald Trump was a disgrace today in Puerto Rico you are part of the problem.” — David Rothkopf, columnist, WaPo.
WaPo‘s Wesley Lowery puts away biases, b.s. and writes a great story
Read here. And yes, this is a Mirror first for Lowery.
Corey Lewandowski met with WHO?
“I recently met with Corey Lewandowski inside the Trump hotel. 2018 efforts are strong.” — Patrick Howley, founder, Big League Politics.
Ever purchased a gun? MSNBC’s Hayes wants to talk to you.
“If you’re one of those people, I’d like to hear from you. Email me at christopherlhayes-at-gmail.com with why you decided to buy a gun.”
Journo-activism is…
Alex Griswold is a reporter for Washington Free Beacon. Cal Perry is “global editor” for NBC News.
BuzzFeed‘s Smith on NYT‘s Haberman for Variety’s power list
This is the mag’s “New Power of New York” list.
“I listened to her berate, cajole, plead, demand, laugh, sympathize and swear constantly. Above all I heard in her voice something I’ve never forgotten: That a reporter’s relationships with her sources are authentic human relationships.” Read the whole thing. Others on the list: MSNBC’s Nicolle Wallace, ABC’s Ryan Seacrest, CBS’ late-night host Stephen Colbert, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, CNN’s Ana Navarro, MSNBC’s Joy Reid, Teen Vogue‘s Lauren Duca, Fox News’s Martha MacCallum, CNN’s Alisyn Camerota and Brooke Baldwin.
Suspiciously not on the list: MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” power couple Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski.
Tabloid Roundup
NYP’s Page Six: Brook Shields once rebuffed amorous advances from Donald Trump. Apparently he couldn’t grab her by the pussy. See here.
The National Enquirer: The tabloid conducts an analysts of childhood drawings of JonBenet Ramsey. See here. What the crayon drawings reveal, their experts say, was a dark cry for help.
TMZ: The gossip site catches a frumpy, graying Rosie O’Donnell at LAX. See here.
