The flurry of “Joe Biden has withdrawn” news has reflected a pundit class that was not amused at the timing and manner of the Biden announcement.
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In the flurry of “Joe Biden has withdrawn” news, Jerry Cobbs made this observation on Threads. As Jeff Tiedrich noted Monday, the pundit class was not amused at the timing and manner of the Biden announcement.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 21, 2024
Here’s the not-very-self-aware Brian Stelter:
Tiedrich on Stelter:
Stelter spent a month screaming that JOE MUST GO — but now that he’s gotten what he wanted, he’s moved the goalposts to JOE MUST GO BUT NOT LIKE THIS. some people are just never happy.
Supposedly “straight news” journalists also have their axes out. Here’s a snarky headline from AP on Monday (via the app – the headline has changed on the website but it’s still denigrating):
It’s a conscious decision to use the verb “quits” rather than “withdraws.” One is connotatively more negative; it’s been the overall choice.
Axios married the fact that the Democratic National Committee is going ahead with a virtual roll call before August 1 by proclaiming its lack of democratic attitude.
Not word one by any of these pundits about the clock ticking for getting on the Ohio ballot. Yes, the Ohio legislature moved the deadline from August 7 to September 1. Better safe than sorry, Ohio Democrats say; they want to meet the August 7 deadline.
What a difference framing makes, right? Same event, totally different approach.
Look. If all 50 state Democratic chairs endorsed Kamala Harris within HOURS of the Biden announcement … that says to me that a helluva lot of planning took place. Planning with lips sealed, WWII like.
And a conservative London paper, The Times:
None of these headlines — or stories — acknowledge the extensive planning required as well as the ability of that many people to keep their lips zipped. Nor do they identify the limits on who could use the Biden-Harris campaign funds (only one of them) … or what no ads for three weeks would do to campaign momentum.
This is strategic.
Again. With no leaks.
Maybe the fundraising was primed. I’m certain the calls for funds was prepared and ready to go, but I don’t think anyone would have projected a new 24-hour record: $81,000,000.
What kind of planning and manpower does it take to secure more than half delegate votes the next day? That’s a huge phone call tree.
There was broad consensus among Georgia delegates interviewed by the @AJC to back Harris if the decision was thrown to them, with some saying if Biden trusted her to make her his running mate then Democrats should also back her as his successor. #gapol
— Greg Bluestein (@bluestein) July 21, 2024
Republicans continue to make a lot of noise, but at least some headlines put their noisy illegitimate objections into context (unlike Sunday and Monday). Compare the Washington Post (illegitimate) with Business Insider (contextual). Gives you pause, or it should: it’s the alternative medium that is framing the story with facts.
I’ll leave you with two clips from Wisconsin:
We who believe in reproductive freedom will stop Donald Trump's extreme abortion bans—because we trust women to make decisions about their bodies.
When Congress passes a law to restore reproductive freedoms, as President, I will sign it into law. pic.twitter.com/AwfjFQo2C9
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) July 23, 2024
Since MAGA cares so much about crowd size, this should be quite chilling to you all.
Kamala Harris in Wisconsin today.
— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) July 24, 2024
The jury is watching mainstream news media, but not with bated breath.
I expect campaign coverage to shift from Biden’s age to negatives about Harris, with nary (or a passing) a critique of Trump’s age, lack of transparency (health, taxes, Butler PA injury), or clear inability to share a cogent train of thought (‘gibberish’).
.
[1] Headline from William Congreve’s play, The Mourning Bride (1697).
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The stakes in November have never been more urgent, nor the choices more extreme.
Remember: you are not voting for one person. You are voting for a team.
I’m voting for Team America not Team Russia-Hungary-North Korea.
The post ‘Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned, Nor hell a fury like [news media] scorned’ appeared first on The Moderate Voice.
