Voices of 9-11 "The thing that bothers me the most about the deceased from the towers is that they all just kinda vanished without a trace. The force of the collapse vaporized most and there are many people who don’t have a single remain of them. It’s one thing to square yourself around the loss of a loved one; when you have a body to bury, look at and process through grief. It’s quite another when they left for work in an ordinary desk job on an ordinary day and literally disappeared, never to be see or heard of again. To this day it’s gotta be agony dealing with that." Comment to this post.
Thursday, September 10, 2020
Woodward and Bernstein’s take on anonymous sources reveals media incompetence
"Woodstein"?
BPR "Famed Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein (“Woodstein”) have recently weighed in on the use of anonymous sources in the reporting of President Trump’s alleged slurs of deceased soldiers. While they use their iconic status to support the “truth” spoken by such unnamed witnesses, they unwittingly prove the profound incapability of modern journalism in its assumed role as the arbiter of truth.
"There can be no better example of this than Woodstein’s discussion of their use of anonymous sources in Watergate. These sources, Woodstein argues, were all proven truthful and brought down a sitting president. Therefore, they contend, the present anonymous sources must be telling the truth. But this jejune reasoning shows precisely how modern journalism got out over its skis in Watergate and continues to careen wildly downhill.
"It is better to be lucky than good, and the reporters were fortunate that their witnesses in Watergate were speaking contrary to their own interests against a White House to which they were otherwise loyal. And the reporters knew from the employment of the witnesses that they knew whereof they spoke. To litigating lawyers, these factors are critical, that is, competence (basis for knowledge) and lack of motive to falsify. But to journalists, such analysis is foreign, and when attempted, usually is performed amateurishly.
"Moreover, all of Woodstein’s “anonymous” witnesses were not unknown to the FBI, on whom the reporters tailgated. That they had been willing to speak to the FBI on formal interview was another indicium of truth. " . . . More
Dr. Fauci disputes alleged quotes from him in Bob Woodward ... . . . "Woodward wants us to believe that Trump intentionally deceived the American people. He knew how serious the virus was, but wanted to hide its seriousness from the public to avoid a panic. That’s the line.
"Dr. Fauci, who ranks even higher than Woodward in the esteem of liberals I know, isn’t buying it. Fauci, who had the advantage of being there, says:
I didn’t get any sense that [Trump] was distorting anything. I mean in my discussions with him, they were always straightforward about the concerns that we had. We related that to him. And when he would go out, I’d hear him discussing the same sort of things. . . .
Laugh or Cry? Reporter's Defense of Atlantic's Anonymously-Sourced Anti-Trump Hit Piece Is Cringeworthy . . . “So, please, by all means, tell me why a journalist would risk ruining their career and tarnishing their industry by making up a source,” she added.
"Well, I bet you can imagine the responses. Many are inappropriate and totally out of line, but what is this? Is the liberal media bubble that dense, or does Ms. Krauth simply not know about past events where the liberal media did invent stuff out of thin air? Maybe it’s a little of both, but Dan Rather peddling fake documents to smear George W. Bush’s Air National Guard service during the 2004 election is certainly a prime example. Why was Brian Williams yanked off of NBC’s Nightly News? Have we forgotten about Richard Jewell and the 1996 Summer Olympics? Oh, yes, and The New Republic dealing with Stephen Glass, one of the most successful fakers out there—some people cited these examples in the replies. The New York Times had to deal with the lies of former reporter Jayson Blair." . . .
Kamala Harris's embrace of Jacob Blake is the latest blow to #MeToo
Tiana Lowe, Commentary WriterWashington Examiner "It's been quite a week for Kamala Harris. In addition to promulgating anti-vaccination conspiracy theories about any coronavirus vaccine released during the Trump presidency, she met with the family of Jacob Blake, a man famous for fleeing from the police with his children in tow when he violated an existing restraining order after being charged with sexual assault.
"Blake has been famously lionized by the Left after being shot by the police when officers tried to arrest him as he reached in his car (telling them after the shooting that he had a knife, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel). Unlike the deaths of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, both of whom did not pose a semblance of deadly threats to officers and were preventable, it's unclear if any feasible policy change would have prevented Blake's shooting. After all, Blake subverted multiple nonlethal attempts to subdue him, and by all available evidence, the police in question only resorted to shooting him when the officers had reasonable suspicion that he was reaching for a knife.
"Yet, it's not just the radical Left that has embraced Blake. Harris decided to wade into the active criminal investigation and take the side of a man charged with sexual assault and domestic violence.
" 'I mean, they're an incredible family," said Harris after meeting with his family while Blake called in. "And what they've endured, and they just do it with such dignity and grace. And you know, they're carrying the weight of a lot of voices on their shoulders."
"To recap, Blake broke into the home of his ex-girlfriend back in May, digitally raped her while one of their children slept in bed beside her, and stole her car keys and debit card prior to fleeing the scene of the crime. Wisconsin issued both an open warrant for Blake's arrest for third-degree sexual assault and a restraining order for the victim. Blake violated the restraining order, triggering the police encounter in question.
"So, one has to ask Harris, really? An incredible family? Not just the man who knowingly endangered his children by evading arrest for sexually assaulting their mother, but also his father, Jacob Blake Sr., who has spewed the sort of anti-Semitism that wouldn't be out of place on the Daily Stormer?" . . .
Some FB posts by Jacob Blake, the guy is planning to meet with.
He’s a vicious antisemite.
If the investigation finds that his son’s shooting was unjustified those responsible should be held accountable, but there is no excuse for Biden to meet with a Jew hater.
Clinically Deranged Adam Schiff Mounts His Dead Russia Horse Again
“We’ve received a whistleblower complaint alleging DHS suppressed intel reports on Russian election interference, altered intel to match false Trump claims and made false statements to Congress,” Schiff, D-Calif., tweeted Wednesday afternoon. “This puts our national security at risk.”
PJ Media . . . "Yes, the polls have been tightening, but the Dems have been in a sort of flop-sweat panic mode since the Republican National Convention ended. There is, of course, the fact that every public appearance by der Bidengaffer since then has been hovering in the neighborhood of “unmitigated disaster.”
The Democrats do seem to be trying to get to their October surprises early this year. That reeks of desperation.
Speaking of reeking, California’s little impeachment pitbull Adam Schiff is back. Guess what, kids? He’s got another whistleblower!
The House Intelligence Committee received a whistleblower complaint claiming Trump administration officials at the White House and the Department of Homeland Security suppressed intelligence reports related to Russian election interference, Democratic Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said Wednesday.
In a statement, Schiff said former Intelligence and Analysis Acting Under Secretary Brian Murphy filed the whistleblower reprisal complaint on Tuesday with the DHS Office of Inspector General.
Exiled from the kingdom by the Queen of San Francisco
San Fran Nan Tried to Destroy Salon Owner; Now, There’s Some Awesome News
And while there’s no word on whether Kious will take Gov. Noem (R) up on her offer to relocate her business to South Dakota, at least she has a chance now to take back control of her salon’s future thanks to the generous support she’s received.
"When we last checked in with the Saga of the Covert Blow-Out, longtime, San Francisco salon owner Erica Kious had spoken to Tucker Carlson about it, including revealing how House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) words and actions essentially destroyed her salon — and inspired people in the community to fill her phone with hateful text messages and death threats. Kious also shared how destructive the shutdowns were for her business.
"Meanwhile, my colleagues reported that a group of ladies in the congresswoman’s district put up a unique display in front of Pelosi’s home, in protest of her ornery outburst at salon owner Kious for turning her in for breaking coronavirus masking rules. And the Mayor of San Francisco mixed it up, too, defending the Speaker’s need for beauty services because “she’s fighting a terrorist.” And by ‘terrorist,’ Mayor Breed meant our President, by the way.
"Of course, President Trump used the situation as an opportunity to take a dig at San Fran Nan:
"Crazy Nancy Pelosi said she was “set up” by the beauty parlor owner when she improperly had the salon opened (and didn’t wear a MASK!). Does anyone want a Speaker of the House who can be so easily SET UP?"
. . .
Remember, Nancy Pelosi, it’s always those little things that bite . . . "For Pelosi and her Congressional Democrats, this is one of those embarrassing coronavirus rules-for-thee-but-not-for-me moments that drive Americans crazy, especially now, during COVID-19 restrictions.
"Most people are stuck in their homes, losing their jobs, bored, sick of TV, only to see the political elite flouting the rules.
" 'This salon owes me an apology,” Pelosi told reporters, using the old Marion Barry defense. But unlike the former mayor of Washington, D.C., caught on FBI tape with a prostitute and a crack pipe, Pelosi didn’t use the “B” word." . . .
Hair Salon Owner Smeared by Pelosi 'Afraid to Go Back' to San Francisco . . . "But it's Kious who feels more entitled to an apology, because the Democratic leader may have singlehandedly ruined her livelihood. In the wake of the controversy, Kious says she's been receiving nasty Yelp reviews, emails, and text messages saying they "hope I under and that I fail." In some cases, she's even received death threats.
"In fact, Kious is "afraid to go back" to San Francisco, the city she's lived in for 15 years, she said. "Because of the emails I've been getting. It's a little scary and sad." . . .
Pelosi Says Trump Downplayed COVID Threat, but Backed Chinatown Visits Amid Early Virus Fears "House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has criticized President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers for "downplaying" the threat of COVID-19 after it was that the commander-in-chief was already aware it was more harmful than the flu in early February.
"But critics of the top Democratic lawmaker have pointed out that she encouraged people to visit Chinatown in San Francisco as fears of the novel coronavirus grew in late February.
"Posting on social media on Wednesday evening, the House speaker's campaign team said Trump and Republicans had "downplayed the deadly threat of the #coronavirus" and said their "failure and denial" had cost lives.
" 'The President's own words spell out the devastating truth: Trump was fully aware of the catastrophic nature of the coronavirus but hid the facts and refused to take the threat seriously, leaving our entire country exposed and unprepared," said another tweet." . . .
Babylon Bee finds a way to parody the parodical:
"Pelosi showed up for the appointment but felt uneasy from the beginning since the salon owner wore a shirt saying "I HATE NANCY PELOSI." But despite her misgivings, she continued on, really needing to get her hair done and her skin tightened.
"Just as her head was being dipped in the bowl, Pelosi noticed one of the hair stylists pressing a button labeled "SUMMON POLICE TO FRAME A POLITICIAN" under the counter. The Speaker of the House leaped to her feet and made a break for it, screaming for her chauffeur to start the car.
""Step on it, Bugsy!" she shouted at her getaway driver. "It's a setup! The popo's comin' in hot!" The hair stylist almost nabbed her, but Pelosi pushed over a rack of shampoos and conditioners, slowing down her pursuers just in time for her to leap into the back seat of her car.
"A police car came screaming around the corner just as she and her driver peeled out, taking a hard right down a nearby alleyway. The police officer riddled the back of her car with bullets from his Tommy gun before Pelosi narrowly managed to escape by driving off the end of the docks, where her car turned into a steampunk submersible and she got away scot-free." . . .
That invisible Durham investigation
What’s going on with the Durham investigation, if anything? "Ever since Attorney General Barr appointed U.S. Attorney John Durham to investigate the origins of the Russia collusion probe, Trump supporters have been waiting for the bomb to drop. And waiting. And waiting. But nothing ever happens.
Judicial Watch’s founder Tom Fitton thinks that conservatives are being scammed. Instead of an investigation, it’s just another Washington cover-up. I suspect (or, maybe, hope), though, that Barr and Durham are holding their fire because of the election.
Tom Fitton, whose organization doggedly uncovers documents the Swamp wants to hide, was on Fox News’ Lou Dobbs Tonight. He is concerned that the John Durham investigation is a sham:" . . .
More Durham probe charges possible, Barr says "Possible"? "Attorney general declines to say whether any charges would be announced prior to Election Day"
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