Top O’ the Briefing
Happy Tuesday, dear Kruiser Morning Briefing friends. Octavio continues to reject the notion that the accordion has no place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Programming Note: I’m heading off to spend a few days with the family. The Briefing doesn’t get holidays off, but every once in a while I do. My friend and colleague Megan Fox will be filling in on the two days when I’ll be on airplanes. She’s a hoot, I tell ya.
Also, she did not attend CPAC earlier this year.
Those who have been hanging around this Morning Briefing for a while are no strangers to my frequent diatribes against the mainstream media. Many have taken to calling it the “legacy media” lately, which is fine too. Andrew Breitbart used to refer to it as the “Democrat-Media Complex.” We don’t need to start counting the angels dancing on the head of a pin here, we all know what we’re talking about.
Lincoln wrote a post highlighting some of the glaring problems with the MSM:
If you’re reading this, chances are you are not tuning in to CNN, MSNBC, or what remains of the Big Three networks, lapping up whatever you are served. You refuse to play the role of an obedient dog at the master’s dinette set, waiting for a “good boy” and a forkful of pork chops. Which is a good thing because the MSM has a penchant for skewing the news. But you hardly need me to tell you that.
Ever since the advent of NBC’s Arthur Kent, known as the Scud Stud during the Gulf War in 1991, and probably even before, journalists have fancied themselves as modern-day Indiana Joneses. At one point during that war, journalists were referred to as “Banana Republicans” for the khaki gear they wore full of zippers and pockets, giving them an adventurous air. Or they think they are channeling Edward R. Murrow, who reported from London during the Blitz. In any event, they are all too often legends in their own minds.
Bingo. Journalism began its death spiral when journalists stopped referring to themselves as “this reporter” and become personalities. And, for the record, one of the reasons that I still refer to the “mainstream media” is because a lot more of the Big Three networks remain than most people know. ABC, CBS, and NBC combined still pull in around 20 million viewers a night. These are people who aren’t glued to politics online all day (that’s why they’re watching network news, duh) and are easily swayed by messaging come election time.
Back to Lincoln’s story:
The Post Millennial notes that reporter Jim LaPorta may be trading in his khaki gear for an Applebee’s apron or a Costco name tag following his report on the “Russian” missiles that hit Poland. This of course was not what happened. LaPorta has reportedly been shown the gate by the Associated Press after his was one of a pair of bylines on an article stating that Russian missiles struck Poland.
When this happened, a lot of outlets ran with it, even though Polish officials were clearly stating that they didn’t know who had launched the missiles.
As Lincoln notes, LaPorta based his “reporting” on a single anonymous source, which is the plague that’s driving the final nails into journalism’s coffin.
The single anonymous source became de rigueur during Donald Trump’s presidency. Almost every breathless “We’ve got him this time!” story was based on a single anonymous source. Sometimes they’d find two, or would say that they did.
Let’s just say I was skeptical.
It’s bad enough when faux journos lie about politicians they merely don’t like but another thing entirely when they’re blaming everybody’s bad guy Vladimir Putin for attacking a NATO ally. You can see where this kind of thing might have some unfortunate consequences.
The word that comes up a lot when I’m writing about the Democrats’ flying monkeys in the mainstream media is “irresponsible.” The rush to be a social media brand rather than a reporter leads to a lot of errors.
Real reporting is hard. People will occasionally make the mistake of calling me a journalist, and I quickly correct them. I’m a loudmouth comedian who just happens to know a lot about politics and gets to share my opinions. We have real journalists who write for us, and my eyes glaze over whenever they start explaining how they researched a story.
There is real journalism being done at the state and local levels, most of it in new media. When I was in Los Angeles, the L.A. Weekly still did some real reporting, even if it was mostly leftist stuff.
At the national level, however, actual journalism will be a rotting corpse in the not-too-distant future. Yes, it’s irresponsible.
It also has the potential to be very, very dangerous.
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The Mailbag of Magnificence contributions can be sent to [email protected].
The Mailbag of Magnificence
The first Mailbag of the holiday week is filled with wonderment and joy, or something. By the way, don’t be surprised if Friday’s Briefing is mostly mailbag. I don’t get the day off but there will be an extended food coma Thursday night, obviously.
We will begin with this email from Sean:
Good day Mr. Kruiser. First things first ( and somewhat appropriately) I would propose that the opening paragraph should be known as the “Primo Non Sequitur” as that really does describe what I see you creating there.
Secondly, I would like to point out that WHPS KJP sounds like she may be a graduate of the Justin Trudeau School of Public Speaking.
On a related topic, I believe that a supermajority of the population of Alberta and Saskatchewan would be happy to trade “the Turd” straight across for Kari Lake if Arizona really doesn’t want her.
By the way, between the drunkblogging of the midterm and your daily morning musings (also a contender for the initial paragraph name) , and the occasional article from David Solway, (oh, and the gang at Twitchy) I was finally convinced to pony up for a VIP Gold membership. Good job everyone!
Primo Non-Sequitur would also be a good MMA stage name for me. Thanks for joining VIP Gold! Be sure and drop by one Thursday afternoon (we’re off this week, obviously) to join me and VodkaPundit for “Five O’Clock Somewhere.” It’s BYOB, but it’s worth it.
This is from Suzanne:
Of course you are right. The Bidens need their comeuppance. Some word, huh?
Anyway, without giving voters a chance to breath, here we are again……It would have been nice if the Republicans who were elected to the House, gave the voters a breather. At least until after Georgia votes. Same with Trump. He could have waited to announce.
I am a Conservative Republican and I am here to tell you, my friends and I are EXHAUSTED from the drama.
Sadly, Suzanne, I think we’ll be maximizing the drama until November 2024. Maybe I shouldn’t say sadly. I often like political drama. Now that Elon Musk has made Twitter fun again, I know we’ll at least be partying there.
To the surprise of no one: I also recommend day drinking if everything gets to be too much.
Robin writes:
Happy Morning, Stephen,
Another great second sentence (and a great column, too!)! Now I am wondering what chai horchata would taste like. Both are very good but I’m not sure about mixing them!
It would be wonderful if Kevin McCarthy grows a pair but highly unlikely.
I agree with the rest of your note, but I wanted to focus on this. Here’s what I say (for now, anyway): there’s no need to pre-stress. If we end up getting disappointed in January, we’ll cross that RINO bridge when we come to it. It’s not even a sure thing that McCarthy is going to have the votes for Speaker when it comes before the entire House next year.
Tom’s back!
Kruiser,I thank you for your reply, and I would like to apologize for my obvious mis-directed anger. You didn’t deserve my accusations, and seeing them in print the next column was humbling. I just get frustrated with how our team seems to have no fight and no push back to this corrupt voting system in places like Arizona. I have been reading your columns for several months now, and in retrospect you have never been a squish. Thank you for the retort to my rant, well deserved by the way, and I still enjoy your columns. By the way, mis-spelling Kruiser was not intentional. Slip of the thumb.
Thank you,
Hey Tom, these are times that warrant crankiness. Here in Arizona, the RNC is helping to fight and, as of last Saturday, the attorney general is casting an eye on Maricopa County, so that’s good news. But if no substantive changes are made in the process, it’s cranky time again.
We will finish with this from Brice today:
How come you never push your books? Both are excellent… as good as Babylon Bee’s books… and Don Rickles still sucks so make sure you run a few more of him in your Kabana Comedy just to annoy me.
Thanks for the reminder and the compliment, Brice. You’re right, I’m awful at promoting them. Here are links to the holiday-priced Kindle versions of Don’t Let the Hippies Shower and Straight Outta Feelings: Political Zen in the Age of Outrage. Paperback editions of both are available as well. I updated Hippies four years ago and will do another big one in the next couple of years. I’m presently working on an update to Feelings titled Still Outta Feelings: Bigger, Bolder, and More Dead Inside Than Ever. Remember, you don’t need a Kindle to read the Kindle editions. You can get the app for free on your phone, tablet, or computer.
There, now that’s a plug.
Thanks to everyone who keeps writing. Let’s get that post-Turkey Day Mailbag good and stuffed!
Everything Isn’t Awful
This pilot got emotional welcoming a Make-A-Wish recipient on his flight. Here's why ❤️ pic.twitter.com/qMdDdoVyxD
— CBS News (@CBSNews) November 21, 2022
PJ Media
Me, makin’ friends. Conservatives Don’t Worship Politicians—That’s a Lib Thing
VodkaPundit. Disney Fired Their Woke CEO but Will Anything Change?
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Reason # 190,732,585 Not to Trust the Legacy Media and the AP (Redux)
The FDA Wants You to Forget It Told ‘Y’all’ to Stop Taking Horse Dewormer
Disney Makes the Move That Just Might Return It to Glory
One Year After Waukesha Tragedy, Biden Has Yet to Visit
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A Potential Rail Strike Looms Again
Study: Far From a Democracy, the U.S. Is a Functional Oligarchy
Townhall Mothership
Zeldin Responds to Alvin Bragg’s Op-Ed: ‘One of the Weakest, Far-Left DAs in the Entire Nation’
Outgoing Oversight Chair Rep. Carolyn Maloney Under Ethics Committee Investigation
“Who appeals to the Mean Girls voting bloc?” New Zealand to Decide on Lowering the Voting Age to 16
Is This the Most Unbelievable Narrative About the Hunter Biden Laptop?
Gallup sees diminishing support for gun control
Cam&Co. Mass-ive resistance to 2A rights
Tropic Blunder: Major issues remain with Honolulu carry permits
The Black Hebrew Israelites are a real problem for the left
Iranian regime using rape to punish those arrested for protesting
Elon Mocks CBS For Crawling Back, Dunks on NYT for ‘Brainwashing’
Vigilante ‘Journalist’ Blames Libs of TikTok and Tucker Carlson for Colorado Mass Shooting
Elon Musk’s graph showing ‘all-time high’ this week might trigger the ‘Twitter is dying’ crowd
Oh. LA Times: The goal of court challenges to affirmative action is white supremacy
VIP
Become part of the PJ Media VIP party by subscribing here. Use promo code KRUISERMB to receive a 25% discount. Trust me, we’re having fun over here.
VodkaPundit, Part Deux. Some Hard Truths About the Russo-Ukraine War
Can Arizona Get a Do-Over Election? Yes, Here’s How.
Are Evangelicals Turning on Trump?
Here’s How the GOP Will Find Success Going Forward
Around the Interwebz
Elon Musk says Twitter is done with layoffs and ready to hire again
Celebrating the United States of Stuffing
Smells Like Onion
British World Cup Attendees Accused Of Smuggling Alcohol Into Stadium Through Bloodstreams https://t.co/fg0j4TU2za pic.twitter.com/UPAfJS3LnZ
— The Onion (@TheOnion) November 21, 2022
The Kruiser Kabana
Kabana Gallery
Horticultural landscape with a hilltop, 1916 #artnouveau #klimt https://t.co/LWOwVq32SQ pic.twitter.com/NW0hBG7Qnu
— Gustav Klimt (@artistgklimt) November 21, 2022
Kabana Comedy
I could listen to Mel Brooks tell stories all day.
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