Weekend Parting Shot: Our Unserious Media Strikes Again, and It Looks Like Meat’s Back on the Menu, Boys

Happy Friday, Gentle Readers,

I hope this missive finds you well and that you had a thoroughly wonderful and restful holiday. I enjoyed a day off with Mrs. Brown in the mountains, as opposed to firing up the smoker. But upon our return, our neighbors took pity on us and plied us with cheeseburgers, chips, and soft drinks. So I got all of the food with none of the work. As a bonus, I forgot to bring in our American flag last night and discovered this morning that it was still in place and intact. So, I am declaring this year's Fourth of July a success.

Putting the "circus" in "media circus"

Remember Brian Stelter? Stelter? S-T-E-L-T-E-R. I knew it would come back to you. I was not interested enough to follow his career trajectory after CNN ushered him out of its hallowed halls. I think he is working at the Harvard Kennedy School or possibly selling hair products on infomercials. While he may have fallen out of the public eye, he is still lurking on the fringes of the media, hoping he might return to some semblance of his former glory, which should not be too difficult. He was never exactly a legend in the first place.

It may have been a bad idea of a joke, or perhaps Mr. Stelter was joining the ranks of Democrats fretting about the outing of Joe Biden and his mental state. Whatever the intent, Stelter recently posted about his concern on X and promptly deleted it when he was served a ratio casserole:

You can delete all you want, Brian Stelter, but the internet doesn’t forget what an absolute bag of garbage you are. Absolute trash. pic.twitter.com/fIfHtgsEyg
— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) July 3, 2024

Modernity notes that much of the fire aimed at Stelter came from his insensitive reference to Parkinson's Disease. But it did not take long before sarcastic accusations flew that Stelter had betrayed his Democrat roots and had joined the vultures of conservatism:

If you want to be a political pundit akin to Tucker Carlson, Charlie Kirk, and Ben Shapiro, you should say it.
— Taylor E. Darcy (@tayloredarcy) July 3, 2024

Brian, has Donald Trump reached out to you for a place in his next administration now that you’ve outed yourself as a neo-Nazi?
— Connecticut Yankee Joe (@CTYankeeJoe) July 3, 2024

As if we vultures would ever have him. The nerve!

Naturally, Stelter hit the apology trail to try and recoup whatever credibility he may have had left:

thank you for the feedback. i screwed up with this tweet and i'm here to say sorry.
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) July 3, 2024

Elsewhere, Vanity Fair, which was apparently concerned that RFK Jr. might upset Biden in the presidential race, accused RFK of dining on dog meat while overseas. The candidate and several fact-checkers claimed it was goat meat.

Hey @VanityFair, you know when your veterinary experts call a goat a dog, and your forensic experts say a photo taken in Patagonia was taken in Korea, that you’ve joined the ranks of supermarket tabloids. Keep telling America that up is down if you want. I’ll keep talking about… pic.twitter.com/SGX3QpoaRZ
— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) July 2, 2024

I suppose RFK's dietary choices are of grave concern and possibly an electability issue to the people at Vanity Fair and the people who read Vanity Fair, but that would be about it. And yes, Obama did eat dog meat while in Indonesia. The difference is that if Obama eats dog meat, it is cool, edgy, and culturally sensitive. RFK was accused of it to make him look like a nut.

There is nothing so savory as the flavor of the Left eating its own.

Finally, Rosie O'Donnell, of all people, had a tearful meltdown over the Trump immunity ruling and felt it necessary to offer words of encouragement to her followers. What is the most memorable quote?

We’ve survived all of the depressing days so far. We’ll survive this one. Reach out for your friends for help. Tell the people that you love how you feel… and, um, know that this country I believe is gonna right itself and oust [Trump] for good in November.

Soldier on, sister.

All of this is to say that I am grateful that I am no longer a part of the media. I am merely a commentator, unlike Stelter, who is just a common tater. Oh, hush. You knew there was going to be a potato joke somewhere in here.

Wine recommendation

Because you need a red wine to put the "red" in Red, White and Blue.

During our outing yesterday, we stopped at a mountaintop restaurant for lunch, and I sampled a new IPA. I have gotten flack on these pages in the past for being an IPA fan. But when I mention an IPA, I am talking about the strong, robust, old-style IPAs, not these fruity, juicy craft concoctions that taste like someone dumped a can of Bud Light into a pitcher of Sunny Delight and called it good. At any rate, I was once again disappointed. If I ever find a decent IPA, I will review it here. In the meantime, may I suggest the 2021 Pendulum Red Wine from the Columbia Valley?

This is a good blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, and Petit Verdo that will run you around $15 to $20, depending on where you make your purchases. It has consistently gotten high reviews and scores from smarter reviewers than me. Expect some dark red fruit like black cherry and a dash of chocolate. There is a hint of oak with a cedar finish. This is a well-rounded wine that leans heavily to the dry and acidic side. It leans a little high on the tannins but is still a smooth drink. This is a highly versatile red that will go well with the usual meat dishes, like prime rib, but you might also match it up with poultry or tuna.