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Will Establishment Media Cover Biden as President? They covered for him to get Trump out of office. Now will they actually start covering him with real reporting? by J.T. Young December

Posted By on December 8th, 2020

https://spectator.org/biden-media-coverage/

Having created his presidency, how will establishment media cover President Biden? With the roles so different and so separated, it is easy to forget that establishment media have been instrumental throughout Biden’s three-decade-long presidential quest. In his first two campaigns, establishment media sank Biden by covering him; in his latest, they saved Biden by not covering him. Now with Biden elected, which role will they assume?

The first role establishment media played in Biden campaigns was aggressively direct.

In contrast to their direct role in his first two presidential campaigns, establishment media’s role in Biden’s third presidential campaign has been indirect at best.

In 1988, during his first campaign, they single-handedly destroyed Biden by revealing a pattern of plagiarism. Initially, revelations showed Biden had lifted portions from a speech by UK Labor politician Neil Kinnock. Then came more: “borrowings” from Hubert Humphrey and Robert Kennedy. Finally, they reported that Biden had failed a Syracuse University law course because he used five pages of a law-review publication without attribution.

In 2007, during his second campaign, establishment media again struck. This time they helped disseminate Biden’s offensively back-handed compliment of Barack Obama as “the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean a nice-looking guy.” A marginal candidate already, Biden sank further, finally dropping out after receiving only 1 percent of support in the 2008 Iowa caucuses.

In contrast to their direct role in his first two presidential campaigns, establishment media’s role in Biden’s third presidential campaign has been indirect at best. Instead of essentially covering him to death, this time they effectively did not cover him at all.

In the 2020 campaign, establishment media did not force Biden into any mistakes or awkward encounters. When he blundered, they did not pursue. When they could have destroyed him, following disappointing Iowa and New Hampshire finishes, they held back.

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Journalists Turn on Free Expression By David Harsanyi

Posted By on December 8th, 2020

https://www.nationalreview.com/2020/12/journalists-turn-on-free-expression/

Mainstream journalists have used their access to a massive audience to mislead the public in many ways, but this isn’t a free-speech problem.

In an interview with MSNBC’s Kasie Hunt, The New Yorker’s Steve Coll contends that Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg’s “profound” support of free speech — oh, how I wish that were true — is problematic because “free speech, a principle that we hold sacred, is being weaponized against the principles of journalism.”

Journalism has turned on free speech, the one belief that had been somewhat impervious to the ideological tendencies of most editors and reporters. There’s absolutely nothing in Coll’s comments — nor in Hunt’s begging a question about the alleged corrosive effects of unfettered speech — which demonstrates that either are particularly concerned about the future of free expression, much less that either hold the principle as “sacred.”

The notion that Facebook’s reluctance to limit users is akin to neglecting efforts to “preserve democracy,” as Coll ludicrously suggests, is also another example of how the contemporary usage of “democracy” means little more than “fulfilling the wishes of liberals.”

If you believe Americans are too stupid to hear wrongthink, transgressive ideas, and, yes, fake news, you’re not a fan of the small-l liberal conception of free expression. That’s fine. Those ideas seem to be falling into disfavor with many. But the sanctity of free speech isn’t predicated on making sure people hear the right things, it’s predicated on letting everyone have their say. Because as always, the question becomes who decides what expression is acceptable. I’m not keen on having the fatuous media reporters at CNN or activist “fact-checkers” at the Washington Post adjudicating what is and isn’t permissible for mass consumption.

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Out of Patience in California Residents are fed up with officials’ blatant disregard for the public interest. Erica Sandberg

Posted By on December 8th, 2020

https://www.city-journal.org/covid-hypocrisy-by-elected-officials-fuels-mistrust

Political atheism is spreading across California, and cynicism is taking hold. Reviling policymakers is not new, of course, but the current disdain is particularly intense. As elected officials’ disregard for constituents and the law becomes ever more evident, all but the most stalwart loyalists are turning against them.

Mistrust is worsened by Covid restrictions “for thee, but not for me.” In September, the unmasked Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, visited a San Francisco hair salon closed under strict emergency pandemic orders. Business owners had been forced to cease operations and the public was restricted from getting haircuts, but Pelosi made herself an exception. Her claims of a “setup,” and a demand that the salon owner apologize to her, did little to restore trust.

More recently, Governor Gavin Newsom instructed citizens to stay home for Thanksgiving and Christmas and avoid all contact with friends and family members from outside their households. Flaunting the rules, he dined at the luxurious French Laundry restaurant with a large group of associates. The result, reported Carla Marinucci in politico.com, was a blow to his approval ratings and inspiration for newfound vigor for his recall. County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl voted to ban all outdoor dining, which she described as “a most dangerous situation”; news soon emerged that she had dined outdoors, at Il Forno Trattoria in Santa Monica. San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo spent Thanksgiving at his parents’ home, apparently skirting health guidelines that urge the public to avoid such gatherings.

In San Francisco, trust in local government has reached a nadir. Mayor London Breed maintains some support, but it’s primarily due to her perceived success in keeping Covid cases down. It’s certainly not for increased quality of life, since the city grows filthier and more dangerous every day. Companies, small and large, are leaving. The decline of San Francisco is particularly distressing to those who stay.

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There Is a Major Supreme Court Deadline for the Presidential Election This Week Katie Pavlich

Posted By on December 7th, 2020

https://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepavlich/2020/12/07/there-is-a-major-supreme-court-deadline-for-the-presidential-election-this-week-n2581150

Over the weekend, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito moved up the timeline for Pennsylvania officials to respond to a lawsuit that argues the state’s mass mail-in voting system, which was implemented for the first time during the 2020 election, is unconstitutional. If the system were to be found unconstitutional, the votes cast within it would be thrown out, essentially voiding the Pennsylvania election. The lawsuit was filed by Republican Congressman Mike Kelly and officials must respond by Tuesday, December 8, at 9 a.m.

“The difference of just a day is significant, given that the previous deadline of Wednesday fell one day after what is known as the ‘safe harbor date,’ the federal cutoff date for states to resolve any remaining election disputes and lock in their slate of electors for the Dec. 14 Electoral College vote,” The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

There is speculation growing about why Alito changed the date. Democrats have repeatedly argued the case has no merit, Republicans and many constitutional scholars disagree.

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What Is Mark Zuckerberg’s Election Money Doing In Georgia?By Scott Walter

Posted By on December 7th, 2020

https://thefederalist.com/2020/12/07/what-is-mark-zuckerbergs-election-money-doing-in-georgia/

The biggest question the Georgia legislature should ask is whether a California billionaire should be allowed to waltz into the Peach State and finance aspects of their elections.

Imagine if a billionaire of conservative or libertarian leanings—Charles Koch, say—had given $350 million to a nonprofit run by Republican operatives who previously worked at a “dark money” outfit tied to Karl Rove where they trained digital activists and campaign workers.

Then imagine this nonprofit group re-granted the millions of dollars to local election officials to “help” them carry out the 2020 election—buying drop boxes for ballots, hiring temporary staff, conducting “voter education,” and the like.

Finally, imagine that in 2020, a state that usually voted for the other party in presidential elections narrowly flipped to the donor’s preferred party, and counties receiving “help” were disproportionately ones that helped the Republican win the state, with many counties shifting dramatically from their historical patterns in a red-ward direction.

Even supposing there were perfectly ethical and legal reasons for all this, because of the appearance of election influence from private parties with deep pockets, it would be front-page news. The New York Times would be outraged a nonprofit gave the appearance of acting in a partisan basis in an electoral process. Elected officials in the disfavored party would be loudly objecting, threatening lawsuits, demanding investigations of the election officials who accepted the funds, and insisting election laws be changed to prevent any such effort in the future.

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Matthew McConaughey Calls Out Hypocrisy Of Hollywood Elite Mocking Trump Voters Refusing To Accept A Biden Victory By Jordan Davidson

Posted By on December 7th, 2020

https://thefederalist.com/2020/12/07/matthew-mcconaughey-calls-out-hypocrisy-of-hollywood-elite-mocking-trump-voters-refusing-to-accept-a-biden-victory/

Matthew McConaughey is fed up with Hollywood’s political hypocrisy.

“There are a lot [of people] on that illiberal left that absolutely condescend, patronize, and are arrogant towards the other 50 percent,” he said in a recent conversation with podcast host Russell Brand.

McConaughey noted that most Hollywood actors, directors, and producers’ are quick to criticize the right’s response to the 2020 election, but fall short when compared to their own response to the 2016 election.

“I’m sure you saw it in our industry when Trump was voted in four years ago, they were in denial that was real. Some of them were in absolute denial,” McConaughey said.

“[Now] it looks like Biden’s our guy. Now you’ve got the right that’s in denial, cause their side has fake news. And I understand, they’ve been fed fake news,” McConaughey said. “No one knows what the hell to believe, right? So they’re putting down their last bastion of defense.”

McConaughey also expressed frustration with celebrity campaigns rallying for people to vote. While the actor said that he thinks voting is something many people from both sides of the aisle can get behind, many stars have politicized it beyond simply doing your civic duty, tacking on political messages, or even telling someone who to cast their vote for.

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No, The Georgia Vote-Counting Video Was Not ‘Debunked.’ Not Even Close by Mollie Hemingway

Posted By on December 7th, 2020

https://thefederalist.com/2020/12/07/no-the-georgia-vote-counting-video-was-not-debunked-not-even-close/

A Big Tech-backed ‘fact’ ‘checking’ outfit claimed to debunk explosive evidence for Republicans’ claims of significant election problems in Georgia. It didn’t.

A Big Tech-backed “fact” “checking” outfit claimed to debunk explosive evidence in support of Republicans’ claims of significant election problems at a Thursday Georgia Senate hearing. It didn’t. Not even close.

Newly discovered security footage from Georgia’s State Farm Arena showed dozens of ballot counters, media, and Republican observers leaving en masse at the same time from the ballot-counting area for Fulton County. After they left, a small remnant of about four workers began pulling trunks containing thousands of ballots from underneath a table with a long tablecloth and running them through machines.

The footage supported claims from Republicans that they were told counting had stopped for the night, only to find out hours later that it had kept going on. You can and should watch the 12-minute portion of the testimony from Jacki Pick here.

On Friday morning, a group called Lead Stories published a “hoax alert” falsely claiming to have debunked the security video. The Washington Post, Newsweek, and other outlets followed along, criticizing non-leftist journalists for giving the video traction. In fact, none of the claims made by the Republicans were debunked.

Lead Stories’ “fact” “check” says government officials told them everything was fine with the counting, that the ballots were in “containers — not suitcases,” and that “party observers were never told to leave because counting was over for the night.”

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Over 1 Million Absentee Ballots Requested for Georgia Senate Runoffs By Zachary Stieber

Posted By on December 7th, 2020

https://www.theepochtimes.com/over-1-million-absentee-ballots-requested-for-georgia-senate-runoffs_3607869.html

Over 1 million mail-in ballots have been requested for the upcoming U.S. Senate runoff elections in Georgia, officials said Monday.

Approximately 1,037,172 absentee ballot applications have been entered into the voter registration systems, Gabriel Sterling, the state’s voting system implementation manager, told reporters at a press conference.

Another 39,259 are pending.

So far, some 43,000 voters have already returned their ballots and had them accepted on the county level.

Monday is the last day voters can register to vote in the runoff elections. People were told they can apply at registrars’ offices until they close or online if they have a driver’s license attached to their voter registration, until 11:59 p.m.

Early voting has already opened for the races.

Sens. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) and David Perdue (R-Ga.) are vying with pastor Raphael Warnock and filmmaker Jon Ossoff to keep their seats.

The runoff elections could determine which party controls the Senate.

If Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden wins the presidential election, Democrats could flip the Senate by winning both runoffs. If President Donald Trump retains office, Republicans will automatically keep control of the upper congressional chamber. Vice presidents serve as presidents of the Senate and thus can cast tiebreaking votes.

Republicans already have 50 Senate seats in the next Congress.

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‘Long List of Concerning Episodes’ From Election: Richard Grenell By Zachary Stieber and Jan Jekielek

Posted By on December 7th, 2020

https://www.theepochtimes.com/long-list-of-concerning-episodes-from-election-richard-grenell_3607782.html

The 2020 election was fraught with problems, former acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell said.

“We have been on the ground in Nevada for a while and looking into all sorts of claims of voter fraud. And we’ve developed a very long list of concerning episodes,” Grenell told The Epoch Times’ American Thought Leaders program.

Grenell is supporting President Donald Trump’s efforts to contest election results in Nevada, alleging irregularities including fraud.

The episodes include the finding that some 42,000 people voted twice, approximately 1,500 dead voters, and a plethora of voters who violated residency requirements, Grenell said. Other anomalies include an audit that suggested 3 percent of mail-in ballots were fraudulently cast and voting machine USB drives that were allegedly altered.

The Trump campaign and its allies are working on uncovering evidence of what happened during the election but are being stymied by officials.

“One of the problems that I think that we’re developing in this ongoing saga is the claims from the media, from the Democrats, and from local governments that we don’t have the proof. And the reality is, is that the ballots and the envelopes are in the possessions of local governments like the Clark County officials. We can raise the red flags, we can raise the concerning information, and we can point to the publicly available information that suggests voter fraud, but we can’t have access to the ballots or to the envelopes that have the signatures on it. That’s the property of local government,” explained Grenell, who has also served as Trump’s U.S. ambassador to Germany and special envoy for relations between Serbia and Kosovo.

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At last! Dominion voting machines being forensically audited By Thomas Lifson

Posted By on December 7th, 2020

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2020/12/at_last_dominion_voting_machines_bring_forensically_audited.html

Thanks to a court order by a judge in Michigan’s 13th circuit, Dominion election equipment software and hardware in tiny (population: 23,000) Antrim County, Michigan is being examined by a team of experts brought in by the Trump lawyers. Jack Phillips of The Epoch Times reports:

President Donald Trump’s legal team began a forensic analysis of Dominion voting machines in Michigan after a judge on Dec. 4 permitted the examination.

“Our team is going to be able to go in this morning at about 8:30 [a.m.] and will be there for about eight hours to conduct that forensic examination and we’ll have the results in about 48 hours, and that’ll tell us a lot about these machines,” attorney Jenna Ellis told Fox News on Dec. 6.

“A judge actually granted our team access … to conduct a forensic audit,” Ellis added.

Ellis was referring to a ruling from a judge in Antrim County, Michigan, who authorized the audit of 22 Dominion Voting Systems machines, said Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani. It isn’t clear which of the several election lawsuits the order originated from.