Meet The Press ended up asking about the Khashoggi murder, but it was secondary to the horserace. We're fundamentally failing in how we cover the news and it's causing unbelievable damage. 1/
Consistently the narrative is being driven by campaign messaging, which is exactly the opposite of what's supposed to happen. Campaigns and parties attempt to manipulate coverage, and instead of challenging it the media is just regurgitating it. 2/
Today, it's about how Republicans are saying Democrats are violent mobs. That's what's talked about instead of the fact that the Republican President is literally inspiring violence against journalists, covering for an ally who murdered one, and laughing about assault. 3/
That's the reality behind the spin. Instead, the spin is presented as if it's fact and shows and pundits analyze "whether it'll be effective." That's not news. That's newsroom chatter and it is so, so destructive. 4/
Trump covering for Saudi Arabia and celebrating the assault of Ben Jacobs isn't just news, it's a symptom of a much, much larger problem that's plaguing our culture. It's ignored in favor of partisan talking points. It's not hard to see the difference. 5/
But the media continues to push these narratives because they're addicted to the insider nature of politics. This is what you see out on the campaign trail, the analysis of political moves. It's completely removed from political reality. 6/
When you talk to journalists on the campaign trail it's about whether this move or that move will work, will get them elected. It's not about whether the victory or loss will help the country. That's what's being peddled on TV every day now. 7/
What we watch now is insider chatter that has nothing to do with progress or the betterment of people's lives. This is about feeding political addiction for monetary gain. And it's happening while this country falls apart. 8/
Tell me how Anthony Scaramucci talking about West Wing departures even compares to a president helping an ally cover up a brutal murder or pushing violence against enemies and the press. It doesn't, except the media is addicted to insider politics. 9/
We're not going to get out of this unless we start taking politics seriously and holding people accountable. Right now, we're spinning our wheels and taking our eye off the ball. And it's not hard to see the dire consequences. 10/10
You know. I'm not done. Here are issues which weren't even mentioned: Transgender people are under direct attack by this administration, Trump is withdrawing us from a nuclear arms treaty, and climate change is reaching critical mass. 11/
Instead of holding politicians accountable, we have them come on about tertiary issues, have them recite the same tired talking points, and then let them off the hook. We're not meeting the moment. 12/
THEN, and this is a Meet The Press special, they talk about how divided we are, showing polls that show what we already know. We're divided. Congratulations. We know. Why not use your massive national platform to explore why and how to heal instead of just sighing? 13/
Every week: the president lies but gets away with it. We're really divided. I bet this election will be closer than we think! Okay. Great. But you have an hour of national television. Dive deeper than a random internet headline. 14/
I don't understand how some journalists are simply satisfied to sit around talking about the news in these tertiary ways as if they're totally powerless while the world worsens and their colleagues are being murdered and dismembered, and the president helps. 15/15
