Brian Stelter is back on CNN again, claiming that somehow the videos showing Joe Biden bumbling are somehow sometimes “made up.” CNN host Abby Phillip asked Stelter on Monday about what's being "deceptively characterized" in Biden's public appearances. Stelter claimed: "This is a real problem. This is not some made-up fiction. The videos are oftentimes made up, but the problem is real."
Stelter argued tough Biden ads slamming Trump as a convicted criminal are no match for "ugly Instagram reels and New York Post covers." He wonders if "information pollution isn't more powerful than the old fashioned, traditional ways of communicating."
Elite journalists don't worry about those reliable sophisticates that watch their programs. They worry about voters who don't watch them, who don't know their names, are beyond their influence. These less-committed voters exchange memes and watch Instagram reels and TikTok videos. He tries to say hey, it could be all ages in the demographics, but the Democrats are worried about their natural base of young people and minorities. Remember that Democrats are always more panicked about their chances than they ever admit in public.
Journalist roundtables at CNN and elsewhere suggest that short clips underlining Biden's bumbles are somehow "fake," or automatically misleading, because they offer a strong perception of failing. But despite what Stelter implied about full context, CNN and all the other pro-Biden networks are not in the habit of running entire 40-minute speeches by Biden. They choose small clips, which they believe are in context. But here’s the rub. When Biden bumbles and gaffes, those clips are rarely shown. Instead, the pro-Biden networks select 15 seconds where they believe Biden sounds in command, in a messaging groove. So how is that less out of context than the bumbles? It's somehow authentic because it makes Biden look good.
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