Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

DNC Talking Points Become Instant Post-Debate Headlines
Racket News ^ | September 11, 2024 | MATT TAIBBI

Posted on 09/11/2024 1:19:27 PM PDT by lasereye

In the Trump-Harris debate, reality proved easy to manufacture. Was it always like this?

“Last night, Vice President Harris commanded the stage,” began the DNC’s “Talkers’ Toplines” mailing list entry this morning.

“Kamala Harris commanded the debate,” analyst John Heileman said on Morning Joe. “Kamala Harris commanded the first debate against Donald J. Trump,” read the opening line of the New York Times top debate story. “Harris commanded the room from the moment she walked on stage,” California governor Gavin Newsom told the Los Angeles Times. The pattern continued:

Americans saw that Harris “will turn the page once and for all on the darkness and division of Donald Trump,” the DNC “Talkers” continued.

“Trump brought darkness; Harris brought light,” wrote Charles Blow at the New York Times. “Trump paints dark picture at debate,” read this morning’s Maggie Haberman, decrying a “dark portrait of an America ravaged by crime.” The Washington Post house editorial added, “No more wallowing in doubt and division.”

“Donald Trump was totally incoherent,” the DNC wrote, adding that he was “angry and rattled.” The Guardian pronounced: “Rambling, incoherent.” MSNBC declared: “Clashes, conspiracies, and a rattled Trump.” The Sacramento Bee summed up: “Old, angry, incoherent, and crazy.”

The “Talkers’ Toplines” mailers feature a section called CONTENT TO AMPLIFY. Today, tweets and links stress the idea that America saw a candidate who “baited” her opponent into “traps” (or as the Times put it, “rhetorical cul-de-sacs”). Conspiracies, pet-eating, and the “same old tired playbook” figured prominently in morning headlines. “Harris baits Trump over and over,” wrote the Christian Science Monitor. “Harris baits an aging Trump into being his grumpiest, weirdest self,” was Salon’s take. “Harris Baits and Batters Trump,” wrote the Miami Herald. “Harris Baits Trump into Arguments,” added CNN. “Harris Baits Trump: Inside their Fiery Debate,” was another Times headline, while the Wall Street Journal went with “Harris Baits Trump in Fiery Presidential Debate.” There were cheers that Harris was able to “bait him into defending himself rather than talking about issues.” And on and on. Instantly, bait everywhere. No wonder Jake Tapper talked about fishing after the event.

As one of the last relics of the “Boys on the Bus” era I don’t recall campaign messaging being this crude, or politicians, press, and audience acting so overtly as a chorus. I do remember reporters catching themes from each another like colds. If you dug you’d sometimes find stories originated with an aide whispering in the ear of someone like Mark Halperin (the “Fred Thompson is lazy” tales come to mind). But the DNC or RNC just backing up to the commentariat, dumping loads of phrases, and seeing them instantly converted to conventional wisdom, that’s new. Isn’t it? I feel reduced to writing these things down in an effort to keep from going crazy.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: debate; harris; matttaibbi; media; trump
Harris probably had the questions ahead of time. If not the exact questions then the topics. Maybe they didn't provide the exact questions so they could say they hadn't been provided to either campaign.

For example when they asked Trump about his comment about Harris not being black, Harris had what sure sounded like a prepared response. Just about everything sounded prepared.

1 posted on 09/11/2024 1:19:27 PM PDT by lasereye
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: lasereye

Meaningless from my perspective. The optics she put forth were not good.

The MSM spin of the debate results was well known when the debate was announced, and they delivered as expected.

However, since the MSM only serves their content to less than 15% of Americans, and the overwhelming majority get their news from Social Media, the MSM spin simply rings hollow.

The MSM narrative does not sync with what I see on the internet outside of the MSM domain.


2 posted on 09/11/2024 1:38:51 PM PDT by Pox (Eff You China. Buy American!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: lasereye

Most EVERYTHING you see and hear in The Gaslight Media is lies.


3 posted on 09/11/2024 1:40:16 PM PDT by kiryandil (Kraft durch Freude! - The Kamunist and The Walzrus )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pox

Kamilah looked spastic last night.


4 posted on 09/11/2024 1:42:05 PM PDT by kaktuskid
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: lasereye

She struck me as a very dangerous snowflake. All that “turn the page” crap is just like her “unburdened by what has been” shtick. Frikkin commie.


5 posted on 09/11/2024 1:45:24 PM PDT by bk1000 (Banned from Breitbart)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kiryandil

If there is outright coordination between media outlets, is that an anti-trust issue?


6 posted on 09/11/2024 2:02:42 PM PDT by maro (MAGA!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: lasereye
For example when they asked Trump about his comment about Harris not being black, Harris had what sure sounded like a prepared response.

Trump did a good job of deflecting that question. Then it was Kamala's turn, it was like she was on the stage and she's an actress with her rehearsed lines in front of an audience.

7 posted on 09/11/2024 2:09:09 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: maro
If there is outright coordination between media outlets, is that an anti-trust issue?

When one of the ABC mods brought up race, Harris should have attacked Trump for deflecting the issue. Rather she went on a monologue because it was rehearsed.

8 posted on 09/11/2024 2:12:58 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: maro

How do numerous media outlets do in socialist/communist countries?


9 posted on 09/11/2024 2:30:12 PM PDT by ActresponsiblyinVA
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: MinorityRepublican
Rather she went on a monologue because it was rehearsed.

The whole interaction between Muir and Kamala did seem like some high school play. When did he arrive in Pittsburgh? Those two appeared very rehearsed, together, imo.

10 posted on 09/11/2024 2:35:05 PM PDT by Kudsman (He treats them just like he would a man. And of course that makes him sexist!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: ActresponsiblyinVA

The old Pravda had a different slant than the old Isvestiya, but ultimately all Communist media outlets sing from the same hymnal. If perchance someone deviates from the party line, he is sent to jail or a home for mental defectives or taken out to be shot.


11 posted on 09/11/2024 2:35:11 PM PDT by maro (MAGA!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Kudsman

My question is why didn’t Kamala do this during her interview with CNN?


12 posted on 09/11/2024 2:36:36 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: bk1000

Harris cannot run away from her record.


13 posted on 09/11/2024 4:59:51 PM PDT by FreedBird (O)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: lasereye
image host
14 posted on 09/11/2024 7:51:06 PM PDT by R_Kangel ("A nation of sheep will beget a nation ruled by wolves")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bk1000

America needs to turn the page on Biden/Harris.


15 posted on 09/11/2024 10:27:34 PM PDT by ViLaLuz (2 Chronicles 7:14)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson