EXEC SUMMARY: Hey! Brian Stelter here. I'm easing back into newsletter life, four weeks after Story Stelter's birth. Thank you to Oliver Darcy for leading the charge while I've been away. Scroll down for a family photo that I snapped yesterday. And now to the news:
Left, right, and reality
The contrast simply could not be any more stark. While the top Democrats in the race for the White House shared their detailed plans for addressing the climate crisis, President Trump and a handful of his allies continued to make completely false claims about Hurricane Dorian, even as the storm gained strength and churned toward the Carolinas. | | News outlets like the NYT and CNN have noted that climate change makes storms like Dorian more dangerous. This came up repeatedly during CNN's seven-hour town hall event with ten Democratic candidates.
But the president is not interested in talking about the climate crisis. He is interested in defending himself -- even though there's no factual defense for his claims that Alabama was going to be "hit" by Dorian. Trump's own federal agencies denied it when he first brought it up on Sunday. But he is undeterred.
Why this matters: The president spread false info during an emergency situation three times in one day. Then insisted he was right when he was corrected. And he's still swearing he was right and suggesting news outlets should apologize to him. I believe this example of Trump's reality distortion field is so egregious that it will be recorded in history books...
Sharpie-gate?
During a briefing in the Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump held up an altered forecast map from last Thursday with parts of Alabama amateurishly circled in pen. His display of the map was clearly meant to back up his bogus assertions about Alabama being in the path of Dorian.
Later in the day, he insisted that many computer models said "Alabama was going to be hit very hard." He even tweeted out an old "spaghetti model" image that showed potential impacts to the state. But the image was from last Wednesday. Trump suddenly and falsely claimed Alabama was at risk on Sunday, when Dorian was showing signs of staying off the coast. What he said was objectively false. The people trying to defend him are denying basic geography and science lessons that we all learned in school. But they're trying anyway...
And this is how it happens, another case study in the destruction of a shared truth. Truth be told, I feel like part of the problem, even expending any energy explaining that Alabama wasn't in the path of Dorian. But the president's actions -- lying and then insisting he didn't lie, in the face of all available evidence -- need to be documented.
"Trump's map flap"
Per my TVEyes search, ABC's "World News Tonight" was the only broadcast nightly newscast to note and debunk Trump's falsehoods about Alabama.
ABC's Cecilia Vega noted: "It is a federal crime to knowingly issue or publish a false weather forecast. FEMA and NOAA referred "all questions about that seemingly doctored map back to the White House, where President Trump said he didn't know anything about it." I think ABC deserves credit for recognizing the significance of this story...
>> Over on Fox: "Special Report" noted that Trump appeared to show an "altered weather map," but the scandal only came up in prime time when a Democratic guest made a crack about it on "Tucker Carlson Tonight."
>> Philip Bump's recap for WaPo: "Trump's war on reality enters bizarre new terrain..."
Who altered the map? | | Some notable reporting from CNN's Jim Acosta here: "A source familiar with the briefing would not deny that Trump had drawn the black line on the map. 'I'm not going to get into that,' the source said, but confirmed the line had been added during the storm briefing Wednesday, before the press entered the Oval Office."
Is anyone telling Trump the truth?
Trump's own government has lots of experts who can help him with these facts and these forecasts. Presumably they are trying. I'd like to know more about their experiences. Remember, the White House said over the weekend that Trump was getting "hourly" updates on the hurricane. Either that's not true, or Trump wasn't listening to the updates.
>> The Atlantic's James Fallows tweeted: "Trump's tweeting out Iranian rocket-site photo was 100x more consequential. His 'dog ate my homework' hurricane 'map' is 1000x easier to understand — and thus, as with his inauguration-crowd 'photos,' likelier to stick in embarrassing way..."
>> Staunch Trump opponent George Conway tweeted: "Although the delusional map markup is perfectly characteristic behavior for @realDonaldTrump, its absurdity is precisely what makes it such a striking illustration of the depths of the disorders that afflict his warped mind..."
>> NBC meteorologist Bill Karins tweeted to Trump: "Please stop wasting so much of our time when a strong Hurricane is about to potentially cause billions of dollars of damage in South and North Carolina!"
Dorian back to Category 3 strength
The National Hurricane Center's 11pm ET advisory has Dorian with sustained winds of 115mph... Per the CNN Weather Center, "the updated track has the center of Dorian continuing to approach the coast of South Carolina" Wednesday night "and moving near or over the coast of South Carolina on Thursday and then moving near or over the coast of North Carolina Thursday night into Friday..."
Highlights from CNN's town hall event
Seven candidates, ten hours, terrific questions about a pivotal topic -- this was a remarkable event -- CNN.com's live story page has a comprehensive recap of the Q&A's.
My wife Jamie was watching when the event started... She tweeted out, "I've been watching for 90+ minutes now. This is what the news should be all the time."
>> Next: At the end of the evening, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation announced that it will host a CNN town hall on October 10 in L.A. "focused on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer issues." Details here...
THURSDAY PLANNER
-- Trump is presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Jerry West at 4:30pm ET...
-- The NFL season kicks off with Packers v. Bears live on NBC...
-- "It Chapter Two" opens in theaters for Thursday night preview screenings...
ESPN The Magazine's final issue
The final print edition lands on newsstands on Thursday "with the 11th Annual BODY Issue, a franchise created to celebrate the athletic form," ESPN PR noted on Wednesday. The issue also includes a "retrospective look back through the history" of the 21-year-old magazine. ESPN exec Alison Overholt said the company will continue producing "magazine-style journalism," primarily on the web...
FIRST IN RELIABLE
WSJ poaches Sabrina Siddiqui
Oliver Darcy emails: Sabrina Siddiqui is heading to the WSJ. Siddiqui, who is also a CNN political analyst, will start at WSJ on September 23 as a politics reporter covering 2020. Her last day at The Guardian, where she's been for more than four years, is this Friday...
FOR THE RECORD, PART ONE
-- Michael Calderone writes: "Will media's climate blitz take root? CNN, MSNBC climate forums promise serious talk, but no guarantee of sustained coverage..." (Politico)
-- "Soft-landings and Twitter shame: How the White House handles ex-aides with stories to tell." Check out the details about John Kelly here... (CNN)
-- Joe Biden "alternated between humor and solemnity when he was pressed several times by comedian Stephen Colbert on the frequency with which he commits gaffes, offering another defense of his erroneous story about pinning a medal on a soldier in Afghanistan..." (WaPo) | |
Labor Department reinstates official wrongly accused of anti-Semitism by Bloomberg
Oliver Darcy writes: The Department of Labor said Wednesday that it was reinstating an official who had been wrongly accused of anti-Semitism by Bloomberg Law based on sarcastic Facebook posts he had written in 2016. The agency previously had accepted the resignation of the official, Leif Olson, after Bloomberg Law requested comment on the old posts. But it said after a "thorough reexamination of the available information and upon reflection," the agency had concluded that Olson "satisfactorily explained the tone of the content of his sarcastic social media posts."
Silence from Bloomberg
Darcy adds: On Tuesday, a Bloomberg spokesperson told me that the publication was standing by its story, pointing to Olson's resignation as supposed evidence it was in the right. That was bizarre then, given how clear it was that Olson had been sarcastic in the posts Bloomberg was portraying as "anti-Semitic." But now the Department of Labor has reversed course. So I checked in on Wednesday evening with Bloomberg, asking again whether the outlet stood by its story. I haven't heard back...
Feds go to Facebook to talk 2020 election threat
Donie O'Sullivan writes: Officials from the FBI, DHS, and DNI all attended a meeting at Facebook HQ in Menlo Park on Wednesday to talk about threats to the 2020 presidential election. The meeting included staff from security teams at Facebook, Google, Twitter, and Microsoft.
--> The meeting between the feds and Silicon Valley on tackling disinformation was happening while, as my colleague Kevin Collier pointed out, Trump showed that distorted map of Dorian...
FOR THE RECORD, PART TWO
-- "ABC News has named Julia Redpath executive producer for 'This Week' with George Stephanopoulos, effective Sept. 11. Redpath takes over for This Week EP Jonathan Greenberger, who's also ABC News' VP and Washington bureau chief. She comes to ABC News from NPR..." (TVNewser)
-- The most-read story on Politico's site on Wednesday evening is a quote: "They are riding a rubber ducky into alligator-infested waters." The quote, from Michael Steel, is the headline on this superb story about Trump and economic risks... (Politico)
| | Sometimes the biggest Trump stories are what he's not doing / not saying / etc. Case in point, this headline from Eli Stokols and Chris Megerian of the LA Times: "Trump's schedule shows a president with plenty of downtime this summer."
The W.H. has pushed back against this narrative, but the schedule speaks for itself. The reporters quote former Trump Org exec Barbara Res saying this: "It looks like he's not even trying, but he thinks he's trying. To him, all the watching TV and tweeting is work, so he believes he's on the clock 24-7, 365." Let that quote sit with you for a minute...
"Chaos voters"
If you read nothing else from this edition of the newsletter, read this Thomas B. Edsall column sharing important new papers from political scientists – this is about Trump, "chaos voters," social media, "hostile political rumors," disinformation, and the world we all live in...
Brian Karem back at White House
Oliver Darcy emails: One day after a judge ordered his hard pass to be restored, Brian Karem was back at the White House on Wednesday. I asked how things went, and Karem — a Playboy columnist and CNN political analyst — told me there were "no problems." He said he saw some press officials, though not Stephanie Grisham. In his words, "All went well."
--> BTW: Still no official word on whether the Trump admin will appeal the judge's ruling...
Free Beacon taps Eliana Johnson as new EIC
Oliver Darcy emails: Eliana Johnson is leaving Politico to head the neoconservative Free Beacon, BuzzFeed's Ben Smith scooped on Wednesday. Johnson, who has scored countless scoops during her three years at Politico, told me she's "committed to doing serious reporting" at the Free Beacon, while also "keeping the humorous edge that has animated the publication from the start."
>> Matthew Continetti, who is heading to AEI, will remain as founding editor on the Free Beacon's masthead and continue to write his column...
>> Johnson is a CNN political analyst with a contract due to expire in November, and the network "does not plan to renew it, saying the decision is being made because she will no longer be a White House reporter specifically," BuzzFeed reported Wednesday night. When this news spurred criticism on social media, CNN spokesman Matt Dornic said "she's now pursuing a different career path and off that beat. Simple as that."
Right-wing media's "shortage of original reporting"
Included in Smith's story about Johnson's move to the Free Beacon is spot-on analysis on conservative media. Specifically, Smith gets at the "shortage of original reporting" at right-wing outlets. Smith noted, for instance, that "Fox's tiny news-gathering operation" is "a shadow of CNN's global reporting crops."
>> Key line from Smith: "Though the conservative media has long sought to position itself as an alternative to mainstream outlets that focus largely on reporting...it has always been more of a critique of that media than an alternative to it."
FOR THE RECORD, PART THREE
-- "The woman whose Stanford University sexual assault case caused a public outcry" in 2016 shared her name on Wednesday. Chanel Miller has a memoir coming out later this month. CBS announced that an interview with Miller will air on the "60 Minutes" season premiere on Sept. 22. And the NYT published an interview with Viking EIC Andrea Schulz about the book... (NYT)
-- Newsmax reacted to hot mic comments by Fox's Jeanine Pirro, complaining that she "cannot do Newsmax" while promoting her new book, by publishing a whole story about it... (Newsmax)
-- Lucia Moses reports: "The Information has hired a new head of ad sales," Chris Bowlby, "as it looks to double its business team to chase advertisers as well as subscribers..." (BI)
-- Bleacher Report's House of Highlights is looking "to grow offline" with a basketball camp... (Bloomberg)
Janice Min exiting Quibi
I broke some news via Twitter on Wednesday, about Janice Min leaving Quibi less than a year after being hired. Min had been leading the planning for daily news video on the yet-to-be-launched subscription service. The company then confirmed her exit but didn't explain anything about the circumstances. Deadline's Dominic Patten hears there was a "difference of opinion..."
THR, a publication Min previously ran, noted that she is "the second high-level executive to leave the startup venture in recent weeks, following the departure of head of partnerships Tim Connolly." THR's Natalie Jarvey said Min "did not respond to a request for comment..."
The Markup is hiring
Kerry Flynn writes: After a messy start earlier this year, non-profit news site The Markup is back and hiring. With editor-in-chief Julia Angwin and president Nabiha Syed back the helm, the company tweeted three job listings, including chief revenue officer, a full stack engineer and a graphics editor...
Boston Globe names new editorial page editor
Kerry Flynn writes: Bina Venkataraman, a former journalist at The Boston Globe and now an MIT lecturer, is returning to the paper as editorial page editor in November. She previously served as a senior adviser for climate change innovation to the Obama admin...
FOR THE RECORD, PART FOUR
-- Greta Van Susteren's new syndicated Sunday show, "Full Court Press," launches this Sunday. Her first guest will be Tulsi Gabbard...
-- Former CBS EVP of programming Joe Ferullo writes that Democrats should "look to Judge Judy if they want to win..." (The Hill)
-- Matthew Rosenberg, who covers disinformation in politics for NYT, talks about "preparing for an onslaught of intentional falsehoods" and the best ways to cover them... (NYT)
-- The New Yorker Festival lineup was released on Wednesday... (TNY)
YouTube's punishment for violating child privacy is...
Two things are true at the same time: This is a "record" $170 million penalty being paid by Google, as Brian Fung wrote, to "settle accusations that YouTube broke the law when it knowingly tracked and sold ads targeted to children." And it is also, he noted, a payment that's "less than 1 percent of the company's quarterly advertising revenue."
Another key piece of the story: "It could affect the strategies of all creators of children's videos on YouTube, including large companies such as Mattel and Hasbro, according to federal officials." Read on...
Facebook's new feature to curb vaccine misinfo
Oliver Darcy emails: Facebook announced on Wednesday a new feature to curb misinformation related to vaccines on its platforms. Now, when users search for vaccine-related content on Facebook or Instagram, a pop up window will appear directing the user to the Centers for Disease Control or World Health Organization.
Facebook does deserve some kudos for implementing this common-sense measure (a measure I've actually suggested for some time would make a lot of sense). But it is worth remembering that it comes after Facebook received a steady stream of criticism over the period of SEVERAL MONTHS...
The Arizona Republic's union effort
Kerry Flynn writes: The Arizona Republic, the 129-year-old Gannett-owned newspaper and the largest paper in Arizona, has publicly declared its union effort. The Phoenix New Times reported the effort began in January, shortly after layoffs at Gannett-owned newspapers, including the Republic. The union's mission statement, shared in a two-minute video via the effort's new Twitter account, cites the pending Gannett-GateHouse merger and says "annual layoffs, stagnant salaries, swelling healthcare costs and high turnover weaken local journalism. Our newsroom needs a large, diverse staff to tell the stories of our community. Our newsroom needs a seat at the table."
Ahead of the public campaign, Gannett execs and Republic editors have allegedly intimidated unionizing employees. Exec editor Greg Burton emailed the newsroom last week accusing union organizers of "surveillance" and comparing them to "crackpots and criminals." Rebekah Sanders, a reporter and organizer, posted on Facebook and Twitter about a Gannett HR rep taking her work phone earlier this week. The union's press release said union supporters were called into the HR office and questioned individually ahead of the announcement. A Gannett spokesperson declined to comment. ..
| | "The Testaments" will be Hulu'ed
TheWrap's Jennifer Maas writes: "Hulu is developing 'The Testaments,' Margaret Atwood's forthcoming sequel to her best-selling dystopian novel, the streaming service said on Wednesday. Hulu and 'Handmaid's Tale' studio MGM TV are currently in discussions with Bruce Miller — the showrunner/creator of Hulu's award-winning small-screen adaptation of Atwood's original novel — about how the upcoming sequel book 'can become an important extension' to the flagship series." A TV series? A movie? All of that's still TBD... The book comes out next Tuesday...
Lowry reviews new Ronstadt documentary
Brian Lowry writes: "Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice" is a warm look back at the singer's remarkably varied career, with Ronstadt leading the tour. Beyond chill-inducing performance footage, some of the most interesting material focuses on her status as a female rock star in a male-dominated field in the '70s and '80s. The CNN Films documentary hits select theaters this weekend... Read more...
Do not adjust your dial
Brian Lowry writes: PBS aired "Downton Abbey" in the United States, but NBC will celebrate its return with a Sept. 19 special the day before the movie opens, "Return to Downton Abbey: A Grant Event." The explanation, naturally, is corporate synergy — in this case, that the movie will be released by NBC corporate sibling Universal's Focus Features.
FOR THE RECORD, PART FIVE
By Lisa Respers France:
-- Grammy-winning songwriter and producer Lashawn Daniels was responsible for hits from artists like Michael Jackson, Beyoncé and Destiny's Child. On Wednesday the music industry mourned his death at the age of 41 from injuries sustained in a car accident.
-- Oprah has announced her "2020 Vision," but not in the way some people had been hoping. She's headed out on a national wellness tour...
-- Rihanna is just one of the stars aiming to help the Bahamas recover from Hurricane Dorian...
-- Burning Man was hot for celebs this year...
LAST BUT NOT LEAST...
My newsletter assistants!
As promised, here's a shot of the crew... Sunny on the left, Jamie in the middle, Story snoozing on the right... | | Life is stressful at the moment, but oh so sweet ❤️
| | | Thanks for reading! Send me your feedback anytime... We'll be back tomorrow... | | | |
