The unique perspective and provocative opinions of Joe O’Neill
Media Matters
Remember
when White House press secretaries would hold daily press briefings? The
current—and third—WH press secretary, Stephanie Grisham, still hasn’t held
one. But if there’s something worthy of WH response, there’s always Twitter
and the op-ed page of the Washington (not Post) Examiner. Not
that we miss Sean Spicer and Sarah Huckabee Sanders, but the public is entitled
to regular, live White House announcements, updates and clarifications as well
as the journalistic scrutiny of non-Fox media.
“Make
no mistake: Neither the fictional character ‘Joker,’ nor the film, is an
endorsement of real-world violence of any kind.” That was a Warner Bros.
statement, in reaction to criticism of the movie “Joker” for glorifying
violence. But imagine having to say that! It’s what you get when you live in a
fraught era of visceral societal divisiveness, mass shootings, legal assault
weapons and gratuitously violent Marvel-comic movies.
“Politics
is being consumed like entertainment. It’s a choose-your-own-adventure
reality.” That was, alas, Republican digital strategist Eric Wilson’s all
too accurate take on the overlapping of politics and show business.
“I
miss the Senate a lot, but I’m not there, so I want to be a voice.” That was
former Minnesota Democratic Sen. Al Franken, who now has a weekly radio
gig on SiriusXM.
“They’re
scum. These animals in the press. They’re animals, some of the
worst human beings you’ll ever meet.” That was—never mind–you know who the
hell that was.