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A Very Bad Week For Media As NPR and Katie Couric Self-Identify as Dumpster Fires

Posted on Thursday, April 18, 2024
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by Tammy Bruce
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111 Comments
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Biased left-wing journalists keep telling us they are neither biased nor leftists. But new examples keep popping up that disprove their self-righteous claims and expose their sneering contempt for average Americans.

Progressive journalists, who now dominate their profession like never before, want us to think they follow the old motto of Superman (alias newspaper reporter Clark Kent) and fight for “Truth, Justice and the American Way.” In reality, most are leftist propagandists, slanting the news to spread their radical worldview.   

The latest indisputable evidence of the leftist stranglehold on the mainstream media came Wednesday, when NPR Senior Business Editor Uri Berliner resigned after drawing condemnation from NPR leadership. Berliner’s cardinal sin was writing a blistering tell-all essay for the Free Press website exposing how the public radio network has changed over the course of his 25 years working there from a news organization into a leftist propaganda organ.

I wrote about Berliner in my column last week. After that, NPR hit Berliner with a five-day suspension without pay, a written rebuke and a warning that he would be fired if he writes for an outside news organization again without first getting NPR’s permission. So much for freedom of the press and allowing the public to consider all things. 

Apparently deciding he’d had enough, Berliner has resigned in an email to NPR CEO Katherine Maher, writing: “I cannot work in a newsroom where I am disparaged by a new CEO whose divisive views confirm the very problems at NPR I cite in my Free Press essay.”

Divisive views indeed. New reporting this week first by Christopher Rufo on his X account, and then followed by the New York Times, revealed that Maher had a long history of social media posts attacking former President Donald Trump before joining NPR.

“Also, Donald Trump is a racist” Maher tweeted in 2018. In a tweet in 2020 she posted a photo of herself in a hat that said ‘BIDEN PRESIDENT” during Joe Biden’s presidential campaign against Trump. She also tweeted that she supports reparations for Black Americans whose ancestors were enslaved and minimized the seriousness of rioting that followed the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, in 2020.   

And positioning herself even farther left than Hillary Clinton, Maher tweeted in 2016: “I do wish Hillary wouldn’t use the language of ‘boy and girl’ – it’s erasing language for non-binary people.” What a horrific microaggression! Good to know that Maher considered this an important issue. 

Another example of just how out of touch the leftist media are came this week from Katie Couric, former long-time host of “The Today Show” on NBC and the “CBS Evening News,” when she expressed smug and patronizing condescension for ordinary people in a remarkably candid podcast interview.

Looking down on supporters of Donald Trump, multimillionaire Couric described some of them as being motivated by “socioeconomic disparities” and “a lot of class resentment … and anti-intellectualism.” She said some Trump supporters are jealous of people doing better economically and that this is “a recipe for such anger and resentment and grievance.” Katie using a word salad to call Americans dumb, poor, and jealous isn’t going to age well.

Poor Katie. Sounds like she was echoing the views of Hillary Clinton in 2016. As the Democratic presidential nominee running unsuccessfully against Trump, Clinton said that “you could put half of Trump’s supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables …. The racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamophobic — you name it. And unfortunately, there are people like that. And he has lifted them up.”

It’s a wonder Clinton didn’t land her own show on MSNBC after the “deplorables” rejected her candidacy. She would have fit right in.

But it’s quite revealing, after decades of work, all the American feminist movement churned out was a bunch of mean girls calling everyone else names.

As we might expect, the comments of Clinton and Couric reflect the views of many mainstream journalists. An online survey of 1,600 U.S. journalists in 2022 found that 36.4% said they were Democrats — more than 10 times greater than the 3.4% who said they were Republicans. The majority of journalists said they were not supporters of either major party, reflecting the reluctance of most in the media to reveal who they vote for. But it’s a safe bet that the lion’s share of journalists lean left. Just look at the overwhelming hostility most express in their news coverage of Trump.

The same survey also showed that 96.4% of American journalists are college graduates — almost three times the 32.9% of the overall adult U.S. population with college degrees. This makes it hard for journalists to see the world through the eyes of hardworking Americans with blue-collar jobs.

The mainstream media regularly embrace liberal orthodoxy by expressing support for Big Government and high taxes, and hostility toward profit-making businesses.

On top of this, most news organizations look down on Americans who embrace traditional values and religious views as ignorant and backward rubes; demonize opponents of affirmative action and equity quotas as racists; treat Second Amendment defenders as advocates for gun violence; elevate transgender rights over the rights of biological females to fair competition in sports and privacy in female spaces; and criticize Israel as it fights the murderous terrorists of Hamas. 

When he was running for president in 2008, Barack Obama insulted millions of Americans who rejected his liberal views by saying “they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy toward people who aren’t like them, or anti-immigrant sentiment, or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.” Hillary Clinton followed up eight years later with her “deplorables” tirade.

Too many in the liberal media share the view that anyone with contrary views is somehow evil or just plain dumb. I’m glad Uri Berliner called this out at NPR and sorry he lost his job as a result. More journalists need to look in the mirror, see their leftist bias for what it is, and put dedication to truth-telling ahead of their role as progressive propagandists.

Tammy Bruce, an Independent Conservative, has traversed a unique political journey that reflects her commitment to principles rather than party affiliations. She joined Fox News in 2005 as a Political Contributor, hosting her show “Get Tammy Bruce” on Fox Nation and providing insightful commentary on various issues for the Association for Mature Americans (AMAC).

The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of AMAC or AMAC Action.

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T Smith
T Smith
8 months ago

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Defund NPR, PBS, and the NEA.

David A Kline
David A Kline
8 months ago

Some of us deplorables have advanced degrees from prestigious institutions and can run rings around Katie.

Thinking
Thinking
8 months ago

The dem party has become the party of elites. No middle class American need apply. Poor Americans can go live in the street for the illegal aliens have to live in your home. It is harder to get rid of the middle class. You know the ones that bring the most money into the tax chest. They had bought the MSM but for a few and those are little by little eliminated to have a voice. They tried it with Elon Musk after he bought Twitter and are still at it to eliminate X. Letting people think heaven forbid, that is a no no. They ignore the 1st and 2nd amendment every day and other amendment when it serves them. They don’t want to obey the constitution. It was written for the rights of people only they don’t want to obey them. They want a constitution where we the peons obey them. To make a global world order this has to happen. The Catie Couric of the world see a chance to be all powerful and dismiss their fellow countrymen as so much stupidity and needs to be eliminated. Otherwise they never get their Utopian world they see for themselves. We need to stand up and in one voice say enough is enough we are not taking it anymore. Arrest the pro Hamas demonstrators and charge them with sedition. Close the border and deport all those that walked into this country under ole Joe and O. Charge them both with trying to overthrow this country. Maybe then America will be saved. Let us honor the courageous whistle blowers like the IRS agents and Mr Berliner. All the Brave men and women who lost their livelihood for telling the TRUTH.

Robert Williams
Robert Williams
8 months ago

These people learned their Left-wing journalism in our socialist led colleges and universities.

William Hodge
William Hodge
8 months ago

Any organization receiving the people’s money that hires and then represents ANY political affiliation shall no longer receive pubic money.

Ross
Ross
8 months ago

As Khrushchev said “We don’t need to defeat you (democracy) on the battlefield, we will defeat you from within”. Thanks to our universities, teacher’s unions and biased media his words are coming to fruition.

GMA
GMA
8 months ago

Katie is a Liberal who thinks they know everything..reality..need to be educated and have wisdom to know the difference

gravy
gravy
8 months ago

Your article is food for thought. A Journalist in the mainstream media is now a Propagandist. So sad our country is moving away from honesty, truthfulness, and integrity.

Carol
Carol
8 months ago

These leftist are like the folks that didn’t make it on the ark! And like those who loved the immorality of Sodom and Gomorrah! Standing with God and living a life with Him as the boss is not stupid or crazy. Unless these lost sheep come to Him in humility and repentance, they may end up standing with the goats and that doesn’t end well.

W Miller
W Miller
8 months ago

I was formerly an NPR listener and gave them more than $1,000 over a period of several years As time went on, it became increasingly clear that the organization was becoming more liberal and intolerant of us hicks in the red states. I quit giving and listening and got a letter from the local station wondering what happened. I don’t mind that there is a station for the liberal people , but it sure annoys me that my taxes go to funding such a one sided outfit!

Nick
Nick
8 months ago

If the government does not pull funding for NPR, we better see government backing for Glenn Beck’s The Blaze media. What’s fair is fair. That would really make the Liberals light their heads on fire

Fed Up
Fed Up
8 months ago

It is obvious that Clinton and Couric would be more comfortable living in Russia and supporting Putin. They obviously support communist principles. Katie & Clinton are just upset that Americans have their number and are not as stupid as they believe us to be.

Paul W
Paul W
8 months ago

They didn’t have to self-identify as dumpster fires; merely listening to them makes it abundantly clear. That goes for nearly everyone in the “msm”…even on the local levels.
No wonder they forced out true journalists with unbiased integrity, namely Sharyl Attkisson and Catherine Herridge.

NIcholas Elder.
NIcholas Elder.
8 months ago

NPR and Couric exemplify prejudice, ignorance, and anti-American stance of the left. Those of us that were successful through hard work, community involvement, honesty, and observing Christian ethics are neither uneducated nor deplorable individuals. The majority of the MSM are masquerading as journalists. What they don’t support or control, they criticize!

Vicki
Vicki
8 months ago

I saw the writing in the sand years ago..I will never support this organization again,plus they don’t need our hard earned money they are supported by the Demo/commie regime..

Stephen Russell
Stephen Russell
8 months ago

Rebrand NPR: National Patriots Radio
Hire MAGA
Move away from DC

Iron Mike
Iron Mike
8 months ago

Dumpster fires. That’s perfect. Wish I had thought of that.

Laura Bentz
Laura Bentz
8 months ago

The only thing I disagree on here is that George Floyd died because of the police. He didn’t die because of them but because he was high on fentanyl, and it killed him. Derrick Chauvin did not have him in a chokehold. He is now trying to appeal his murder conviction, Wish we wouldn’t reflect the mainstream media narratives that are usually LIES!

Melinda
Melinda
8 months ago

All Things Considered is a misnomer. Only one point of view is considered. I’m happy for Berliner, as now he can focus on the truth and not be controlled by leftists.

Joe McHugh
Joe McHugh
8 months ago

Tammy Bruce is scary! She actually seems to support the Constitution, Bill of Rights and the basis of the Declaration of Independence. Her writing mirrors my mentality.

tharmsen@charter.net
8 months ago

I see in your article, you’re still operating on the commonly held misconception that George Floyd was “killed”. PLEASE, AMAC, CONFIRM WHAT I’M ABOUT TO SAY WITH A FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST! Asphyxiation deaths will present during autopsy with 2 very noticeable signs. First is petechial hemorrhaging, bleeding from the tiny blood vessels in the eyes. Several things will cause petechial hemorrhaging, but if it’s not present, none of those things contributed to the death under investigation. The 2nd will be the brain tissue itself. I’ve been told BY REAL FORENSIC PATHOLOGISTS, that when someone dies of asphyxiation, the brain tissue becomes so soft, it can no longer support it’s own weight without deforming. I’ve seen this myself (as a law enforcement evidence tech), and it’s pretty dramatic, since the brain of a dead person, isn’t supposed to move by itself during examination, certainly something the physician performing an autopsy would not miss. Mr. Floyd’s autopsy report, was (probably still is) available online, and very clearly indicates that NO PETECHIAL HEMORRHAGING WAS PRESENT, indicating the physician LOOKED FOR IT, and noticed it was NOT present. The physician performing the autopsy also described the appearance of the brain as “NORMAL”. I’m not a doctor, not an expert, just a retired cop/evidence technician, who’s attended 100+ post mortem examinations, but my experience would suggest that YOU SHOULD RESEARCH THIS ISSUE, BEFORE PUBLISHING COMMENTS THAT GEORGE FLOYD WAS “KILLED”! Yes, people are in prison because of this miscarriage of justice, but you should have enough journalistic integrity to RESEARCH, and PRINT the truth.

Commentary
Commentary
8 months ago

Couric lost me way back when she was on the Today Show.. She could not stop posing for the camera and checking herself out in the monitors. She fawned over the guests she admired and gave short shrift to others. It was amusing at first and then disgusting. She is an arrogant, bitchy, self-important woman (like so many in her atmosphere) who really doesn’t deserve her own news program; she is a biased and not that bright reporter. She is rich due to her cartoonist husband’s success although she herself has failed all the way up–perfect example of the Peter Principle.

kom
kom
8 months ago

And yet this discrimination against Conservatives in all forms is allowed to continue.

captn chetco
captn chetco
8 months ago

Good article, except: The police did not kill George Floyd! He died from long term drug overdose health issues, and short term overdose shortly before his death. See coroner’s reports.

Jerry
Jerry
8 months ago

These lying, crooked snobs should be forced to repair their own air conditioner or unstop their own toilet. And they may pay those “reparations” if they wish, but I have never owned slaves. We working folks sometimes feel like we are slaves.

BEA
BEA
8 months ago

I thought Katie Couric was a BIG phony years ago. And I was right. What a jackass! She is a BIG chief liar face.

Pat R
Pat R
8 months ago

Christopher Rufo’s “America’s Cultural Revolution” lays out perfectly how colleges have churned out left-leaning graduates since the 1960s (including teachers of K-12 schools). Increasing numbers of professors agreed with Marcuse’s philosophical belief toward socialism as being the only solution to capitalism which produces the haves and have-nots, class wars, etc.
The BLM riots, CRT being taught in schools, destruction of statues of historical figures, millions of illegals coming across our border wit tax payers bearing the expense of their free handouts, recent attempts toward public schools having more say over children than parents – is all part of a radical revolution toward socialism. (Remember the contemporary definition of ‘stupid’: doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result.) Attempts at Socialism haven’t worked in the past and it won’t in the future toward anything positive.
The USA is self-destructing. Most folks don’t have a clue. But don’t think for a second our enemies aren’t waiting to take over when we’re so weakened we cannot reasonably defend ourselves. That time is near if not already upon us.

Jerry
Jerry
8 months ago

Where would these a$$holes be if it weren’t for our brave military dying or being maimed in defending these ungrateful Commies.

Douglas Soutar
Douglas Soutar
8 months ago

Good essay, Tammy. Now take the next step and tell us who owns and controls NPR and how did it move so far left.

Shar
Shar
8 months ago

I have been a supporter of PBS and our local station for many years and made annual donations, specifically to support local programming and events. Their affiliation with NPR always bothered me but I overlooked it because of my desire to help support our local station. Recent events at NPR, however, and their unwillingness to let go of their radical ideologies, have caused me to look more closely at who and what I am supporting. As a result, my husband and I have decided to end our membership to our PBS station. It saddens me to do this and I know it won’t matter to them but we cannot in good conscience support something we so strongly disagree with.

Garyk
Garyk
8 months ago

In my opinion Katie couric and npr are immoral frauds that spew everything wrong on America. They’re dishonest, immoral, self righteous scum posing as something moral ,pure and knowing.
In REALITY, just the opposite and destructive of Faith,Families and Freedom.
Any/all public funding of NOR MUST be ended ,it’s a tool of the marxist democrat party and their propaganda campaign against America’s Legal Citizens.
WAKE UP AMERICA – these traitors are destroying YOUR Countrt from the inside.
15 million illegal invaders pouring over un- protected borders is NOT by accident, it’s EXACTLY the result of marxist democrats taking over!
THROW THEM OUT

Robert Zuccaro
Robert Zuccaro
8 months ago

The fact they look down their plasticized noses at me pleases me to no end!

Tim Toroian
Tim Toroian
8 months ago

Maher is a b**ch as long as we are calling names.

Jim
Jim
8 months ago

Call your illustrious politician Representative and tell him/her to defund and shut down NPR, NEA, EPA, DOE,FBI and any more you can think of.

Theresa Coughlin
Theresa Coughlin
8 months ago

does NPR accept private donations? If Yes, the people who actually like what they hear should donate money to them and the taxpayers should be left alone.

Jeanette Ortega
Jeanette Ortega
8 months ago

Thank you, AMAC, for exposing the truth. I haven’t watched MSM since the election was stolen in 2020. Glad the truth is finally coming to light.

Perry Newton
Perry Newton
8 months ago

I do not want my tax dollars to help fund NPR.

Joearcher
Joearcher
8 months ago

Hilary said we are “homophobic, xenophobic, Islamophobic…”. A PHOBIA is an anxiety disorder, defined by an irrational, unrealistic, persistent and excessive FEAR of an object or situation. I have no fear of homosexuals, foreigners, or Islamists (unless they are carrying an AK-47), so I reject her description. Seems that Liberals, with their patronizing and superior attitude toward us common folk, could at least use something other than phobia to describe us

Kyle Buy you some guns,and learn how to shoot
Kyle Buy you some guns,and learn how to shoot
8 months ago

What do deplorable meen. ??? Kyle L.

San
San
8 months ago

Thank you for your reporting.

Steven Alton
Steven Alton
8 months ago

Anyone who can’t be honest and have the integrity to do so and supports leftist, socialist ideology has no business being in the Media.Because they can’t tell the truth and try to fill the heads of good upright Americans with their garbage and lies.And agree withT.Smith we need to defund NPR,PBS.and the NEA because there is something wrong going on in their Heads!!!!!

Peter Solinski
Peter Solinski
8 months ago

The deplorable statement was why Hillary lost in 2016. The insulting Russia, Russia, Russia hoax and Trump derangement syndrome were the consequences along with lawfare, wokeness and Covid-19. Thanks so much Democrats.

WILLIAM KLOCEK
WILLIAM KLOCEK
8 months ago

Interesting that a martial artist knows about Ludwig von Mises, when economics majors like Ocasio-Cortez have never heard of him.
Suggested Mises reading: Omnipotent Government; Liberalism, the classic tradition; and his opus, Human Action.
Available at mises.org/store.
Other authors to read: Murray Rothbard, Hans-Herman Hoppe, and Paul Dienst.

;^)
;^)
8 months ago

I am against changing society for a handful of gender-confused oddballs! The Left chants of “democracy,” or majority rule…yet, they insist on changing everything to suit a tiny minority.

Nancy Perrine
Nancy Perrine
8 months ago

And they overlook the fact that many blue collar workers are very bright lights who study on their own, or do college one course at a time when their finances allow. All of the media would fail at most of the blue collar jobs, as speed, accuracy, and a great ability to remember without a notes is required every day at work. If the work place has robotics, that brings in another level of education into the blue collar work place. I would be willing to say that most conservatives, and Trump supporters, have some college, or college degrees. Funny how my 1828 Webster’s dictionary has no such word as elite. Perhaps they didn’t want class distinctions back then.

Andy Henderson
Andy Henderson
8 months ago

The mainstream media, the Democrats, and leftist liberals are doing everything they can to destroy our country and society. They are destroying it from the inside and laughing while the house is burning down all around them. They are cold hearted unfeeling people who don’t give a damn about anyone or anything but themselves and their own self interest. Basically they give everyone the middle finger salute.

Jerry
Jerry
8 months ago

Aman!

Robert Atkinson, Jr.
Robert Atkinson, Jr.
8 months ago

Let me offer some reasons for hope over despair. Yes, the Liberal Arts colleges in most Universities are bastions of Leftist political thought, ranging from mere traditional liberalism to outright Marxism, but that’s not the only College on Campus. Let me offer this little ray of sunshine. There’s also the Colleges of Science and Engineering, which are some of last remaining islands of Conservative thought on Campus. I was trained as an Engineer, on a Campus with an operating1.0 MW nuclear reactor, for the Nuclear Engineering program. This is real life, not Star Trek, and Scotty doesn’t get to change the laws of physics after the commercial! We deal in the hard reality of the fundamental laws of nature that describe Gravity, Electromagnetism and the Nuclear Forces. Forces with potential for Great Good, but also Great Evil, that can either cure or kill. That reality makes us very careful, both in the performance of our profession, as well as politically. The laws of Physics are a good deal less malleable than the Laws of Men. I would argue that the only Court of Appeal to the Laws of Physics is Genius, and I’m no Genius, so I have no standing to argue before that particular Court! Or, as the late, great US Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-NY) once observed: “You are entitled to your own opinions, you are not entitled to your own facts!” Those of us in Engineering and the Physical Sciences (Physics, Biology and Chemistry), deal in facts, proven by numerous experiments over the centuries. You can’t just wave your hand and dismiss those facts without serious consequences. If you don’t believe me, go dismiss Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation, and jump off of the tallest bridge or building you can find, and let me know how it goes! Spoiler Alert: If you survive the experience, I can predict, right here and now, that it will NOT go well for you!

J Ford
J Ford
8 months ago
  • They are on TV about once a month anymore, begging for money to be able to continue getting their very liberal, one-sided views on the air. They get our tax dollars and do not spend it on ‘unbiased’ news coverage! I won’t ‘donate’ another dollar to them and WOULD CANCEL my tax dollar that goes to them if I could.
Nostrathomas
Nostrathomas
8 months ago

Beware of the liberals who are so open-minded that they can’t be wrong.

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