THE DAILY NEWSLETTER - TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2022

Media Winners & Losers

MEDIA WINNER:
John Avlon

CNN’s John Avlon gave reporters, including those at his network, a lesson in journalistic accountability during a Monday segment he dubbed “Upon Further Review."

Avlon tackled the findings from an investigation by Brigham Young University into alleged racism at a recent volleyball game against Duke University.

The investigation ultimately found no evidence to back up allegations from Duke University volleyball player Rachel Richardson that she and other athletes were subjected to racist heckling during the game.

The CNN anchor noted that prior to the investigation, the story jumped to the front of the “outrage Olympics," adding that CNN was one of many networks to jump on the initial allegations, even inviting Richardson’s family on-air.

“Healthy skepticism is always a virtue, but this doesn’t read like a coverup," he said. "Instead, it feels like there was a rush to judgment because of a well-intentioned impulse to believe the Duke player’s accusations."

Avlon, highlighting that facts "always have to come first," later called for the media to report on the new findings with the same “intensity” they reported on the initial allegations.

“Fidelity to the facts is all that we as journalists and citizens should ask,” Avlon said.

MEDIA LOSER:
Tucker Carlson

One of Tucker Carlson’s go-to experts on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, retired Col. Douglas Macgregor, told the top-rated Fox News host that “things are going very, very badly” and the “entire war may be over” very soon.

On Friday night, Macgregor gave a bleak assessment of the Ukrainians’ chances of maintaining territorial integrity and sovereignty over their own country.

“The Ukrainians have focused on trying to take, retake and hold territory. The Russians haven’t paid much attention to territory," Macgregor said. "They paid attention to destroying Ukrainian forces. And the last offensives down south failed miserably: 30, 40, 50% casualties, loss of equipment,”

Macgregor's take was quickly debunked by current events as headlines over the weekend announced Ukrainian gains.

The right-leaning Drudge Report ran headlines blaring, “RUSSIA ON THE RUN” and “INVADERS PUSHED BACK TO BORDER.”

On Monday, the Associated Press reported on Ukraine’s stunning gains in the last 72 hours, noting that Ukrainian troops retook significant territory and forced Russian troops to retreat.

Needless to say, the reality is a far cry from Macgregor’s assessment on Fox News, which Carlson was quick to agree with.

The A-Block

DOJ expands Jan. 6 investigation

The Justice Department seized the phones of two top associates of former President Donald Trump as part of its investigation into the Jan. 6 Capitol attack.

The New York Times reported that in addition to seizing the phones of former Trump campaign strategist Boris Epshteyn and former Trump White House assistant Mike Roman, the DOJ also issued& nearly 40 subpoenas as part of the ongoing investigation.

Among those who were issued subpoenas, which the report described as “broad” in scope, are former New York City Police Department commissioner Bernard Kerik and former Trump social media manager Dan Scavino.

"The department’s actions represent a substantial escalation of a slow-simmer investigation two months before the midterm elections, coinciding with a separate inquiry into Mr. Trump’s hoarding of sensitive documents at his residence in Florida, Mar-a-Lago," the Times reported.

The report added that the DOJ requested information “about any members of the executive and legislative branches who may have taken part in planning or executing the rally, or tried to ‘obstruct, influence, impede or delay’ the certification of the presidential election.”

Before news of the subpoenas had broken, former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon told right-wing activist Charlie Kirk there were dozens of “raids” carried out by the FBI on Friday.


In Other News...

Trump Embraces QAnon ‘Storm is Coming’ Meme: ‘It’s Almost Like He’s Trying to Tell Us Something’

More Than Half of Republican House Members in Next Congress Will Be Election Deniers, Predicts FiveThirtyEight

White House Slams Lindsey Graham’s ‘Wildly Out of Step’ National Abortion Ban Proposal

WATCH: Maggie Haberman Mocks Trump and Trumpworld for Thinking He Had ‘Close Relationship’ With Queen

RATINGS: Nicolle Wallace Beats MSNBC Prime Time to Lead Network

Must See Clip

Blue Origin rocket explodes

An unmanned Blue Origin rocket exploded shortly after takeoff over Texas Monday, marking the first in-flight mishap for the Jeff Bezos-owned space travel company.
 

During a live broadcast of the launch, the rocket exploded while going 693 mph at an altitude of just over 28,000 feet.

Flames shout out from the single engine at the bottom of the rocket roughly one minute into its flight, prompting the capsule’s emergency launch abort system to kick in. 

No injuries or damage was reported, according to the FAA, which also told CNN the company’s flights will be grounded until an investigation into the explosion is complete.

Watch the explosion here.

Links We Like

- Rachel Syme, New Yorker - Erik Wemple, Washington Post -  Scott Feinberg, Hollywood Reporter
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