Worse yet: Ben Shapiro given 'prime real estate' the day after he claimed everyone has zip-ties at home

By now you’ve heard about the gnashing and wailing over Ben Shapiro authoring Thursday’s Politico Playbook, so much so that reportedly upwards of 225 people are on a Zoom call with Politico’s editor-in-chief to have their concerns validated; “People are very mad,” reports Erik Wemple.

We’re hearing nothing but hot takes about Shapiro’s guest stint, mostly from writers from other outlets. Hunter Walker, White House correspondent for Yahoo News, notes that Shapiro’s Playbook went up just a day after he claimed, after two people who had flex-cuff restraints at the Capitol were arrested by the FBI, that everybody has zip-ties at home. He and many others made that claim after a New York Times editor tweeted (and deleted) her question, “Do regular humans actually buy zip-ties?”

The fact Politico gave prime real estate to Ben Shapiro the day after he claimed *everyone* has zip tie restraints at home in an attempt to minimize the Capitol riots and it all being sponsored by the oil and gas lobby tells you more about DC than any newsletter scoop could.

— Hunter Walker (@hunterw) January 14, 2021

Once again, this is who Yahoo News sends to the White House briefing room. No, Shapiro wasn’t trying to minimize the Capitol riots; he, along with a lot of others, was dunking on a Times editor for not knowing what zip-ties are. Look, even fellow alt-right media personality Dave Rubin has zip-ties.

Hey @benshapiro. Found some zip ties in the garage. Need a 50 foot coaxial cable by any chance? With it you can have your VCR in a totally different room than your TV! pic.twitter.com/e8RZA3BF6U

— Dave Rubin (@RubinReport) January 14, 2021

Why do you *not* own any zip ties?

— Cam Edwards (@CamEdwards) January 14, 2021

I realize you now mean flex cuffs but words have meaning. The tweet Shapiro was referring to referenced regular ass zip ties and now you're changing the narrative and conversation. Be consistent or shut the fuck up

— ♠️Duchess ?of ? Spades♠️ (@AnnaDsays) January 14, 2021

Cultural elites completely out of touch with the working class seem to be really struggling with this:

1. Most Americans do have zip ties at home in a garage, toolbox, or junk drawer.

2. Most Americans don't have specialized flex cuff restraints at home.

— Potato of Reason (@PotatoOfReason) January 14, 2021

At my house, we enjoy building computers and having zipties around help with some pretty great cable management ??‍♀️

— v angy tator tot (@RenegadeMeg) January 14, 2021

I have zip ties…to tie up loose cables. None would hold a human.

— kitty (@KittyRussel1313) January 14, 2021

How are we on day two of people who work for major media organizations not knowing what zip ties are https://t.co/dyv3FN57DM

— Emily Zanotti (@emzanotti) January 14, 2021

I am so much more fascinated by this than the pickup truck cycle.

— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) January 14, 2021

I mean, I also live in a major city but have, in fact, seen and purchased zip ties at the Crafty Beaver which is absolutely a real place and not one I made up. Pickup trucks are much rarer.

— Emily Zanotti (@emzanotti) January 14, 2021

https://twitter.com/oldandcray/status/1349775334477062145

I have tons of them. Yes, I use them almost all the time. Most people do, honestly.

— Just Some Guy (@JohnyTwoTimes13) January 14, 2021

I’ve bought zip ties by the thousands. Ive used them for cable management among other things…

I have a pack of 200 in my tool box currently…

— Ruth Less (@RUTHLESSSNIP3R) January 14, 2021

I actually have zip ties – for my bike, for my cables, and to keep my kids in line.

— rgreensp (@rgreensp) January 14, 2021

I have one 28 inch zip tie I carry in my tackle pack as a fish stringer. For the day I have to hike out with a trophy catch. ? So far they've all fit in the pack. ?

— Tech Sgt Lee (@sgt_tech) January 14, 2021

There are people who *don't* have zip ties at home?

— Whatever (@DRussell76) January 14, 2021

But wait, there’s more! Daily Beast contributing editor Justin Baragona is looking forward to Republicans pouncing.

We're obviously going to get endless op-ed and Fox News segments about how Ben Shapiro is the latest victim of "cancel culture" because people are shitting on him and Politico over his Playbook guest spot.

— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) January 14, 2021

I'm so sorry this is happening to you. pic.twitter.com/hlRSZW0peM

— Robert (Bob) Jeffers (@TuliusT) January 14, 2021

"Fox News has a moral obligation to ignore the embarrassing hysterical meltdowns of my co-religionists." — Justin Baragona

— Jarvis (@jarvis_best) January 14, 2021

This meltdown by soft-headed journalists is pretty entertaining you have to admit, though a bit embarrassing.

— Haywood Jablomi (@Haywood100) January 14, 2021

Yes Fox’s reaction to Politico employee’s hissy fit is the story here. https://t.co/4HAXirvaso

— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) January 14, 2021

NO, it's Fox's reaction to HIS publicaton's story about Politico employee's hissy fit that's the story.

Please don't forget who the REAL victim is here.

— Business Master Crapplefratz (@Crapplefratz) January 14, 2021

So much pouncing.

— Sean Crose (@SeansPage1) January 14, 2021

Then Stelter can talk about Fox's reaction to Politico … and the circle-jerk goes on forever & the party never ends

— They_expect_results (@Proudkulak) January 14, 2021

Yep … they’ll make this into a week-long story.

@brianstelter and @oliverdarcy already have Fox News open for Tucker's monologue

— John Locke (@jlocke613) January 14, 2021

No doubt.

Related:

‘Journalists are delicate’: Politico editor hosts call to address triggering over Ben Shapiro authoring Playbook (Shapiro responds) https://t.co/bgD6tUngsh

— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) January 14, 2021