It’s a bit strange to be confronted in a single day with 1) a “gender” questionnaire with 27 checkboxes provided along with a fill-in-the-blank space just in case, and 2) an old-school, tale-of-the-tape matchup between two alpha males meeting at the G20 summit.
We don’t remember when the BBC did an age and height breakdown of Secretary Hillary Clinton and her stupid “reset button” prop, but they must have, right?
Donald and Vladimir https://t.co/OtdUTSYiLY
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) July 6, 2017
The main event:
Analysing Trump and Putin's body language at G20 meeting https://t.co/kXK7nCU3Qv
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) July 7, 2017
The BBC did indeed have a body language expert analyze the handshake and other interactions, but so did the Russians. While the BBC’s expert gave the edge to Trump, a Russian expert consulted by a daily tabloid ruled that Putin “controlled the situation” and won “a psychological victory.”
Both analyses made it to the New York Times’ G20 coverage, but guess which one made it to its own featured tweet?
A Russian body language specialist concluded that Putin had the edge in his meeting with Trump https://t.co/vcs6KEWNap
— The New York Times (@nytimes) July 8, 2017
"Journalism." ? https://t.co/CzFlNQjKdC
— Ken Gardner (@KenGardner11) July 8, 2017
A former newspaper. https://t.co/XjM83tOG8U
— Andrew Klavan (@andrewklavan) July 8, 2017
This week on "We're Literally Just Asking Anyone." https://t.co/bmcURPR94T
— Brooke Rogers (@bkerogers) July 8, 2017
Sigh (I will keep the rest of that thought to myself but just so we are clear this sigh is directed at the NYTimes). https://t.co/k9WookgI7T
— SalenaZito (@SalenaZito) July 8, 2017
Most creative fake news of the day award goes to…?? https://t.co/lh9XZzsrfv
— Asa J ?? (@asamjulian) July 8, 2017
The Times managed to make the fake news seem even more fake for a bit, there.
But why is that a picture of Poland's president? https://t.co/RgUoskUKtO
— T. Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) July 8, 2017
That's Trump & Polish President Duda. With a big Polish flag. Layers and layers of factchecking. pic.twitter.com/VPoJhuJFfX
— Cuffy (@CuffyMeh) July 8, 2017
But enough of the body language analysis. Everyone knows there’s no more respected political analyst than Chris Uhlmann of Australia’s ABC News, at least for the next hour or so. Uhlmann’s conclusion that Trump was an “uneasy, lonely, awkward figure” at the G20 did wonders for his mentions among the blue checkmark crowd.
Wow. This analysis of Trump from an Australian reporter is quite something. Watch the whole clip. pic.twitter.com/u0mroeWD3W
— Yashar Ali (@yashar) July 9, 2017
Trump is hastening the decline of America on the global stage. https://t.co/VwFxqbZxKx
— Touré (@Toure) July 9, 2017
Excellent, brief, straightforward summary https://t.co/Q2nsiGrUUq
— Sarah Kendzior (@sarahkendzior) July 9, 2017
"He was an uneasy, lonely, awkward figure at this gathering" & other leaders are trying to work around him. https://t.co/Ou8ku3eF8A
— Marsha Lederman (@marshalederman) July 9, 2017
DAMN! Australian journalist Chris @CUhlmann ETHERS @realDonaldTrump. This is a brutal and honest 2 minute analysis. RT ALL DAY! https://t.co/Zltq0aIH7O
— rolandsmartin (@rolandsmartin) July 9, 2017
Hands down the best explanation yet of the perception of Trump at the #G20. https://t.co/zJYA3zIDdM
— Susan McPherson (@susanmcp1) July 9, 2017
america's shame https://t.co/6d7T3MclRa
— Oliver Willis (@owillis) July 9, 2017
Keep in mind, though, that this reaction pales in comparison to the pearl clutching and fainting spells that rippled through the media Thursday after Trump spoke in Poland using “white supremacist trigger words” like “Western values” and “civilization.” At least let these people have something to celebrate after Trump triggered them so badly.
* * *
Related:
Wrong AGAIN? CNN’s bad week got even worse after Trump/Putin meeting https://t.co/OJ9jyGfjIB
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) July 8, 2017
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