In a refreshing bit of integrity, MSNBC did not put out a post on X linking to its opinion piece that X is a poison. More specifically, Elon Musk's X is a poison, and "everyone needs to bail on it at once." We thought that already happened: when Musk was in talks to buy Twitter, all of the journalists posted their goodbyes and left forwarding addresses on Mastodon, where they'd be posting from now on.
MSNBC broke its own rule earlier Saturday by posting that Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris is preparing witty rejoinders to any derogatory comments that Donald Trump might make during their debate on September 10 on ABC. The Harris campaign fought hard to change the rules and keep the microphones on, hoping beyond hope for another "I'm speaking" T-shirt slogan for the campaign store.
So why is MSNBC posting a piece saying that X is poison, when the network still relies on it daily for engagement it wouldn't otherwise get? We'll have to ask author and journalist Jay Michaelson, who wrote the piece:
MSNBC demands that you stop using X because it is poison to their narrative. They also blame Elon Musk, whom they call “weirdly extreme”, for “election disinformation” pic.twitter.com/ESvWF8Yno5
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) September 7, 2024
There's a photo of avid X user Christopher Hayes to go along with the piece, but we think our attention was supposed to be drawn to the chyron, which reads "How Elon Musk Is Driving Election Disinformation."
After the entire media complex dismissed the Hunter Biden laptop story as disinformation — and Twitter suspended the New York Post's account for six weeks for not taking down the story — you'd think they'd be a little smarter about making "disinformation" the new bogeyman.
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Michaelson writes:
Yet, for all the actions that have been proposed — demanding advertisers boycott the service, going after SpaceX or Tesla or Starlink — the most obvious one often goes unsaid: we should stop using X.
…
… If every moderate-to-liberal human and organization stopped using the site, that might pressure Musk or his board of directors to stop weaponizing it. But unless we all quit, it’s quite costly to be among the few virtuous journalists, politicians or celebrities to do so. Except in very rare cases, Musk won’t notice that you’re gone — but you sure will, in the form of less clout, visibility and impact.
We're sorry … does Michaelson consider MSNBC to be "moderate to liberal"? Because that's disinformation.
Michaelson concludes by saying that this wouldn't be censorship but rather capitalism in action; after all, "free speech isn’t the same as amplified speech."
Now because no one is going to voluntarily stop using X as they would like the next obvious and logical call would be to ban X.
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) September 7, 2024
MSNBC is seeing their viewership crater, that’s why they’re panicking
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) September 7, 2024
All the more reason to use X.
— AmericanPapaBear (@AmericaPapaBear) September 7, 2024
Imagine how things would be today if @elonmusk hadn’t bought twitter??
— Booker9e (@booker9e) September 7, 2024
Talk about disinformation.
Every opinion I don't like is election disinformation. News at 11. 🙄🙄
— The Patriot Broadcast Silo (@Avis_Liberatum) September 7, 2024
MSNBC is also still using X😂
— Cash Loren (@CashLorenShow) September 7, 2024
Why does @MSNBC still have an X account?
— Karen Warren (@KarenWa41674844) September 7, 2024
If it’s so concerned with “disinformation” and Musk being “weirdly extreme,” why be here?
Same goes for its activist/reporters.
Take a stand MSNBC.
Leave!
Funny. When Dorsey ran it they loved the censorship. They miss it I guess.
— Charles Pirschel (@CPirschel) September 7, 2024
Best endorsement of the X platform to date.
— Jesse Hipwell (@JesseHipwell) September 7, 2024
If Elon Musk is poison, then top off a big ole glass for me. I would rather drink Elon "poison" over Democrat 'woke juice" any day of the week.
— Musclemilk0075 (@SHORNGRUNDLE) September 7, 2024
Elon Musk is a case study on the media. Pay attention to “when” they loved Elon and when they stopped. The media hates us. All of us, no matter our world view.
— Thomas Eaves (@n5zbz) September 7, 2024
Will the government shut down X before the election, or will they wait until after to do so?
— Festivus96 (@Festivus96) September 7, 2024
That depends on who wins.
MSNBC is weirdly extreme!
— Marguerite Ruffner (@Maggieanne01) September 7, 2024
MSNBC has a tiny audience. This tweet has more
— Klaus Donnert (@DieterDonnert) September 7, 2024
If Michaelson wanted anyone to read his piece, he would have linked to it on X, where it might have been seen.
Is this Elon in the room with us right now?
— CryptoNoob (@JanschLarry) September 7, 2024
Disinfectant, not poison.
— bossmun (@bossmuntime) September 7, 2024
X is now my only media source.
— HellonHeels (@oaddle10) September 7, 2024
Theyre just whining like bitches. Let them 🤷🏽♂️
— Plank (@broimmabot) September 7, 2024
Michaelson is sad that it would take a much more influential voice than his to get the ball rolling by boycotting X. We frankly aren't even going to check to see if he has an account, or if he's over on Mastodon where it's pure.
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