If you were otherwise busy during the week and didn’t have a chance to follow The Atlantic’s story about what Jeffrey Goldberg reported anonymous sources claim President Trump said a couple of years ago in France, here’s a brief summary:
The Atlantic published a story by Jeffrey Goldberg which used anonymous sources to make some pretty big accusations against Trump. Among the claims is that Trump said the American cemetery in France is filled with “total losers.”
New, from @TheAtlantic: Trump skipped a visit to an American military cemetery in France after calling the dead "losers" for getting killed: Full story here: https://t.co/4PUGrR7tCS
— Jeffrey Goldberg (@JeffreyGoldberg) September 3, 2020
Just coincidentally, anti-Trump political forces had ads ready to go very shortly after the story was published, and many sensed a highly coordinated effort was under way.
Meanwhile, on-the-record sources, such as Sarah Sanders (who was in France with the president at that time), has said The Atlantic’s story is “total BS.”
At that point, Fox News’ Jennifer Griffin said she’d confirmed through her own anonymous sources (we’re sensing a pattern here) that parts of The Atlantic’s story are true, according to the unnamed individuals she spoke with:
Two former sr Trump admin officials confirm .@JeffreyGoldberg reporting that President Trump disparaged veterans and did not want to drive to honor American war dead at Aisne-Marne Cemetery outside Paris.
— Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) September 4, 2020
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And just like that, the anti-Trump Resistance started taking more of a shine to Fox News.
President Trump then tweeted about Griffin’s report:
Jennifer Griffin of Fox News Did Not Confirm ‘Most Salacious‘ Part of Atlantic Story https://t.co/rUpbSWhHac via @BreitbartNews All refuted by many witnesses. Jennifer Griffin should be fired for this kind of reporting. Never even called us for comment. @FoxNews is gone!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 5, 2020
And today, Griffin defended her “unimpeachable” anonymous sources:
Fox News reporter Jennifer Griffin responds to Trump’s tweet calling for her to be fired, over her reporting to confirm he disparaged U.S. troops.
“My sources are not anonymous to me, and I doubt they are anonymous to the president.”
Also, her sources are “unimpeachable.” pic.twitter.com/yN7m6zkXLQ
— Eric Kleefeld (@EricKleefeld) September 5, 2020
The sources will definitely stay unimpeachable as long as they stay anonymous. Which brings us to Mark Levin’s thoughts:
1. It’s not clear to me what sources they’re talking about here. Two of the four anonymous sources used by the Atlantic confirm to Fox what they told the Atlantic? If so, that’s meaningless.
— Mark R. Levin (@marklevinshow) September 5, 2020
2. But they remain anonymous, which means we the public cannot scrutinize these sources. And the press exists for us, not the press itself. It is we the article seeks to influence.
— Mark R. Levin (@marklevinshow) September 5, 2020
3. Moreover, the numerous people on the record who deny what the anonymous sources reportedly said are unimpeachable and, even more, are willing to be scrutinized. No need to circle the wagons, either.
— Mark R. Levin (@marklevinshow) September 5, 2020
4. That doesn’t get the public the facts to draw their own conclusions.https://t.co/ARgbc30tb6
— Mark R. Levin (@marklevinshow) September 5, 2020
Yeah, even CNN’s Brian Stelter has said enough is enough with the “anonymous sources”:
It's put up or shut up time – I fully understand why sources insist on confidentiality, but those who were in a position to know about Trump's conduct, and are able to speak, should do so on the record. pic.twitter.com/nRwHnlXD3H
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) September 4, 2020
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