Vice President JD Vance's blistering speech at the Munich Security Conference yesterday triggered European leaders and apparently even some people in the U.S. media. Vance delivered several reality checks about censorship and authoritarianism.
JD Vance went to the Munich Security Conference and roasted the entire continent of Europe for being petty tyrants and criminalizing freedom of speech, including a British man arrested for praying at an abortion clinic.
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) February 14, 2025
pic.twitter.com/o51VoWZ6Mr
Then there's this story in the U.S. that has caused the WHCA to issue a strongly worded statement:
Statement on White House Barring the AP from News Coverage. pic.twitter.com/f1oVEQVzev
— WHCA (@whca) February 11, 2025
Add it all up and the New York Times' White House correspondent seems to think JD Vance (and Trump) are being hypocritical:
Headlines from today:
— Peter Baker (@peterbakernyt) February 14, 2025
Vice President Vance Accuses European Leaders of Censoring Free Speech
White House Bars Associated Press From Spaces Like Oval Office and Air Force One
The Federalist's Mollie Hemingway brings on the necessary constitutional sarcasm:
And as it says in the First Amendment, “The Associated Press gets to displace media on AF1 no matter what they do.” Excellent point.
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) February 15, 2025
Recommended
Not letting an Associated Press reporter go wherever they want is censorship?
How is the second headline censorship, apparatchik?
— Grateful Calvin (@shoveitjack) February 15, 2025
It isn't, but the totally objective journalist knows it'll feed a narrative for the Left.
It’s a free speech issue that the wire service that shared office space with Hamas isn’t allowed on Air Force One? https://t.co/FymHvkbOqT
— Vanessa (@Nessakins_) February 15, 2025
"Any media outlet that demands access to Air Force One and the White House briefing room" isn't part of the First Amendment? Go figure!
Europe is censoring free speech, even criminalizing it in many countries.
— IT Guy (@ITGuy1959) February 14, 2025
Exclusive White House access is a privilege. @AP is still free to write and publish whatever they like, so there is no 1A violation.
These are more 80/20 issues you all are on the wrong side of.
But @AP can still write and print whatever it wants. They are not being censored. They may not be allowed in the Oval, but neither are a lot of organizations. Apples to oranges, @peterbakernyt https://t.co/v0hzvOs4JJ
— Michele Tafoya (@Michele_Tafoya) February 15, 2025
The newspaper of record is too dumb to understand how freedom of speech works https://t.co/5TeBJa3tMo
— Kurt Schlichter (@KurtSchlichter) February 15, 2025
Misinforming their readers is what they do.
Selecting a different privileged news outlet to fill a spot in the president’s office or on his airplane is exactly the same as British police arresting someone for standing silently and praying to himself.
— Tim Murtaugh (@TimMurtaugh) February 15, 2025
Is this your point, Peter?
One thing's for sure:
The AP’s speech isn’t hindered. They can continue to lie with impunity.
— Spitfire (@DogRightGirl) February 14, 2025
And they'll do exactly that.
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