If you’ve been paying attention — and reading Twitchy — you’ve no doubt begun to notice a very interesting and informative pattern developing when it comes to how the rash of political violence is covered by our ostensibly objective media.
But nobody knows how to put it into perspective quite like Drew Holden. In another one of his trademark receipt-filled threads, Holden shines a glaring spotlight on the cognitive dissonance that plagues the media and casts doubt after doubt on their credibility:
There are many troubling differences in how the media covers partisan issues but I’m stunned at recent coverage of political violence.
At left, you have a complicated case alleging self defense. At right, a cold blooded murder.
The other variable? Politics. CC @CNN
?THREAD? pic.twitter.com/ptgyBh0Xdf
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) September 2, 2020
You likely already know the backstories involved but on the left is the Kenosha shooting, which killed 2. The accused – a Trump supporter – has claimed self-defense.
At right, a member of Antifa is accused of killing a man for being a Trump supporter.
But don’t tell @NPR. pic.twitter.com/urtl4DEZOq
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) September 2, 2020
And their key voice, @Yamiche, pushed the same narrative without evidence, as if Rittenhouse had walked up to a protest and started randomly firing.
But on Portland? Yamiche goes silent. pic.twitter.com/P7MLK0TJC7
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) September 2, 2020
@nytimes went out of their way to demonize the shooter in Kenosha, while simultaneously both-sidesing the “clash” in Portland.
Absent this tweet is the fact that, in the latter, a Trump supporter was targeted and executed for visibly being one. pic.twitter.com/Dyg7YehgJX
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) September 2, 2020
@nytimes even did an interview about how the **side that had just shot a political opponent for no apparent reason** felt unsafe! Because of the same group they had just shot and killed a member of! pic.twitter.com/uDIi4GrCZ1
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) September 2, 2020
I know I started with them, but another one from @CNN. We’ve got passive voice for a murder in Portland, and it’s Trump who is the bad guy in all this.
But the guy killed in Kenosha after attacking a man with his skateboard is a hero (his backstory is…dubious). pic.twitter.com/Nebs3lMb5c
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) September 2, 2020
@thedailybeast also has a hagiography for the guy who was shot and killed after attacking Rittenhouse with a skateboard. No mention of the history of domestic violence.
But for the Trump supporter? The “he had it coming” tone couldn’t be more clear. pic.twitter.com/ocuGHLeRoa
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) September 2, 2020
@Washingtonpost with the reminder that “news analysis” should be struck from the face of the earth. They did the same absent-attribution both-sidesism about the Portland shooting.
Something tells me that if it were a Biden supporter shot dead, that detail would be in the tweet. pic.twitter.com/sAUl86k1Wh
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) September 2, 2020
Same thing out of @AP. Readers are left to wonder who died as a result of the pro-Trump rally, to hear it from them.
But Trump’s comments about Rittenhouse are worth a fact checking.
Something tells me we won’t get a fact check about the Portland shooting. pic.twitter.com/F2GDL1l8ev
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) September 2, 2020
@MSNBC really went to work on this. In Kenosha, they see the ever-present white supremacy.
In Portland? I shit you not, they said that a pro-Trump demonstration “appeared to contribute to violent clashes in the city.”
Could the victim blaming be more egregious? pic.twitter.com/l8pqE9QDr0
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) September 2, 2020
@MSNBC also tapped in many of their key voices and guests on the show.
Here’s resident conspiracy theorist @JoyAnnReid, who said the Kenosha shooter acted “like he had the power of life and death over anyone he chose.”
Still no follow up on the good actors on Portland. pic.twitter.com/kZEVwYy03R
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) September 2, 2020
This tweet from @JoyAnnReid, wrong to begin with, has aged…poorly. pic.twitter.com/29x3cAuiZp
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) September 2, 2020
@CBSNews got in on the action too. More faux outrage over @TuckerCarlson.
No telling who was shot and killed, or who might have done the shooting and killing. I suspect that if it had been anything but an Antifa member at a BLM protest killing a Trump supporter we would know. pic.twitter.com/n46kuISePe
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) September 2, 2020
As Holden notes, the media aren’t the only ones playing fast and loose with facts and integrity:
It wasn’t just the media. @AyannaPressley asserted, without evidence, that the shooter in Kenosha was a white supremacist. The ADL investigated & found no support for this claim.
Ms. Pressley has never once tweeted about Portland, including the targeted killing.
Wonder why? pic.twitter.com/iep2BZBtI6
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) September 2, 2020
@JoeBiden did the same thing, essentially blaming a Trump supporter for his own murder.
The leader of the Democratic Party. pic.twitter.com/7rQ91LBqhO
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) September 2, 2020
@ChrisMurphyCT went on @MSNBC to suggest the President of the United States was encouraging violence by pointing out the obvious.
He’s also ignored Portland (except the town in CT).
Can’t imagine why that is. pic.twitter.com/ReEgaEWjm4
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) September 2, 2020
There were more legislators, but I’m short on space. Here’s @RepDonBeyer doing the same as Murphy (just with Kellyanne Conway as subject). Still nothing about Portland.
Why are Democrats silent on the politically motivated killing in Portland? pic.twitter.com/0UwjkCZpX4
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) September 2, 2020
They’re silent because to not be silent would admit that they’ve been lying through their teeth all this time.
And of course, the usual cast of galaxy brain blue checks got involved. The most egregious might be @MaxBoot.
Rittenhouse is a terrorist. The Trump supporter had it coming. Shameful. pic.twitter.com/AAhW8xMTB0
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) September 2, 2020
You’ll be shocked to see @TheRevAl adding fuel to the fire. pic.twitter.com/Voq8uVpVFK
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) September 2, 2020
It wouldn’t be a thread without @JRubinBlogger.
The white supremacy canard is back. We have a pandemic of it! In Portland, her only concern is Trump. As ever. pic.twitter.com/zWjwRr2jEx
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) September 2, 2020
For @mehdirhasan, the real problem with a politically motivated execution is that it’ll make the news cycle worse, it seems. pic.twitter.com/3Jp1aYWhiu
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) September 2, 2020
The bros at @PodSaveAmerica had Big Thoughts, as usual.
Trump’s “defense” was to point out something obvious – Rittenhouse would be dead but for his last two shots. To the bros, the problem in Portland is – you guessed it! – Trump. pic.twitter.com/4GAEvoilzX
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) September 2, 2020
It’s always Trump. Even when it’s not.
This shouldn’t be difficult. Whatever your thoughts are on the shooting in Kenosha, the idea that it was a deliberate, politically motivated murder just doesn’t hold water.
It shouldn’t be asking a lot to not go easier on something that is.
The hypocrisy is jarring.
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) September 2, 2020
It really is. But the saddest part is that as long as the media and Democrats continue to prop each other up, they’ll never really have to answer for it.
I wish this entire thread could be seen by every American. https://t.co/euGKBcqoxy
— Kris Kinder (@kris_kinder) September 3, 2020
It certainly should be.