Just as I did with the RFK Award, I’m posting it here in case this blog is the only venue where you follow me. I won the Sigma Delta Chi Award last night. This award is given each year by the Society of Professional Journalists.
I received an email a few days ago about the awards ceremony, but I got that just because I’m on their mailing list. I had intended to watch and thought it’d be crazy if I won. But I also thought that if I had won then I’d probably already know. I didn’t know.
I had a rather large spaghetti dinner early last night and it put me into a spaghetti coma. I recovered late enough to screw up my sleep schedule and found a message from my cartooning colleague Tim Campbell saying “Congrats again.” I replied, “For what?”. He said, “You won the SDX.” I said, “Are you sure?”. Since the awards were announced around 8 p.m, I think a lot of people missed it. I did.
This is crazy. I’ve never won one of the big ones before this year and now I have two. I could be wrong, but I think I have won more journalism awards this year than any other political cartoonist. That’s crazy. I’m Clay Jones…I don’t win awards. It’s also crazy that I join a lot of cartoonists I admire who’ve won the SDX, like Paul Conrad, Rob Rogers, Walt Handelsman, Mike Luckovich, Jen Sorensen, Mike Thompson, Chris Britt, Clay Bennett, Steve Sack, Matt Davies, and a bunch of others.
There are two winners of this award this year. I won for publications lower than 100,000 circulation (which Claytoonz.com is). Mike Smith of Greenspun Media won for over 100,000. So congrats to Mike.
Shireen Abu Akleh was an esteemed American-Palestinian journalist who was killed earlier this week in the West Bank city of Jenin, where Israeli forces have been making military arrests and raids.
Abu Akleh was a reporter for Al Jazeera who’s been reporting for the past 25 years on Palestinians living under Israel’s military occupation. Millions watched her report the news on TV on a near-nightly basis. She should have been allowed to do her job, not murdered for it.
Shireen Abu Akleh is an icon in the Middle East and foreign journalists who report there hold her in high esteem as well. Now, Arab journalists are staging sit-ins around the world in protest of Israel and wanting her death covered. Qatar lit up a building in her image. Nearly every cartoonist in the Middle East has covered her death (and I may be the first in the United States). Newborn daughters are being named after her. She has become a symbol of Palestine.
Israel’s first response to news of her death was to publish a video of a Palestinian gunman shooting indiscriminately from inside the Jenin refugee camp, blaming Palestinians for her death. The only problem is she wasn’t anywhere near that location.
Israel’s usual strategy for explaining its killing of civilians is to deny and deflect. They often blame Palestinians for the Israeli Defense Forces’ murder of Palestinians. They will claim the civilian they killed was in the same area as terrorists. Or, they’ll claim the civilian was a terrorist. Israel bombed an 11-story building last year which housed Palestinian media networks and the Associated Press but justified it by saying it was being used by Hamas.
After Israel published their video blaming Palestinians for shooting Abu Akleh, Al Jazeera posted footage showing Abu Akleh face down on the ground in a less built-up area and her colleagues trying helplessly to reach her as bullets continued to fly. The word “PRESS” was visible in large letters on her protective gear. Her producer, Ali Samudi, who was also shot, said, “We saw the soldiers in the area and there were no Palestinians there. The soldiers were about 150 meters away….I did not see who was shooting, but I see from where the bullets coming. They coming from the area where the soldiers. There were no fighters in the area.”
Two hours later, a local researcher for the Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem filmed a video geolocating the clip of the Palestinian gunmen in the Jenin refugee camp, hundreds of yards and several turns away from the spot where Abu Akleh was killed.
Israel backtracked and Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz told reporters he was very sorry “for what happened.” Israel wants all the forensic evidence so they can “investigate,” but the Palestinians don’t trust them. Israeli minister Diaspora Minister Nachman Shai said, “Israel’s credibility is not great in situations like this.”
Last week, The International Federation of Journalists, the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS), and the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians filed a formal complaint at The Hague for Israel’s “systematic targeting of Palestinian journalists.” An estimated 50 Palestinian journalists have been killed since 2000, according to the PJS.
This morning during Shireen Abu Akleh’s funeral service, Israeli police teargassed the crowd, fired flash grenades, and used batons to beat the people carrying her coffin. They’re still working on that credibility.
When Vladimir Putin’s government kills a journalist, we call it out. We condemned Russia for the death of Fox News cameraman Pierre Zakrzewski last March covering the war in Ukraine.
When Mohammed bin Salmen had Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi murdered and his body sliced up into multiple pieces with a bone saw in the basement of Saudi Arabia’s embassy in Turkey, we condemned it and demanded accountability. At the time of Khashoggi’s murder, we had a president (sic) who deflected for MBS. Recently, Trump’s goon son-in-law, who never asked questions or demanded justice for the murder, got a huge financial reward from MBS. This is what happens when you put people into power who don’t respect democracy or press freedom.
Al Jazeera is calling out western media for its coverage of Abu Akleh’s murder. They’re accusing western media of “whitewashing” the story and shying away from implicating Israeli forces in her death.
Beth Miller, the political director of Jewish Voice for Peace, slammed the New York Times for a headline that said Abu Akleh “dies at 51”, without mentioning the cause of her death. Bassam Khawaja, the co-director of NYU Law’s Human Rights and Privatization Project, tweeted: “‘Dies at 51’ is a really strange way to say a journalist was shot in the head.”
The Associated Press, the BBC, and other western news outlets have been accused of taking the Israeli narrative, that Abu Akley was killed by “random” gunfire. Even after being bombed by Israeli forces, the AP still carries the Israeli Defense Forces’ water. ‘Tis but a scratch.
We’re always cautious with the Israeli government, a caution we don’t have for Saudi Arabia or Russia. But it’s not antisemitic to call out a corrupt government that murders journalists just like it’s not Islamophobic to call out Saudi Arabia’s monarchy for butchering a Washington Post reporter. It doesn’t mean you hate Russian people by being against poisoning journalists or throwing them off buildings.
As a political cartoonist, I recognize we cartoonists stand on the shoulders of journalists like Shireen Abu Akleh, who put her life in danger to report the news. Journalists should be protected by governments while they do their jobs, not murdered by them.
Signed prints: The signed prints are just $40.00 each. Every cartoon on this site is available. You can pay through PayPal. If you don’t like PayPal, you can snail mail it to Clay Jones, P.O. Box 3721, Fredericksburg, VA 22402. I can mail the prints directly to you or if you’re purchasing as a gift, directly to the person you’re gifting.
Notes on my book, Tales From The Trumpster Fire: There are 19 copies of my book in stock, which go for $45.00 each, signed. Also, I have copies of my first book from 1997, Knee-Deep in Mississippi available for $20.00.
Tip Jar: if you want to support the cartoonist, please send a donation through PayPal to clayjonz@gmail.com. You can also snail it to P.O. Box 3721, Fredericksburg, VA 22402.
A lot of Russian propaganda outlets are being shut down in the west by western governments and private corporations. Russia state-owned outlets that have been operating freely in Europe and the United States, RT and Sputnik, have taken a huge hit and are being blocked.
While the west is blocking Russia’s fake news outlets, much of it as part of sanctions, Russia has created a new “fake news” law while also blocking western news in Russia.
Russia is already cracking down on protests against its illegal invasion of Ukraine and Putin’s war crimes and is now blocking independent news outlets that would inform its citizenry of events in the war the state doesn’t want them to know.
Last Thursday, the Duma (Russia’s legislative body) made it a crime to publish “fake news” or misinformation about Russia’s war in Ukraine. It will be Russian government authorities who determine what’s fake. Vladimir Putin signed it into law on Friday. Immediately, Russian and international news organizations either withdrew their reporters from the country, changed how they did their work or shut down completely.
Bloomberg announced it was suspending its work in the country. Editor-in-chief John Micklethwait said the law “seems designed to turn any independent reporter into a criminal purely by association” and “makes it impossible to continue any semblance of normal journalism inside the country.”
The public service broadcasters of Canada, Germany, and Italy each suspended their operations inside Russia.
The BBC announced it was suspending its work in Russia but that “BBC News in Russian will still be produced from outside the country.” The director-general of the BBC said, “The safety of our staff is paramount and we are not prepared to expose them to the risk of criminal prosecution simply for doing their jobs.”
Radio Free Europe is also suspending its operations inside Russia while also initiating bankruptcy proceedings against its Russian unit because of millions of dollars in unpaid “fines” against the broadcaster for refusing to obey a Russian law that would “cripple its editorial content.”
ABC News and CBS News are both ceasing their broadcast from inside Russia. The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times both declined to say how they will proceed in the fascist state. The Washington Post, however, plans to keep reporting from inside Russia and is taking the unusual step of removing bylines and datelines from its stories in order to protect its journalists.
Independent Russian outlets are faring worse. Novaya Gazeta, an independent Russian newspaper that survived the murder of six of its journalists, and whose editor recently won a Nobel Peace Prize, said it will no longer report on Russia’s military actions but will continue to report on sanctions and persecutions of dissidents.
More than 150 Russian journalists have fled the nation in recent days. The Kremlin has blocked Facebook, Twitter, and a host of international news sites. This blog will probably be blocked in Russia as well. In fact, this site hasn’t received a click from Russia in over a month.
Here in the United States, In addition to Donald Trump villainizing journalists, the greatest threat to journalists are the corporations that employ journalists. The caretakers of a free press have become the morticians.
Conservatives have chosen to back Ukraine against Russia, but they’ve also been opponents of a free press here in the United States. While calling Putin a fascist, they ignore that getting rid of a free press is how you get fascism.
Even the term “fake news” is dangerous to a free press as we’re getting to the point that people can’t tell the difference between news and propaganda. News that you don’t like is not “fake news.” There are no alternative facts. There are just facts. There is no “fake news” as any news that’s fake is NOT news. People are getting their “information” from memes and don’t think twice or research a claim before resharing. People share memes, not because they’re true, but because they want the meme’s claims to be true.
And then you have News Max, One American News Network, Fox News, and all the Tuckers, Hannitys, Gutfelds, Ingrahams, and shit there are too many to list.
Newspapers are now a dying industry being gobbled up by corporations that gut the papers in their chains, liquidate all its assets, lay off most of its staff, sell the paper again where the new owner repeats the actions of the last owner. All Gatehouse/Gannett newspapers run the exact same editorial page along with other content. It’s now common for a daily newspaper’s A section to only contain six pages. Lee Enterprises, Gatehouse/Gannett, McClatchy (in bankruptcy proceedings where I’m listed as someone they owe money to but who will never receive it), and Berkshire Hathaway all care more about the stock market than they care about journalism. They don’t care about local journalism or serving a community. And they don’t care about the people who gather the news. Since I was laid off from The Free Lance-Star in 2012, the paper has had four owners. FOUR!
In Russia, the government is the greatest danger to a free press. Here, we destroy it on our own.
I can go on and on about how I’ve been affected personally and in business, but I’m gonna save that for another day. But I’ll just say, it’s extremely frustrating when editors and news outlets just decide they’re not going to pay you anymore.
I feel like I got thrown off a building when COVID started and I’m still falling.
Music Note: I was in a very garage rock mood while coloring today and I listened to the Hives and the Vines.
Signed prints: The signed prints are just $40.00 each. Every cartoon on this site is available. You can pay through PayPal. If you don’t like PayPal, you can snail mail it to Clay Jones, P.O. Box 3721, Fredericksburg, VA 22402. I can mail the prints directly to you or if you’re purchasing as a gift, directly to the person you’re gifting.
Notes on my book, Tales From The Trumpster Fire: There are 19 copies of my book in stock, which go for $45.00 each, signed. Also, I have copies of my first book from 1997, Knee-Deep in Mississippi available for $20.00.
Tip Jar: if you want to support the cartoonist, please send a donation through PayPal to clayjonz@gmail.com. You can also snail it to P.O. Box 3721, Fredericksburg, VA 22402.
Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace surprised viewers and many of his colleagues yesterday by announcing that this would be his last show and he was leaving the network, effective immediately. Shortly after, CNN announced the hiring of Wallace to be an anchor on their upcoming streaming service, CNN Plus.
Wallace turned down a contract extension with a pay raise to jump ship to an actual news network.
Fox News is losing actual news journalists. Brett Bair is probably the only prominent one who remains at the network. Shepard Smith left for CNBC in 2019. Kristin Fisher is another who recently left. Now, goodbye, Chris Wallace, who may have been the network’s best journalist.
Fox News has used Wallace as proof they’re an actual news source while firing Chris Stirewalt two months after he called Arizona for President Biden (which made a huge part of their base leave temporarily for News Max).
Fox News is actually making their network even more conservative. The network has replaced its 7:00 PM news slot with a conservative commentary show. They moved back their 11:00 PM news show an hour to give the slot to pro-Trump goon Greg Gutfield, who conservatives think is funny. Greg Gutfield’s show is like giving another talk show to Chevy Chase, but with less humor.
The network has removed liberal Juan Williams from its show, “The Five,” and Democratic analyst Donna Brazile recently left for ABC News. Even conservative pundits, Stephen Hayes and Jonah Goldberg quit last month in protest of Tucker’s lying documentary.
According to inside sources at Fox (people who work there but hate it), Wallace was frustrated working at a supposed “news” network where the agenda was being crafted by conspiracy theorists. Even worse, much of the Fox News programming has been set by Donald Trump over the past five years. If Trump says it, much of the network repeats it as fact.
Fun fact: Donald Trump doesn’t say facts.
The insiders also report that Wallace, along with Brett Bair, had complained to network executives over Tucker Carlson’s constant lie the election was stolen. The sources also state Wallace was upset and had complained about a so-called “documentary” by Tucker, titled “Patriot Purge,” which includes the false claim that the riot was a “false flag” operation created to demonize the political right.
And then there has been the network’s coverage over its own Christmas tree. The tree outside the headquarters of Fox News on 6th Avenue was set on fire, allegedly by a homeless man who may be mentally ill. Fox News’ reaction to this is that it’s a “war on Christmas” and a “hate crime” against Fox News. If you listen to Christians, Christmas is under attack and persecuted in this country. Starbucks Happy Holiday cups are probably a hate crime for not saying, “Merry Christmas.”
Fox’s commentators have referred to the tree as, “America’s Tree,” though the tradition of Fox News putting up the tree was started in 2019. Jeanine Pirro said the burning of the tree is “pure evil.” She stated on air, “It’s about good versus evil! Period!”
Ainsley Earhardt, co-host of Fox & Friends comforted his concerned viewers by promising the network will “build it back better.” Ya’ mean by going to the store and buying a new fake tree? Ainsley raised the stakes now and for his sake, this tree better be better, godammit. Maybe Ainsley can volunteer to provide all-night security just to make sure the new tree is hobo-proof. Maybe Fox News can give him a whistle.
Fox & Friends Steve Doocy said, “Apparently lighting a Christmas tree on fire is not a hate crime.” Co-host Brian Kilmeade replied, “But it is! “Who says it’s not a hate crime against us – against Fox News?” So, Fox News is a religion now? Well, I guess is it a division of the Trump Cult.
Conservatives don’t believe the murder of Ahmaud Arbery while jogging was a hate crime, but setting this fake fucking tree on fire is. What’s the next Fox News hate crime, burning a MyPillow?
Another fun fact: Like much of Fox News, that tree had no soul.
Kilmeade then went on a rant about crime. He said, “There is so much crime in places that were always safe, including 48th and Sixth here. This is emblematic of these cities out of control, defame and defund the police, and this bail reform that has these men and women, these assailants, these suspects out before they can even finish the paperwork.”
He went on, “no person is safe and no city is safe.” No Christmas tree is safe from homeless vagrants. Before you can even finish the paperwork on arrested suspects, they make bail and set out to burn down another fake Christmas tree. This is the worst thing to happen to conservatism since that time Donald Trump was forced to go out in the rain to commemorate veterans. Tucker hasn’t taken a personal blow like this since he was kicked out of that Swiss boarding school for pampered special boys. We haven’t seen attack on white Christians like this since all those black people walked in front of those gun-toting mustard-loving conservatives’ home in St. Louis, or since CNN slandered the Covington Kid by pointing out he’s a huge dick, or since that time someone somewhere tricked Kyle Rittenhouse into drinking underage in a white nationalist bar. And if you listen to the Fox fuckers, you’d believe it was the worst thing to happen to New York City since 9/11.
And you know the jerks across the street at MSNBC were craning their necks out the window to gawk and laugh at this ungodly attack on the wholesome Christian purity of Fox News. Those MSNBC savages? Was Rachel giggling?
I’m mostly surprised they haven’t blamed this assault on their fake tree on President Biden, or Vice-President Kamala Harris, or Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, or Ilhan Omar, of the rest of the squad, or Antifa, or Black Lives Matter, or Dr. Fauci, or Starbucks holiday cups, or my cartoon yesterday on Mike Nesmith (you should see my inbox), or vaccines, or people who celebrate Kwanza, or…
No wonder Chris Wallace is leaving.
Music note: While drawing today’s cartoon, I listened to Taylor Swift’s Folklore album.
Signed prints: The signed prints are just $40.00 each. Every cartoon on this site is available. You can pay through PayPal. If you don’t like PayPal, you can snail mail it to Clay Jones, P.O. Box 3721, Fredericksburg, VA 22402. I can mail the prints directly to you or if you’re purchasing as a gift, directly to the person you’re gifting.
Notes on my book, Tales From The Trumpster Fire: There are 18 copies of my book in stock, which go for $45.00 each, signed. Also, I have copies of my first book from 1997, Knee-Deep in Mississippi available for $20.00.
Tip Jar: if you want to support the cartoonist, please send a donation through PayPal to clayjonz@gmail.com. You can also snail it to P.O. Box 3721, Fredericksburg, VA 22402.
Disclaimer: I freelance for CNN. I draw one cartoon each week for their opinion newsletter. Now, if I worked for Fox News, I wouldn’t have had to tell you that.
CNN fired Chris Cuomo on Saturday. His show occupied the 9:00 PM timeslot which goes head-to-head nightly against MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show (who is also leaving soon) and Fox News’ Tucker Carlson tonight (who’s never going to leave). While it’s going to be difficult for CNN to replace someone who sat in the 9:00 PM chair, it’ll be harder to replace the handoff-show banter between Cuomo and Don Lemon, whose two-hour show begins at 10:00 PM.
CNN already walked a tightrope with Chris Cuomo as his brother was governor of New York. He really couldn’t cover any news about his brother. But, during the pandemic, he would have his brother on which was very entertaining as they’d bicker and insult each other as brothers do. Once when Chris mentioned his wife had given him a haircut, big brother commented that judging from the haircut his wife had given him, she must be harboring a deep resentment against Chris. After Andrew received a COVID test during one of his live briefings (to show how easy it was), Chris presented him with a Q-tip that looked to be about four feet long. It was entertaining stuff, especially to those who have siblings. But the fine line between news and family was eventually crossed.
During Andrew Cuomo’s sex scandal, his brother Chris wasn’t able to cover the story. He mentioned that on the air. All seemed on the up-and-up, but it wasn’t. As it turns out, Chris was helping Andrew with strategy, mostly with how to deal with the press coverage. Chris even used his contacts at other networks to inform Andrew and his team of impending stories on the scandal.
It had been known for months that Chris had some involvement with his brother’s defense. He had said, “I’m not an adviser. I’m a brother. I wasn’t in control of anything. I was there to listen and offer my take.” But a document dump by New York Attorney General Letitia James after an investigation into Andrew’s sexcapade showed that while Chris was working as one of CNN’s top anchors, he was also effectively working as an unpaid aide to the governor.
The dump revealed multiple texts between Chris and several aides and allies of the governor where he sought to use his connections in the press to help prepare Andrew’s team as accusers started to make their stories public.
CNN put Chris on “indefinite hiatus” on Tuesday and hired a law firm to investigate. The network issued a statement saying, “When Chris admitted to us that he had offered advice to his brother’s staff, he broke our rules and we acknowledged that publicly. But we also appreciated the unique position he was in and understood his need to put family first and job second.”
“However,” the network said, “these documents point to a greater level of involvement in his brother’s efforts than we previously knew. As a result, we have suspended Chris indefinitely, pending further evaluation.”
The investigation brought new information to light and the head of CNN, Jeffrey Zucker, fired Chris Cuomo on Saturday. It was the right call.
Journalists are not supposed to work with people they cover. They definitely should not help them craft political strategy to aid their campaigns or administrations. MSNBC’s Morning Joe hosts, Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski were huge friends with Trump. Trump even offered to conduct their marriage ceremony, as a president can do that (like a boat captain. Didn’t you ever watch Love Boat? Though, Trump’s boat would probably be called “Grope Boat”). Joe And Mika even named their pet bunny “Donald Fluffy Trump.” I always suspected Trump was a fluffer. MSNBC never held their on-air couple accountable for their overly-friendly relationship with Trump.
But it’s Fox News where journalism ethics truly go to die. Sean Hannity and Jeanine Pirro have both spoken at Trump rallies. AT Trump rallies. They were speakers on the stage campaigning for Trump. Hannity argues he’s not a journalist, which we are aware of, but he’s on a supposed news network. Whether he believes he’s a journalist or not, he should still have to abide by the ethics of journalism. It’s bad enough Sean, Tucker, and the rest of the Fox News crowd of on-air white nationalists promote conspiracy theories and outright bullshit, but going on the campaign trail with someone they cover should not be allowed. It doesn’t even have to be investigated. It’s on the air.
But it gets worse. Sean Hannity and Donald Trump, during the Trump presidency (sic), would have late-night phone sessions. These two were trading sweet nothings on a nightly basis while conducting political strategy. And Chris Cuomo was fired for helping his brother. Personally, I think being the president’s (sic) personal fluffer for four-straight years is a greater violation of journalism ethics than helping your brother (not that I’m excusing that).
So this week when you witness white nationalist Nazi turdlings doing the happy dance while gleefully praising the dumping of Chris Cuomo for violating journalism ethics, keep all that Fox shit in mind.
But, Sean Hannity does have a point. Fox News is not journalism. But, maybe Fox News should stop pretending that it’s an actual news source.
Creative note: I didn’t listen to any music today because I was watching football while drawing this cartoon.
Signed prints: The signed prints are just $40.00 each. Every cartoon on this site is available. You can pay through PayPal. If you don’t like PayPal, you can snail mail it to Clay Jones, P.O. Box 3721, Fredericksburg, VA 22402. I can mail the prints directly to you or if you’re purchasing as a gift, directly to the person you’re gifting.
Notes on my book, Tales From The Trumpster Fire: There are 18 copies of my book in stock, which go for $45.00 each, signed. Also, I have copies of my first book from 1997, Knee-Deep in Mississippi available for $20.00.
Tip Jar: if you want to support the cartoonist, please send a donation through PayPal to clayjonz@gmail.com. You can also snail it to P.O. Box 3721, Fredericksburg, VA 22402.
Yesterday, the Pulitzer Prizes announced the winners for what they perceived to be the best journalism from print and digital news outlets in 2020. This is a day journalists sit on the edge of their seats for in great anticipation. This year, the announcement was delayed until June when it’s usually done in April. So, the anxiety for journalists is intensified and prolonged. The journalists waiting for this include political cartoonists.
After much waiting and anticipation, the Pulitzer Prize Committee slapped the entire profession of political cartooning in the face. Even for those cartoonists who didn’t enter, slappity slap slap. No prize for you. Can we have our entry fees returned? I mean, we entered because you gave us the impression there would be a winner. Even the Soup Nazi gave George Costanza a refund.
Yesterday, the Pulitzer people refused to give their annual award to a political cartoonist. Why? We don’t know. Some cartoonists believe it was racist because the three finalists consisted of a Native American, a Latino, and a Jew. But, being that these are journalism awards, let’s use journalism ethics and not make accusations where there is no proof or evidence. Besides, the Pulitzers give out lots of awards to minorities. There are probably minorities on the committees. Are you going to argue there are no Jews at The New York Times? So, colleagues, let that one go unless you have proof. Let’s not prove the Pulitzers right by not using journalism ethics, mkay?
Another cartoonist believes it’s because all three finalists were “alternative” cartoonists, as in, not traditional daily cartoonists. Yeah, I don’t know. Again, it’s an assumption.
The three finalists are Marty Two Bulls, Ken Fisher (who draws as Ruben Bolling and creates Tom the Dancing Bug), and Lalo Alcaraz. Lalo was a finalist last year too, so maybe if it was an actual tie this year the judges couldn’t choose from, then maybe they should have given it to the guy who was exceptional enough to be a finalist two years in a row. But that’s just me and I am a little biased because Lalo is a friend, though I honestly believe his work is amazeballs. He does a lot of cartoons that make me say, “I wish I had thought of that.”
What also hurts is that the Pulitzers created a special citation, not from any categories, to hand out to non-journalist Darnella Frazier. Sure, she deserves a special citation, but the Pulitzers created a new award while not giving one in another category. Maybe that’s how they decided to pay Ms. Frazier the prize money, by taking it from cartoonists.
There is outrage all over social media over this slap in the face. Former Pulitzer Prize winner Ann Telnaes has expressed outrage over this. The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists has released a statement. There is a great write-up of this at the Daily Cartoonist by Mike Peterson. And now, I have chimed in. I put off drawing for a day a cartoon on Trump’s spying on political enemies for this. Let’s strike while the iron is hot.
Yesterday, after I made a few tweets about this (and my joke is lifted directly from one of my tweets), one of my cynical detractors tweeted at me, “Tell us where the bad Pulitzer Prizes hurt you.” The thing is, they didn’t hurt me. They didn’t hurt me because it’s not about me.
The day before the announcement, one of my colleagues wrote several comments on another colleague’s Facebook post about the award. The original poster was writing about how the prize was important but then again, not so much. He was critical of it. The guy who replied informed everyone that he did not enter because he never wins. In fact, he was going to stop entering another contest, the Herblock, because he’s never won that one either. He wrote, “Goodbye, Felicia.” Shame on Felicia for not rewarding his brilliance.
He made it about himself. It’s not about him. And it’s not about me. It’s not about any one specific cartoonist. I totally get being disappointed when you don’t win. I’m disappointed every year by every freaking contest (usually). But, I’m not going to boycott a contest because they didn’t give me an award or a check. Nobody owes me an award. They don’t owe my colleague an award. Even the three finalists for this year’s Pulitzer aren’t owed an award, but they are owed an explanation. Since it’s about all of us, we’re all owed an explanation. As Ricky would say to Lucy: Pulitzers, “You got some ‘splaining to do.”
I don’t think you should make it personal when you don’t win…but I do think it’s fair to be critical of who wins…or more to the point…what wins.
If I were to boycott an award, it would be because it only rewards really bad stuff, like pro-Trump shit. Or the winner works for a disinformation outlet like Sputnik, or he’s Ben Garrison (this has not happened, but you never know). Another contest this year gave its first place to a cartoonist who was hired to replace a guy fired for drawing cartoons criticizing Trump. The replacement who won this contest draws cartoons about cancel culture. If award judges can’t recognize irony then they shouldn’t be judging political cartoons. Those would be good reasons to boycott.
There has been outrage in the past over who won the Pulitzer Prize for editorial cartoons when the winners were still cartoonists. The comic strip Doonsebury won in the 1970s and the guys who draw traditional political cartoons were livid (before my time in the biz, but I read about it). About a decade later, Bloom County won and political cartoonists nearly stormed Columbia University like a bunch of MAGA terrorists attacking the Capitol. That was also before my time in the business, but some guys are still bitching about it.
A few years ago, one cartoonist won the award and half his entry (they could include up to 20 cartoons at that time) were animations. Another cartoonist wrote a long column criticizing this decision saying the animations didn’t provide any commentary and were just jingles about politics. Another year, the entire winning entry consisted of animated political cartoons, though those were heavy in commentary (and quite brilliant). I actually don’t recall any complaining about that one but I’m sure someone somewhere was grumbling.
In the 2000s, a conservative won his second Pulitzer and a lot of his colleagues were disappointed because his cartoons didn’t question power, didn’t comfort the afflicted, and didn’t call out the bad guys. No. They supported coverups in the Bush administration. One of the cartoons in the package was about Sheryl Crow doing her part for the environment by not using toilet paper. Maybe the Pulitzer judges really hated her cover of “First Cut is the Deepest.” I know I did.
Another episode that triggered cartoonists was when the main committee rejected the three finalists and picked another cartoonist from the batch who didn’t make the original cut. One of his cartoons eloquently pointed out that Monica Lewinsky was “thick” and Gennifer Flowers was not as thick. Seriously.
There have been times when the winning entry didn’t question authority, or all the cartoons were lazy clichés, or the cartoons were more gag and not actual editorializing. And, a lot of times cartoonists were upset over the winners because they just thought they just simply sucked. Usually, someone was upset because s/he didn’t win. But, nobody is owed an award.
What’s more troubling is now you can win a Pulitzer Prize for editorial cartooning without drawing an editorial cartoon. This is true and it’s happened.
A few years ago, the Pulitzers gave the top prize for editorial cartooning to a graphic series in a publication. It was shared between the artist and the writer. This was some outstanding journalism but it was not an editorial cartoon. The writer has a Pulitzer for editorial cartooning and he doesn’t draw. Has the Pulitzer for best photo been given to someone who doesn’t take photos?
A couple years ago, they gave the Pulitzer to Barry Blitt. Barry is a Facebook friend of mine and I don’t mean to disparage his accomplishment, but he’s heard this before. His artwork was for magazine covers. Though his artwork is excellent, they’re not editorial cartoons. The word is, the judges didn’t even pick him…but once again, the finalists were rejected by the larger committee and they went for the magazine guy.
The Pulitzer people must have heard the outrage so they changed a few things. For this year’s contest, the eligibility for the prize for editorial cartooning read, “For editorial cartooning and other illustrated work.”
What the hell is “other illustrated work?” It’s anything that was in a print or online news publication…almost any online news publication.
This year, after I had labored for many hours putting my Pulitzer package together and had made my submission, the Pulitzer people contacted me and said, “Nope. You gotta take something out. It doesn’t qualify.”
Here’s the thing, kids: This year, the number of cartoons that can be in a package was reduced from 20 to 15. Your typical political cartoonist will draw about 300 cartoons a year. I draw over 400. So, on most days, I’m not drawing a cartoon that will be considered for a contest. Most days, the cartoon I drew for that day will be rejected by myself for a contest. So, all the contest judges out there are seeing just a tiny itty bitty teensy fraction of my work to consider as the best of all cartoons of the year. The same goes for most of my colleagues.
One of the reasons I draw so many cartoons is because I also draw for CNN once a week. This year, I included one of my CNN cartoons. I really liked it too. But, the Pulitzer people told me it didn’t qualify. They only told me why after I asked. They said it didn’t qualify because CNN is a broadcast outlet, not a print or digital one. I buy that explanation except…it was only published digitally. It was drawn for their weekly newsletter…which is digital. It was also published on my website…which is also digital. So, digital news outlets are OK unless they’re owned by a broadcast network? Aren’t there newspapers owned by cable networks? Doesn’t Cox own the Atlanta Journal-Constitution? Does that mean the AJC doesn’t qualify?
I am grateful the Pulitzer people allowed me to replace that cartoon for another cartoon for them to later reject, but I still have an issue over this. Technically, based upon their description of “other illustrated work,” the USA Today weather map is more eligible for the Pulitzer Prize in editorial cartooning than my CNN editorial cartoon.
Let’s say I don’t deserve a Pulitzer Prize. A lot of people do say that. But again, it’s not about me. But my profession deserves the Pulitzer. My profession deserves that respect. We are in a time when newspapers are firing their cartoonists and laying them off. A cartoonist was literally fired for drawing about Donald Trump. He took a stand that cost him a job he had for over 30 years. That doesn’t deserve a Pulitzer?
The Pulitzer Prize just gave back-up to every editor who believes he doesn’t need a cartoon in his publication. The Pulitzer Prize just gave credibility to the argument that political cartoons are not journalism. Sure, there are bad cartoonists. There are cartoonists who are hacks. But I personally have a short list in my head of brilliant political cartoonists who deserve the recognition of a Pulitzer Prize.
I don’t know if we have any Herblocks, Oliphants, or Conrads in our ranks today. And I believe there are more cartoonists drawing crap than there are cartoonists doing great work. But, I think the few cartoonists who are drawing great cartoons are creating some of the best cartoons in the history of political cartoons.
We had a year of cartoons covering the covid pandemic, an administration covering it up and suggesting everyone drink bleach, a presidential election, and a fascist-wannabe president claiming he won when he lost. Surely, at least one cartoonist in the United States of America drew some cartoons on those subjects good enough for a Pulitzer Prize. The Pulitzers just disrespected my entire industry and skipped an opportunity to award its top prize to someone who’s long deserved it and hasn’t received it yet, like Rob Rogers, Pat Bagley, Kevin Kallaugher, Mike Thompson, Bill Bramhall, and one of this year’s finalists, Lalo Alcaraz.
My cartoon above is correct. I have the kind of humor that doesn’t win Pulitzer Prizes. The proof of that is, I don’t have a Pulitzer Prize. And, I’ll prove it again next year because this cartoon will be included in my Pulitzer Prize entry. I’m not going to include it because I actually believe it’s great or worthy of a Pulitzer Prize.
The Pulitzer Prize just took a dump on my entire profession. I’m including this cartoon in my 2021 entry because I am forcing the Pulitzer Prize people to see it.
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Notes on my book, Tales From The Trumpster Fire: I have two copies of my book in stock, which I’m selling for $45.00 each, signed. Also, I have copies of my first book from 1997, Knee-Deep in Mississippi available for $20.00.
Tip Jar: if you want to support the cartoonist, please send a donation through PayPal to clayjonz@gmail.com. You can also snail it to P.O. Box 9103, Fredericksburg, VA 22403.
The watchdog group, the Committee to Protect Journalists, issued a report that at least 30 journalists were killed worldwide last year. Other agencies have the number as high as 50. Afghanistan and Mexico are considered the most dangerous places in the world for a journalist to work. Four journalists in Mexico were assassinated in 2020 and another was gunned down while reporting from a crime scene.
A television and radio reporter was fatally shot while on her way to work in Afghanistan last December. Iran executed a journalist for reporting on anti-government protests in 2017. Three journalists were murdered in the Philippines. Journalists face threats from criminals and corrupt governments.
Journalists aren’t just murdered. They’re thrown in prison. At least 274 journalists were imprisoned in 2020 in places like China, Turkey (which is a member of NATO and supposed to be a democracy), Egypt, Russia, Belarus, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, and oh yeah…the United States.
Don’t forget the murder of Washington Post reporter Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey by the government of Saudi Arabia in 2018. Our president (sic) at the time ignored it and our current president issued sanctions that were like, as Alexander Lemtov said while Lars Erickssong was punching him in Eurovision, with “silky kitty fists in marshmallow boxing gloves.”
The oppression of journalists is the legacy of Donald Trump. At least 34 were arrested globally for reporting “false news.” A lot of it was for exposing a government’s failure responding to the coronavirus pandemic. Here in the United States, the bastion of freedom, 110 journalists were arrested, most while covering protests against police violence.
Reporters Without Borders has an index for World Press Freedom where it ranks countries. Where does the United States, the champion of freedom, democracy, and liberty, land on the index for World Press Freedom? The U.S. comes in at 44. However, we are number one in the amount rednecks shouting, “Murica” and claiming we’re the greatest country in the world. Also, I think we win at hot dog eating contests (champion Joey Chestnut ate 75 hot dogs in ten minutes. He’s also a bratwurst, chicken wing, corned-beef sandwich, and poutine-eating champion. See the type of wormholes I go down for my readers?).
Press freedom is a larger and more important symbol of American exceptionalism than baseball, apple pie, mom, Chevrolet, and even hot dogs. Yes, even Nathan hot dogs.
The thing is, kids, you can’t be a great country without press freedom. Donald Trump and Republicans want to destroy that. Even as goon networks like Fox News, One America News, and Newsmax attack freedom of the press, it’s the Constitutional guarantee of freedom of the press that allows them to make claims like the election was stolen or Joe Biden wants to ban hamburgers.
Some outlets take press freedom seriously. The Washington Post, The New York Times, and NBC each issued corrections after reporting Rudy Giuliani received advance warning from the FBI he was the target of a Russian influence campaign. He did not get those. After reporting multiple times Joe Biden wants to ban hamburgers, Fox News mumbled a correction that wasn’t a correction (it was one of those, “We’re sorry if you thought that”). Later, the leading Republican in the House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy, went on Hannity and made the bogus claim again. Despite the network previously stating it was a lie and kinda-sorta giving a correction, Hannity did not correct McCarthy. I’m just worried they’re going to alarm Joey Chestnut that hot dogs are next.
If Republicans had their way, guys like me would be in prison, not for reporting lies but for reporting and covering what they don’t want to hear. Or, maybe even throw us in jail for making fun of them.
In Bangladesh, Kabir Kishore, a cartoonist, has been in prison for drawing about the coronavirus pandemic and posting “rumors” about the pandemic that could “cause an unrest.” Here in the U.S, we have goons like Bob Gorrell, Gary Varvel, Mike Lester, Michael Ramirez, Gary McCoy, Chip Bok, A.F. Branco, and the most notorious of the goons, Ben Garrison (if you’re a right-wing cartooning goon and I left you out, my apologies), creating cartoons daily that are based on lies, conspiracy theories, and total and utter complete bullshit. Guess how many of those guys are in prison?
None of our right-wing goose-stepping cartooning goons should be in prison for lying because we have freedom of the press. But they should recognize the freedoms they have and not abuse it. The editors putting them on their pages should stop abusing it. Also, maybe the syndicates (I’m looking at you too, Counterpoint) selling these guys should stop pushing all content based on lies. The most ironic thing is, which they don’t catch because conservatives don’t detect irony, is that it’s freedom of the press that allows them to attack the press…while being members of the press. I know. It’s fucking surreal.
CNN’s Omar Jimenez was arrested on live TV for reporting on protests in the wake of the police murder of George Floyd. Jimenez is a black journalist so it was a twofer for the Minnesota State Police. This should not happen in the United States of America. But here in “Murica,” we just spent the past four years with a wannabe-fascist president (sic) who encouraged his white nationalist rally goers to assault the members of the press covering the hate rallies.
We need to protect journalists worldwide. Because we’re ranked 44 on press freedom, we need to start at home. A good way to start would be if “journalists” could stop attacking journalism. They can also start by stop giving TV shows to politicians’ fascist surrogates.
Signed prints: The signed prints are just $40.00 each. Every cartoon on this site is available. You can pay through PayPal. If you don’t like PayPal, you can snail mail it to Clay Jones, P.O. Box 9103, Fredericksburg, VA 22403. I can mail the prints directly to you or if you’re purchasing as a gift, directly to the person you’re gifting.
Notes on my book, Tales From The Trumpster Fire: I have Three copies of my book in stock, which I’m selling for $45.00 each, signed. Also, I have copies of my first book from 1997, Knee-Deep in Mississippi available for $20.00.
Tip Jar: if you want to support the cartoonist, please send a donation through PayPal to clayjonz@gmail.com. You can also snail it to P.O. Box 9103, Fredericksburg, VA 22403.
One of my biggest problems with Donald Trump is that the leader of the free world is supposed to set an example for the rest of the world to follow and be a champion of freedom. That includes freedom of the press because even as a president may fight with journalist, he is still supposed to value the importance a free press brings to democracy. You can NOT have a free country without a free press. This is a fact.
Instead of championing freedom, Donald Trump attacked our democratic allies over the price of cheese, how much they contributed to NATO, questioned if we needed NATO, and insulted the leader of Denmark for not selling us Greenland. He sucked up to leaders who were strongmen and suppressors of freedom in Turkey, the Philippines, China, North Korea, and Russia. He took Russia’s president’s words over that of our intelligence agencies. He defended and pushed aside the murders committed by the regimes of Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un, and Saudi Arabia’s Mohammad bin Salman.
When confronted with the fact that Putin has had journalists murdered, Trump said, “So what. Do you think we’re so nice?” We don’t throw journalists off buildings in our nation. When asked about his buddy Kim Jong Un’s murder of Otto Warmbier, an American college student, Trump said, “He feels really bad about it.”
After Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, living in the United States and under the protection of our country, was murdered in the Saudi Arabian embassy in Turkey, Donald Trump defended the murderers. Khashoggi was lured to the embassy and then killed with a hacksaw, in that they chopped his body up into multiple pieces.
Make no mistake about it. One reason Saudi Arabia did this to a journalist and an American resident is because they knew if caught, that the President of the United States (sic) wouldn’t do anything about it.
U.S. intelligence said it was “highly unlikely that Saudi officials would have carried out an operation of this nature without the Crown Prince’s authorization.” But Trump made suggestions that Khashoggi was aligned with terrorists, as if he had it coming. He questioned U.S intelligence and said, “It could very well be that the Crown Prince had knowledge of this tragic event — maybe he did and maybe he didn’t! That being said, we may never know all of the facts surrounding the murder of Mr. Jamal Khashoggi. In any case, our relationship is with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”
That translates to: Our relationship is with Saudi Arabia, not with freedom and not with the truth. If Donald Trump could have chopped up journalists in our country, he would have.
President Joe Biden promised us we’d get the truth. He has delivered on that. When it comes to defending freedom in this manner, he has not. Yesterday, President Joe Biden became a disappointment.
I voted for Biden. And in doing so, I knew there would be issues where I would disagree with him. I knew there would be issues where I would have to draw a cartoon taking him to task, even if it upsets some of my readers…or all of them.
But, as I’ve said before, I am not like one of those MAGAt Trump-worshipping cartoonists. I am not in a cult to Joe Biden. I do not bow down before a golden statue of him like they’re literally doing at CPAC this weekend. I don’t worship Joe Biden and forget all the principles I used to claim I cared about. I am happy Joe Biden is president over Donald Trump, but I am not Joe Biden’s friend. I do not work for the Biden administration. Just because I champion many of the same issues you do, don’t make the mistake I am on your team.
My friend and fellow cartoonist Ted Rall made some bizarre post several weeks ago about how he’ll be the only liberal who will take Biden to task, which is just flat-out wrong. I can think of several cartoonists who will do that, and especially over something like this. Also Ted works for Sputnik, which is owned by Russia. Ted works for Vladimir Putin, so there’s that.
Like I said, I’m not like those MAGAt guys, where they will criticize a politician on an issue but ignore when their side does it. How many conservative cartoonists who ignored or defended Trump’s position with the murder of Khashoggi will now turn around and criticize Biden for it? All of them.
The Biden administration released the CIA report on the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. And it reported what we already knew. The killing was approved by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is the de-facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, a monarchy and dictatorship.
The conclusion was based, the report said, on the crown prince’s absolute control of decision-making, the involvement in the operation of a top adviser and seven members of his personal protective detail, and his “support for using violent measures to silence dissidents abroad.”
In an opinion piece, The Washington Post, where Khashoggi was a contributing columnist while living as U.S. resident, calls bin Salman a murderer and that Biden should not give him a “pass.”
The Post points out that while we do need stability in the region, in the oil market, and a strong deterrent to Iran, we can’t allow bin Salman to just skip away from responsibility.
While MBS will not have a direct link to the White House through secret backchannels and apps that delete conversations (thanks, Jared), or photo-op visits in the Oval Office, he’s still going to have contact with top American diplomats. Just a few days ago, he had a phone call with our new Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin.
While Biden has stopped sales of arms for Saudi’s war with Yemen, which Trump refused to cease even after Congress told him to, Biden will continue to sell other arms to the kingdom for “defense.”
There will be no freeze of bin Salman’s personal assets in the United States. There will be no travel ban against him. There will be no expelling, even temporary, of the Saudi ambassador. There will be no calls for a new successor to the king of Saudi Arabia, which I should remind you, is not a democracy. Any sanctions against the nation will be minimal.
While MBS has opened up some freedoms in the nation, has released high-profile prisoners to appease Biden along with ending the blockade of Qatar, an American ally, his regime has still brutally oppressed freedom in that nation. In Saudi Arabia, you can be imprisoned for life for being gay…or receive the death sentence. How many other nations do we sell missiles to that murder people for being gay?
Saudi Arabia has the same policies on the press and LGBT as Iran.
While MBS may not chop up journalists under the protection of the United States in the immediate future, Biden’s actions doesn’t pressure them to stop murdering other journalists.
An American president should not only defend freedom in the United States. He should defend freedom worldwide. He should demand that Saudi Arabia cease all punishment of journalists. Last year, 50 journalists died throughout the world. Even our ally, Turkey, throws journalists in prison.
We have improved from having a president (sic) who called journalists the “enemy of the American people” and demanded we get rid of laws that protect a free press…you know, like the Constitution. But, just being better than Donald Trump isn’t good enough. We should demand better because we deserve better. Joe Biden was the answer to getting rid of Donald Trump. Now that we have done that, can we all move on?
When I criticized Andrew Cuomo, I did not put myself in that position. Andrew Cuomo put me there. In this case, Joe Biden has placed me in this position to go after his administration on this failed, anti-democratic, and anti-free press policy.
Trump’s position was, “Our relationship is with Saudi Arabia, not with freedom and not with the truth.” Biden’s is, “Our relationship is with Saudi Arabia, the truth, and maybe some of the freedom. Eh. Here and there.”
President Joe Biden, defend a free press. Don’t coddle the murderers of journalists.
Remember Jamal Khashoggi.
Signed prints: The signed prints are just $40.00 each. Every cartoon on this site is available. You can pay through PayPal. If you don’t like PayPal, you can snail mail it to Clay Jones, P.O. Box 9103, Fredericksburg, VA 22403. I can mail the prints directly to you or if you’re purchasing as a gift, directly to the person you’re gifting.
Notes on my book, Tales From The Trumpster Fire: I have SEVEN copies of my book in stock, which I’m selling for $45.00 each, signed. Also, I have copies of my first book from 1997, Knee-Deep in Mississippi available for $20.00.
Tip Jar: if you want to support the cartoonist, please send a donation through PayPal to clayjonz@gmail.com. You can also snail it to P.O. Box 9103, Fredericksburg, VA 22403.
OK. I’ll bite. Hey, China. Why is Donald Trump such a racist?
During yesterday’s shitshow disguised as a press conference, Trump deflected from his agenda of boasting about himself and lying about the “success story” that is his response to the coronavirus, to once again demonstrate to the nation that he is a huge racist.
I have been wondering for the past month while Donald Trump keeps comparing our nation’s testing with that of other nations. I question this like I question why everyone in his administration has to say, “Thank you for your leadership.” I also ask myself, “Is that how someone stands while wearing lifts and an adult diaper?” But The competition question came back to me yesterday as the entire conference was about comparing the United States’ numbers with those of other countries (of course, there were lies about those). I’m very happy to report that I’m not alone in asking this question. A reporter for CBS asked the question.
A White House correspondent for CBS News asked Donald Trump, “Why is this a global competition when, every day, Americans are still losing their lives?”
Trump responded to the White House correspondent with, “They’re losing their lives everywhere in the world, and maybe that’s a question you should ask China. Don’t ask me, ask China that question, OK.”
Of course, Trump had to overemphasize and do that slight pause he habitually does before giving a hard pronunciation to “China.” “And maybe that’s a question you should ask…CHINA.”
Have you ever wanted to visit…CHINA? Do you know anyone from…CHINA? One of my best friends took his mom to…CHINA. Did you know the president of….CHINA…is named…XI?
If you figure out what Donald Trump’s tick is with…CHINA, let me know. But, we’re not here to talk about that. We’re here to talk about his racism, like when he keeps reminding us the coronavirus came from…CHINA.
When Donald Trump told the reporter to “ask…CHINA,” was he being a bully? Was he being sexist because the reporter is a female? Or…wait for it…was he being racist?
Was he being racist in asking the correspondent to ask…CHINA? What does China have to do with Donald Trump making it a global competition? Why should anyone ask China or any nation why Donald Trump keeps comparing our numbers to other nations…yesterday it was mostly South Korea and Germany. Hey, China…why does Donald Trump keep comparing the U.S. testing numbers with those of South Korea and Germany? It doesn’t make much sense to ask China, does it?
Oh, I get it. It does make sense in a very stupid sort of way if you’re a racist. See, I forgot to mention something. The reporter Donald Trump told to “ask China” about why he thinks it’s a global competition is…wait for it…a Chinese American. He asked her to ask China as if she has China on speed dial. Was someone in China to interrupt their dinner with, “Excuse me while I put down my egg roll and chopsticks and take this call. It’s from Weijia. My fortune cookie told me she’d call today.” Fun fact: Egg rolls and fortune cookies were invented in the United States…just like most Chinese food you order in an American restaurant. And while racism wasn’t invented in the United States or even by white people, white people like Donald Trump have perfected it.
Weijia Jiang is a White House correspondent for CBS News. She was born in Xiamen, China, and raised in West Virginia. If you’re going to stereotype her, she probably listens to bluegrass and says phrases like, “Up around the holler.” She attended the University of William and Mary and Syracuse University. Another fun fact about Jiang is…she doesn’t take much shit.
After Donald Trump told her, a Chinese-American, to ask…CHINA, she asked, “Sir, why are you saying that to me specifically?” Donald Trump, got upset, not because he doesn’t know the word “specifically,” but because she asked him a “nasty” question.
That’s another tick of his. Trump insults men too. He goes off on male reporters from time to time, but he’s extra hard on female reporters. He once goaded a crowd to harass MSNBC’s Katy Tur at one of his hate rallies to the point she needed police protection to leaver the building. But he especially goes hard on female reporters who aren’t white. And when he’s upset by women, he uses the term “nasty.” He used it against Hillary Clinton, Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, Carmen Cruz, Mazie Hirono, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, the Prime Minister of Denmark when she wouldn’t sell him Greenland, and he used it yesterday on Weijia Jiang.
And after his testy exchange with Jiang, Donald Trump ran away like a little coward.
The people who believe Donald Trump is not a racist are the same jerks who thinks he’s a tough guy while running away from a woman’s question.
Yesterday’s exchange was reminiscent of the time he told White House correspondent April Ryan to gather together the Congressional Black Caucus and set up a meeting with Trump. April Ryan works for American Urban Radio Networks. She’s black. Donald Trump thinks all black people know each other. Maybe she can ask Colin Kaepernick to stop kneeling. Maybe April Ryan can tell Dwane Johnson we’ve had enough Fast & Furious movies. Maybe she can tell Lebron James and Stephen Curry to stop saying “nasty” thing about Trump. Maybe April can tell Samuel L. Jackson to stop saying “motherfucker” all the time like, “that’s one racist motherfucker.” She must know all of them because each of them is black, right? Racist motherfucker Donald Trump thinks so.
But since we’re now going to ask…CHINA questions that don’t have anything to do with them, let’s ask them this:
Hey….CHINA. Why is racism not a dealbreaker for Trump supporters?
I don’t know about…China, but Sam will probably tell us, “Because they’re all racist motherfuckers.”
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I don’t believe the press is infallible. They make mistakes. Usually, when I have an issue with a LEGITIMATE news outlet (something Trump cultists can’t differentiate from propaganda sites), it’s over how, what, and how much they cover a topic. I don’t really see actual news organizations lying. That said, I believe in a free press and my confidence in them is extremely high. I trust experienced reporters because I’m very familiar with the high standards to which they hold themselves.
So, when it’s between a version offered by a reporter for National Public Radio with nearly 30 years of journalism versus a version offered by any member of the Trump administration, or any Republican for that matter, I’m going with the journalist. There is a huge difference between a journalist and a politician lying. The journalist loses her job.
I truly believe Secretary of State Mike Pompeo would have difficulty finding his ass with both hands. The man is oblivious to facts and reality. Did he not think a journalist would be able to back up her story with notes? Does he not understand how email works? Did he really think it’d be believable that a world-traveled national correspondent for NPR who is a magna cum laude graduate of Harvard and holds a master’s degree in European Studies from Cambridge University wouldn’t be able to find Ukraine on a map? Did he think she’d fail his little test because he tried it on Donald Trump during that entire Greenland fiasco?
Mike Pompeo agreed to do an interview with Mary Louise Kelly of NPR. She corresponded with his staff before the interview where they tried to limit her questions to Iran, but in emails between Kelly and Pompeo’s press aide, Katie Martin, Kelly made her intentions clear that she would question Pompeo on other subjects besides Iran. Martin wrote in one response, “Totally understand you want to ask other topics but just hoping . . . we can stick to that topic for a healthy portion of the interview.” That is NOT an agreement that questions on Ukraine won’t be asked or that anything is off the record.
Mike Pompeo got upset during the interview after being asked if he owed an apology to Marie Yovanovitch, the former ambassador to Ukraine that Trump ousted after Rudy Giuliani and associated goons conducted a smear campaign against that might have included stalking. He never did answer the question.
Pompeo berated her with profanity asking, “Do you think Americans care about Ukraine?” After Pompeo stormed out, an aide asked Kelly to follow her into Pompeo’s private living room at the State Department without a recorder. Then, Pompeo ordered an aide to produce an unmarked map (why do they have those?) and proceeded to challenge Kelly to find Ukraine. I for one would LOVE to challenge every Republican fucknut to find Ukraine on an unmarked map. Hell, I’d settle for them finding Ohio.
Pompeo issued a long statement saying, “NPR reporter Mary Louise Kelly lied to me, twice. First, last month, in setting up our interview and, then again yesterday, in agreeing to have our post-interview conversation off the record. “It is shameful that this reporter chose to violate the basic rules of journalism and decency. This is another example of how unhinged the media has become in its quest to hurt President Trump and this Administration. It is no wonder that the American people distrust many in the media when they so consistently demonstrate their agenda and their absence of integrity.”
He summed up with, “It is worth noting that Bangladesh is NOT Ukraine.”
Trump later joined in by replying, “A very good question” to a tweet by conservative radio and Fox News host Mark Levin in which Levin asked, “Why does NPR still exist? We have thousands of radio stations in the U.S. Plus Satellite radio. Podcasts. Why are we paying for this big-government, Democrat Party propaganda operation.” Facts and reality have a liberal bias.
Personally, I find it very difficult to believe that not only couldn’t Kelly locate Ukraine on a map, but also landed on the wrong continent.
This is classic Trump bullying of a female and journalist. It’s what they do. They lie and then they snowflake out and get butthurt and cry after being busted in the lie. Pompeo’s statement only confirmed Kelly was telling the truth about his outrage. And it’s laughable for any member of the Trump administration, less enough one who refuses to apologize after Trump’s goons stalked one of his ambassadors, to question a journalist’s integrity.
Pompeo’s problem is that he works for the Trump administration. The only people who will believe him over Kelly are in the cult. We know who the liars are.
Anyone who believes Mike Pompeo over Mary Louise Kelly has their head up their ass.
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