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The former ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell declared that “journalism is dead” after the double standard in covering a story on Sen. Tom Carper’s meltdown.
Grenell, the former acting Director of National Intelligence, called out the “swampy groupthink” of journalists who cover for each other’s hypocrisy after one CNN reporter’s reaction to a profane on-air rant by the Democratic senator from Delaware.
Carper faced an apparent glitch during a virtual hearing on the Postal Service being held Friday. When Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Ron Johnson invited Carper to speak, he struggled with getting his connection unmuted. As Johnson tried to move on when he did not hear from Carper, the feed was suddenly back, with the Democrat yelling “f—” three times in anger.
**WARNING: Language**
Sen. Tom Carper dropping some f bombs, apparently because his computer was muted: pic.twitter.com/uARqNK6IQ5
— Matt Shuham (@mattshuham) August 21, 2020
An aide appeared for a moment in the video frame as Carper began to respond, with an amused Johnson asking him to unmute his screen.
“We don’t want to be on TV again,” he said, smiling.
The video of the moment got immediate attention on social media with some thinking he may have been berating the aide for the technical glitch.
Hot take: Not a big fan of senators swearing at their staff.
— JERRY DUNLEAVY (@JerryDunleavy) August 21, 2020
so he literally didn’t know or couldn’t find the unmute button and is mad at his admin for it 🤣
— STFUdonnie (@ataylor3133) August 21, 2020
I’m no fan of @SenatorCarper but it didn’t seemed like he was cursing the computer and not his staffer. Unless you saw a longer version?
— Ben Hamberg (@Benjamminham) August 21, 2020
But more glaring were the comments making light of the incident. Though it certainly was not a gaffe that was nationally important, a Republican lawmaker – and especially President Trump – would have been pilloried for the same thing.
CNN White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins seemed to find it refreshing.
OK I needed that.
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) August 21, 2020
Her tweet caught Grenell’s attention and he called it out.
Journalism is dead.
CNN’s White House reporter responds to @SenatorCarper’s (D) profane meltdown on a staffer because he doesn’t know how to unmute his own computer. https://t.co/lV54xmJj6Q
— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) August 21, 2020
Soon, CBS News reporter Kathryn Watson came to Collins’ defense, issuing a condescending “Chill, man,” to Grenell who came back swinging.
“DC reporters stick together. Always. Especially the young ones who think twitter is reporting,” he tweeted. “Swampy groupthink isn’t journalism.”
DC reporters stick together. Always. Especially the young ones who think twitter is reporting.
Here is CBS protecting CNN.
Swampy groupthink isn’t journalism. https://t.co/i5ZT7efhDk
— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) August 21, 2020
Meanwhile, Carper’s office issued a statement about his earlier meltdown.
“Like most Americans in 2020, Senator Carper got frustrated with technical difficulties this morning, but that pales in comparison to his frustration with a Postmaster General who’s actively undermining the U.S. Postal Service during a national crisis,” the statement read.
The senator doubled down on Twitter as well, trying to put the attention elsewhere.
Those who know me know that there are few things that get me more fired up than protecting the Postal Service!#DontMessWithUSPS
— Senator Tom Carper (@SenatorCarper) August 21, 2020
But while Carper and others played down the incident, and liberals on Twitter applauded the rant, Grenell’s point about the double standard was more than evident to many others.
You wouldn’t be saying chill of it was a Republican senator you hack.
— KSLawWolf (@KSLawWolf) August 21, 2020
Try to imagine the coverage if it was an “R” Senator, & you’d better understand @RichardGrenell‘s point.
— Laurence Watkins (@thelarrywatkins) August 21, 2020
If Trump did this you’d be in full meltdown right now. Chill.
— Quick Time Tweets (@DirkTheDaring3) August 21, 2020
I stand with Richard Grinnell on this one
— Marjon Q17 💪 🇺🇸 💪 (@ProfessorPlum96) August 21, 2020
Little tip: don’t mess with @RichardGrenell
— Julie Gunlock (@JGunlock) August 21, 2020
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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