There is an interesting controversy this week after ABC’s Martha Raddatz took Texas GOP Governor Greg Abbott to task for public comments about the open Southern border as fueling the crisis. Raddatz is being criticized for her claim that President Joe Biden has never encouraged migrants to come over the border — a statement that many objected to as demonstrably false. However, I am more interested in a different aspect of her remarks: the objection to Abbott’s language. It is the type of objection that one finds from a system of state media where the narrative is supposed to be replicated and uniform.
Abbott has criticized the Biden administration’s “open-border policies” and Raddatz immediately objected to that language in her interview:
You talk about the border wall, you talk about open borders, I don’t think I’ve ever heard President Biden say, ‘We have an open border, come on over.” But people I have heard say it are you, are former President Trump, Ron DeSantis. That message reverberates in Mexico and beyond. So, they do get the message that it is an open border.”
Critics immediately pointed out past Biden comments criticized as seemingly encouraging such border crossers: “They deserve to be heard. That’s who we are. We’re a nation that says, ‘If you want to flee, and you’re fleeing oppression, you should come.’”
They also point out that Raddatz herself was told by one border crosser that he “basically” made the trip because Biden was elected.
However, it was the objection to the use of divergent language that was equally striking. ABC and other mainstream media sites have been accused of echoing the narrative of the Biden Administration and largely ignoring (until recently) the crisis at the southern border. Those who raise the issue have been denounced as exaggerating or inventing a crisis.
Raddatz’s interview is reminiscent of the interview by Leslie Stahl on CBS with former President Donald Trump where she shutdown Trump referring to the spying on this campaign by declaring that there is no evidence of such spying. There was already ample evidence of such spying, but Stahl simply told viewers that it was untrue.
The Raddatz interview raises again the danger of a de facto state media where media echoes the position of the government by choice rather than coercion. Her objection was that Abbott and others keep referring to a crisis when the Administration and mainstream media do not use such terms. As a journalist, she is objecting to a public official in a border state calling out a crisis as thousands pour over his border on a daily basis.
Raddatz’s objection was notably virtually identical to the talking point put out by the White House. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has declared “It would be wrong to think the border is open. It is not open.” She added “anyone who suggests otherwise is simply doing the work of these smugglers who, again, are spreading misinformation which is very dangerous.”
It is unclear what Raddatz is suggesting. Was the governor of Texas supposed to stop responding to the outcry of border cities to the massive influx? Was he supposed to insist that the border is not open as videos show hundreds just walking over the border?
Raddatz is an accomplished journalist and I have great respect for her career. We can all craft questions or comments poorly. However, the concern is that this interview occurred in the context of ABC and other networks steadfastly ignoring the growing crisis at the border.
I think, when and if we ever restore our nation to its original condition, we will find operatives like Raddatz were “just following orders” from those on high. Spineless cowards who went along to get along and were willing to do the most despicable acts in order to rise with the fetid tide they were riding. Several generations of mis-educated, brainwashed, duped, tools.
Professor Turley- I don’t think you need to cover your otherwise excellent article by conceding that Raddatz has had a distinguished career as a journalist. In those of her interviews and reports that I have followed over the years, she has been a compromised mouthpiece not unlike this last interview.. So, her attack on Greg Abbott and her lack of supporting evidence was no surprise.
I hope you’re more convincing in court than you are on this blog. You’re comments have become so pervasively stilted as to be unreadable. Bag that sand.
Her attempt to use Biden’s open border policy and twist it to try to put the fault on Governor Abbot with some serious gold worthy mental gymnastics is a sign of desperation from the Biden admin and the DNC.
Like most MSM pundits, she traded her journalistic objectivity and integrity for biased advocacy journalism.
Who in their right mind would watch ABC News?
Who?
Those who want to be told what to think.
Just remember…The View is part of the ABC news division. THAT is all you need to know
She does not deserve the respect that JT gives her. We should remember her role in the 2016 Presidential debate where she “debated” with Mr. Trump regarding making war on Syria, which she was trying to force him to commit to. https://www.businessinsider.com/martha-raddatz-donald-trump-syria-2016-10 We should also remember the night of the 2016 election when she started crying when she realized that Trump had won, claiming that American military personnel would not want to serve under him. https://www.thewrap.com/donald-trump-president-martha-raddatz-tears-up-abc-news/ Her source for this information: Tim Keane, the Democratic VP candidate!! She was starting the Resistance on the night of the election. Such people are the source of our problems.
Thank you for pointing out that Rad ditz is mostly wrong. She is seldom correct if ever when she mediates debates sitting on her Democrat throne. Professor Turley has an amazing stomach to accept her as a legitimate reporter.
Pardon me professor, but I don’t see how any thinking person can have “great respect” for the likes of Raddatz and Stahl (I won’t even sully this comment by mentioning the diversity hire who speaks for the demented one in the WH). People like Raddatz and Stahl aren’t “reporters” or “journalists.” They’re paid propaganda hacks who do what they’re told and speak in the language of the state. They have no interest in truth or even accuracy. Their only interest is in their career, and for that they’ll ignore all ethics, integrity and truth. What a mistake is was for gullible feminists to think women will change the world.
Slightly OT; it should be interesting to see how the Biden administration responds to Roberts’ request for a brief by 5 pm today on staying Sullivan’s order to lift Title 42. Recall that earlier this year Biden ordered that Title 42 be lifted but was stopped at that time by a different district court. Since then, Biden has been desperately trying to avoid responsibility for lifting Title 42 while letting it happen.
She was sobbing on camera night of 2016 results. Does that tell you anything?
She is an activist, not a journalist. There aren’t many actual journalists left.
When they ask if the border is open, simply ask back if it is closed.
The border isn’t open, technically. The tens of millions have crossed it and remain in the country technically do not care, nor do the government agencies that support their stay.
The border is as open as a not-open border can possibly be.
Why is biden only concerned with the oppressed that can make it to our border, what of the tens of millions of others that are still remaining in those areas? The biden narrative is simply a meme to enable people in this country to express their support for the undermining of it without having to say they are authoritarian jackholes trying to centralize power by flooding the nation with handout dependents.
Raddatz[fill in the blank] is an accomplished journalist and I have great respect forher[fill in the blank] career.Just say it already. She’s a hideous tool for this Leftist, anti-free speech regime. In your fight against them, pandering is a sign of weakness.
RE:”Raddatz is an accomplished journalist…” She may have been in her time. Now she’s nothing more than a reprehensible scumbag. Another tool of the ‘deep state’ ,like others of her ilk, the existence of which is now a known quantity.
Jonathan Turley wrote, “The Raddatz interview raises again the danger of a de facto state media where media echoes the position of the government by choice rather than coercion.”
I think it’s quite clear that the de facto state media, aka Pravda like attack dog media, is in full collusion with the Democratic Party and will willfully parrot anything that it handed down to them from their Democratic Party overlords. If they don’t properly parrot this propaganda they will be publicly tarred as promoting Republican conspiracies.
Remember…
Here are the current progressive Democrats’ four tenets of “truth”…
1. Democrats are right.
2. Republicans are wrong.
3. Wrong is evil.
4. Evil must be destroyed.
…that’s the dead end of the 21st century progressive Democrats’ ability to think critically.
The response ought to be ” why is Biden refusing to do his constitutional duty of defending the borders of the United States”, that means preventing illegal aliens from entering without following established procedures?
Point out that Biden’s really a traitor to the United States and ought to be treated accordingly.
General Nuisance: The “why” is no mystery. Although the mainstream media try to hide it, alternative sources provide a much better analysis (try RT). Big corporations are pushing the open borders fiasco because they benefit from the cheap labor it provides. Landlords also like open borders — reports have them getting rid of current tenants and renting at much higher rates to illegals, mostly single men who all live together and can pay higher rents. As Biden’s “Inflation Reduction Act” draws more and more European industries (escaping the energy crisis EU leaders created), the need for cheap labor increases. It’s no coincidence that Biden’s policies have provided cheap labor, more party voters, and more industry growth for the people who really count for him — his rich donors. Who cares if he’s destroying US cities and US workers in the process? No one.
Apparently around D.C. realtors are looking for houses that can be bought to house the illegals. The feds
are goosing the realtors to do this so that the realtors will be compensated. Your tax dollars at work to destroy the neighborhood.
After crying on live TV in reaction to Trump’s 2016 victory, Raddatz has no business covering anything but parades and traffic.
I don’t seem to recall you having any problems with FOX. But then of course you wouldn’t!
About as meaningless a comment as we have heard from the far-left chorus on this site.
The topic is about the Raddatz interview. Let me know where your blog is so we can discuss whataboutism more in depth. I look forward to you posting the link. Thanks.
Holmes said what needed to be said, not just what you wanted to hear.
You are correct. Prof. Turley has columns in all of the far right news sites like USA Today and The Hill. MSNBC didn’t want him anymore because his opinions didn’t follow the company line.
Again, I look forward to reading Holmes’ blog. Do you have the the link?
“The Raddatz interview raises again the danger of a de facto state media where media echoes [sic] the position of the government by choice rather than coercion.”
This is foolish. Did Turley also suggest that there were de facto state media when Fox and other right-wing media echoed Trump?
The fact is that the US has a very diverse media landscape. In any presidency, some journalists and editorialists will sometimes have a stance similar to the current administration and others won’t.
ABC News division counts The View as part of their division. THAT tells you ALL you need to know about how not serious they are about the ACTUAL news.
” Did Turley also suggest that there were de facto state media *when Fox* and other right-wing media echoed Trump?”
This is the typical canned response from anonymous when he doesn’t have the ability to come up with a real response.
Examples please. Are you referring to Fox saying there was no evidence of Russian collusion. Or the Hunter laptop was factual. Or he’s campaign was being wiretapped. Or he didn’t say white supremacist were good people in Charlottesville All those were true yet the MSM pushed the false narratives, when they new they were false
Fox is part of the MSM.
MSM Mainstream Media.
Mainstream: “having, reflecting, or being compatible with the prevailing attitudes and values of a society or group”
We live in a bipolar society.
The elite class and leftists reflect their selfish desires and ability to project power.
The common person no matter who he votes for is looking for a stable culture where their children can be brought up normally without being indoctrinated in the schools or sexualized in the extreme. They work and are not the chronic recipients of other people’s money nor do they try to look generous by stealing money from the pocket of another. They give with their hearts and souls.
You should learn to think before opening your mouth.
There was no significant evidence of Russian collusion that was not made up. Fox stated both sides of the argument.
Fox eventually agreed Hunter’s laptop was legitimate and it clearly was. But, Fox mentioned the rationals behind the doubt.
Fox criticized Trump for misusing the word wiretapped, but from a non tetchy vantage point, I think the word absolutely correct.
“he didn’t say white supremacist were good people in Charlottesville”
Trump didn’t say that but the MSM made up their own quotes refusing to use Trump’s in context. Then the MSM repeated the same words from station to station.
I’m not sure what point you are promoting or if you are another anonymous or ATS. It sounds like you are agreeing that the MSM is full of Schiff.
You don’t watch Fox or you would know that many of their shows have permanent Democrat participants. Even those that don’t are always trying to get Dems to be interviewed. Now tell me one conservative that is routinely on CNN or MSNBC.
Anonymous: Do you just pull these ideas out of your arse? Go back and actually read some of the articles in FOX that were very critical of Trump. Then try to find one article in WaPo or the Times with any substantial criticism of Biden’s policies that are wrecking the economy and society. Then lecture us about state media.
Anonymous is devoid of argument. He has no content and that is why he has to rely on these canned meaningless responses.
This is foolish. Did Turley also suggest that there were de facto state media when Fox and other right-wing media echoed Trump?
The federal Govt never paid FOX news to spread Political propaganda
What aboutism checked of the list
Next, pedantry
Jonathan Turley wrote, “Raddatz objection was notably virtually identical to the talking point put out by the White House. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has declared ‘It would be wrong to think the border is open. It is not open.” She added “anyone who suggests otherwise is simply doing the work of these smugglers who, again, are spreading misinformation which is very dangerous.’ “
In the words of Pharaoh Rameses II in The Ten Commandments, “So let it be written, so let it be done.” That’s how the left promotes their narratives from on high.
I have been saying for a while that “the political left has shown its pattern of propaganda lies within their narratives so many times since 2016 that it’s beyond me why anyone would blindly accept any narrative that the political left and their lapdog media actively push?”
Here are the current progressive Democrats’ four tenets of “truth”…
1. Democrats are right.
2. Republicans are wrong.
3. Wrong is evil.
4. Evil must be destroyed.
…that’s the dead end of the 21st century progressive Democrats’ ability to think critically.
Here are Steve W’s four tenets of “truth” …
1. I’m right.
2. Democrats are wrong.
3. Wrong is evil.
4. Evil must be destroyed.
I’m joking. That’s false just like the four tenets that Steve presented are false. At least I know both sets are false. Does Steve know that both are false?
“interview occurred in the context of ABC and other networks steadfastly ignoring the growing crisis at the border.”
+++
Abbott can dump a busload of illegals on her porch. Perhaps then she will see the problems. That is the only thing that seems to work with these state propagandists. And it has been working. Send more to Martha’s Vineyard.
My theory is sending them to Martha’s Vineyard is why the networks are now covering the border crisis more. It prompted the Democrat donors to complain to Democrat politicians and their media apparatchiks. Now the media is sending a message to their NGO allies who have been helping bring the invaders in to back off because it’s starting to cause problems for the Democrat elites.
Likely true.
“Accomplishwd journalist?” She is a political hack and a mouthpiece for the Left.
Always Was -Is- Always will be
That’s what “accomplished journalists” are these days. To get work the CV must say “political hack and mouthpiece for the Left.” Hired!