The media and various liberal pundits are again shrugging this week after the exposure of another false story targeting a conservative or Republican. In this case, Vice President JD Vance was criticized for ordering the raising of the river near his Ohio home to improve his family’s canoeing experience. First appearing in The Guardian, the story took off in the media and was featured on shows like The Colbert Show when Stephen Colbert mocked “insane spoiled baby emperor move.” The problem is that it was entirely untrue. The Secret Service raised the river for security reasons with no contact with the Vice President or his family.
The hit piece was curious because The Guardian admitted that it could not confirm the allegation. Nevertheless, it breathlessly reported on “Canoe-Gate” with the headline, “JD Vance’s team had water level of the river raised for family’s boating trip.”In the article by Guardian writers Stephanie Kirchgaessner and David Smith, the outlet’s writers suggested that the water-raising was done for recreational reasons, stating “one source with knowledge of the matter who communicated with the Guardian anonymously alleged that the outflow request for the Caesar Creek Lake was not just to support the vice-president’s Secret Service detail, but also to create ‘ideal kayaking conditions.’” They then added, “The Guardian could not independently confirm this specific claim.”
Hmmm, that “specific claim” is the entire story.
USSS spokesman Anthony Guglielmi explained that the USSS conducted a trip to the Ohio area ahead of the vice president’s trip, and one of their vessels actually ran aground. That is why the USSS asked for the increase: “It’s very normal, it’s very routine.” He said that the decision was made without input or involvement from the vice president’s office.
Instead of confirmation, they went with confirmation bias, reaching out to familiar figures who immediately expressed disgust or outrage.
This included ethics experts Richard Painter and Norm Eisen. What was most interesting was Eisen’s statement that it did not matter if this was entirely due to security and was not the result of any request from the Vice President or his staff: “While there may well be security-related explanations or justifications that come into the analysis, my reaction is: I don’t care. We shouldn’t be utilising government resources in this way. I never would have allowed it.”
The usual media crowd jumped on the story as an example of facts too good to check. The New Republic ran a headline claiming: “JD Vance Abused Power to Raise River Levels for Family Kayaking Trip.”
HuffPost declared: “JD Vance Had A River’s Water Level Raised For His Family Vacation.”
The Daily Beast said this: “JD Vance Ordered a River’s Water Level Raised for His Family Boat Trip.”
Keep in mind that many of these voices were supportive of the Biden Administration’s censorship efforts to combat “disinformation.” Indeed, there is an alarming uptick in such false claims being spread by figures who are most vocal in calling for the censorship of others.
Take Hillary Clinton, whose campaign secretly funded the false Russian collusion conspiracy claims. Last week, Clinton was back spreading another false story. After the White House announced the start of construction for a new ballroom, Clinton posted a false story that then spread over the Internet.
Clinton claimed that the project is being funded by taxpayers when citizens cannot afford groceries.
When the announcement was made, it was expressly stated that Trump and private donors would pay for the entirety of the project and would not, as she claimed, be “spending $200 million of taxpayers’ money.” She has never taken down her false claim.
It does not matter that the statement is false. This is not the type of disinformation, misinformation, or malinformation that the left felt justified censorship. When Clinton went to Europe to demand that it force the censorship of fellow Americans (after Musk bought Twitter), she clearly was not speaking of Democratic disinformation which is done with the best of motivations.
The same is true with “Canoe-gate.” It does not matter that The Guardian could not confirm the allegation or that it was false that Vance ordered the raising of the river. This is good disinformation to help democracy. For these figures and outlets, the important thing is that the media is still paddling in the same direction, even if it is against the factual current.
Truth finds its way out of the MSM advocacy journalism gulag riding on the internet. That includes Res Ipsa and countless podcasts. It’s not one stop shopping, but it’s shopping that can defeat the boycott “reliability” censors trying to choke off ad revenues to conservative sources. Ads go to where the eyes are when competition rules. Profitability is already an MSM issue, witness late night TV and Washington Post. It’s up to us to be better truth hunters, and the hunt lasts longer than any election cycle. If Adam Smith’s Invisible Hand has its way, we may see it reach into academia journalism and grab some educators by the stacking swivel.
Turley’s basis for claiming this story is false (and it may well be) is that the Secret Service says they never contacted Vance or his family. The problem is that this administration denies everything said about them, even when everyone knows it’s true. Vance was outraged at the reporting of a meeting at his home to discuss Epstein (they moved it to the White House). Trump had no knowledge about Ghislaine Maxwell being moved to Club Fed or that Todd Blanche was going to meet her in the first place. This story may be false, journalistic standards should have been adhered to, but don’t ask us to believe this administration who keeps telling us tariffs aren’t a tax.
“ The problem is that this administration denies everything said about them, even when everyone knows it’s true”
Nice victim blaming.
We can dismiss the rest of your garbage regarding Democrat donor Epstein out of hand, as you’re now a proven prevaricator.
Even when everyone ones knows it is true? That sure is a mouthful. Wanna prove that statement. No? You’re either a liar or really stoopid.
“You’re either a liar or really stoopid”
Let’s go with both
You’re right, some of you actually believe what the administration about the Epstein files. I acknowledge there is no evidence Epstein was murdered in his cell, but not believing the administration is hiding something about Epstein is incredulous. I could document lie after lie from Bondi, Trump, Vance, and others buy you aren’t prepared to acknowledge the truth so why bother?
“I could document lie after lie from Bondi, Trump, Vance, and others buy you aren’t prepared to acknowledge the truth so why bother?”
You could, but you won’t, naturally. Nice trick. I’m prepared to just assume that you’re full of it.
And when half of the Democrat party gets taken out by Epstein, we’re going to just laugh and laugh and your lame attempts to spin and deflect.
Yellow River
“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?”Steve Witherspoon
Do you have free expression only on the condition that what you say is true?
For establishment Democrats, freedom of speech is for those who:
Denounce all Republicans, no matter whether by lies
Hew strictly to the “narrative” du semaine, no deviation permissible
It cannot be extended to:
Those who question
Those who have not hive minds
Those who dislike seeing girls and women injured in sport by those who ludicrously claim penis and testes have nothing to do with whether one is a man or a woman.
A respect, if not reverence, for the truth underlies a free civilization. Freedom requires social trust among citizens. If we can’t believe what people say, trust beaks down.
We may wonder why the well-educated classes have lost reverence for the truth. It may be as simple as abandonment of Christian church attendance. We are no longer reminded of the holy commandment to not bear false witness.
Typical MSM. Dont bother with any kind of journalistic integrity, like verifying the story, do some research, it is just to good to not run it, just do it anyways. And they wonder why their ratings have fallen off a cliff. Of course some of MSM are in such bad shape, they need the clicks to generate revenue. Is any of MSM who ran this story going to make a correction that they were wrong? Or will we just have to rely on the good professor and Independent media to point out how wrong MSM was?\
Then there is Hillary Clinton, who is so desperate to deflect from her role in Russiagate hoax, she is spreading disinformation about who is paying for the WH ballroom, when the WH already has stated that it would be Trump and private donations that were paying for the ballroom.
Do hope your MSM includes Fox News too.
“Do hope your MSM includes Fox News too.”
Please tell me that you’re not about to repeat the news versus opinion canard about Fox News, please. We’re all so tired of it.
“We’re…” … how is it that you’re the spokesman’s for everyone?
“you’re the spokesman’s for everyone”
You must have missed the election. Did you try to vote on Wednesday, again?
Sorry, anon @ 10:36 AM wins.
When was the election?
Upstate.
It’s the same thing with the donated 747.
The story illustrates the toxic mix of ideological bias; groupthink; and the perverse incentives in the click economy.
No it does not.
“No it does not.”
Well, who can argue with that logic? Well done, sir.
Jingoistic JournoLism is redundant and expected, ignored but a gay delight in small doses.
“Jingoistic JournoLism is redundant and expected, ignored but a gay delight in small doses.”
That might week be made into a contraction: “jingolism”…
Somehow I don’t think this story originated in Ohio. The fact that it was reported by the Guardian was enough to discount it out of hand. Once a reputable newspaper, even though it was always left wing and closely tied to the UK Labor party, it has become almost as reliable as the AP (sarcasm) but not quite as bad as The NY Times.
I don’t think the National Media lives among us any more. The seem to sit there in their studios in NY, Chicago, D.C. and LA and treat the rest of the US like some vast wilderness covered with trees and savages only to be seen from 30,000 feet in an airliner. I think that they sit in terror in their airliner or airport lounge, if they have a stopover in Indianapolis, or Columbus , Des Moines, Fargo (god forbid!). I suspect they don’t even look out of the airport fearful that the savages will be clustered all around them and staring in the windows just trying to get in to the paradise of civilization. The media seem to think the savages out there will breathlessly lap up anything the media tries to feed them.
Dead end for the media are places like Bloomington, East Lansing, Oxford, Augusta (Maine or Georgia), Lincoln, Flagstaff. The savages sometimes live right next door in those places.
If you travel there, you might not be heard from ever again.
Not sure why you believe The Guardian was once a “reputable newspaper”. It is well known for its far left advocacy and bias, not for its journalistic standards. Certainly not neutrality and objectivity.
It’s also known for its poor proofreading which has resulted in it printing embarrassing spelling errors and typos. It was so bad historically that it earned the nickname “The Grauniad” from those mocking its poor proofing standards.
So spelling errors and typos indicate truthfulness?
“So spelling errors and typos indicate truthfulness?”
Literally the opposite from what he said, but since you’re a moron, I’m not surprised that’s your take.
Oh oh, somebody is mad this morning.
“Oh oh, somebody is mad this morning”
Just tired of your constant elementary school level trolling here.
Oh oh GEB is really really mad this morning.
“Oh oh GEB is really really mad this morning.”
Probably tired of your constant elementary school level trolling. Are you sensing the theme here?
GEB,
Well said.
The reality is, while they think themselves as superior to us “savages,” we all know who the truly ignorant ones really are.
Simply because the Guardian is UK based it can’t possibly have credibility? “Discount it out of hand”? How aptly ignorant and bias of you.
You should write for the Guardian.
“Simply because the Guardian is UK based it can’t possibly have credibility?”
You got that from “closely tied to the UK Labor party”? You couldn’t be bothered to read the next damn word?
It is an independent sentence, obviously your grammar skills are still at the 5th grade level. You’re welcome.
How can one argue with that? Except to point out that you don’t know what a sentence actually means. Congratulations of the self own.
Motto of the Royal Society
Nullius in verba: “Take nobody’s word for it.”
A motto coined during the pro-reason, pro-individualism Enlightenment — an ideological heritage now virtually extinct in England.
Now the motto is: If the “right” group claims it, it must be true.
There are no two ways about it. The Left resembles more and more to be a variation of Katherine Anne Porter’s “Ship of Fools.” The “Ship of the Left” has a different cast characters, each full of flaws. It sees every wave or ripple as a conspiracy or overreach of MAGA and its adherents. When you hit 100% on everything Trump (or Vance) does, it must wear thin, even for the most loyal.
BTW, The theme “Ships of Fools” is the subject of my latest blog at https://used-ideas.blogspot.com/
This is a great text book example that should be required reading & study at all journalism schools. Oh, and PS: where did that ethics guy get educated?
Very large lawsuits are the way to stop these types of stories. Can Vice President JD Vance sue the outlets for the blatantly false story/hit piece against him.
What financial damage has it caused him. His reputation maybe, but he’s a public person. A politician no less.
“What financial damage has it caused him. His reputation maybe, but he’s a public person. A politician no less.”
That may make it legal but it doesn’t make it right.
Thanks for the reference anon. Define right?
I’ll demonstrate right/wrong versus legal/illegal by example, using a quote from the indefatigable Mark Steyn regarding the execrable father of the execrable Justin Trudeau:
‘Back in the Trudeaupian golden age, you may recall, the great man’s barnstorming transformation of Canada was momentarily halted by a storm about barns. It emerged that some overzealous officers of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police had burned down barns belonging to Quebec separatists. The press was briefly exercised over this, but M. Trudeau gave one of his famous shrugs and airily remarked that, if people were so upset by the Mounties burning down barns illegally, perhaps he’d make the burning of barns by the Mounties legal. As the great George Jonas commented:
“It seemed not to occur to him that it isn’t wrong to burn down barns because it’s illegal, but it’s illegal to burn down barns because it’s wrong. Like other statist politicians, Mr. Trudeau seemed to think his ability to set out for his country what is legal and illegal also entitled him to set out for his citizens what is right and wrong. He either didn’t see, or resented, that right and wrong are only reflected by the laws, not determined by them.”’
“. . . to create ‘ideal kayaking conditions.’”
Here’s how insane that utterly arbitrary claim (and smear) is:
The Little Miami River, where Vance and his family vacationed, is already at the ideal water level for kayaking. There was no need to raise the river’s level. And that is the river’s history, from May through September.
If those scandal-mongers, masquerading as “journalists,” had been motivated by a desire for the truth, they could have done an easy, 30-minute fact check: What is the current water level? (It’s fine.) What is the historical season for kayaking on that river? (May-September) Call a kayak guide: Are you currently running trips down the Little Miami? (Yes we are — beginners through experts)
And if they wanted to be really diligent: What is a kayak’s draft? (about 5 inches!) Which means you can kayak in your bathtub.
“… And that is the river’s history, from May through September. …” That’s correct and there is scientific fact to underwrite it.
Anyone growing up on the Great Lakes (Chicagoans) can tell you that a Lake rises and falls with the seasons and cycle conditions.
Lakes have a ‘Summer Peak’.
See:
https://www.glerl.noaa.gov/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/2-noaa-gl-seasonal-cycle-updated-2021-1-1024×576.png
It’s not unusual to see rise in August (June-July is peak).
https://www.glerl.noaa.gov/data/wlevels/dashboard/
FYI:
swot.jpl.nasa.gov/news/167/cutting-edge-satellite-tracks-lake-water-levels-in-ohio-river-basin/
And if those writers for the Guardian were assigned a story on kayaking, and decided to do some kayaking themselves to, you know, bone up for the story, a bathtub is were they’d go.
Lately I’ve wondered how an technologically
advanced, wealthy, cultured, and economically strong country could turn so dark and evil and against its own people. In stories like this and others we see the seeds of such a metamorphosis, at least the attempt to. The difference is today we have many alternative outlets (like this. column) who provide countervailing narratives for us to judge the truth.
While I am not a fan of Mr. Vance, this goes to show that there are those, on both sides, who refuse to let truth get in the way of a good story. No wonder only 31% (and that is likely high) trust the media
“While I am not a fan of Mr. Vance”
Irrelevant. Anyone right of center would have sufficed for this non-story.
“this goes to show that there are those, on both sides, who refuse to let truth get in the way of a good story.”
This bias goes overwhelmingly one way. You can’t be so dense that you don’t see that.
sigh
Sigh all you want. I’m right.
Okay Anon, if you think that only the left leaning and leftist media organizations publish questionable or even outright lies, then you don’t know much about American political history and the media (the Adams-Jefferson election in 1800 and Mr. Jefferson’s reaction to media “excesses”) and clearly don’t read very much outside of your sphere.
From Mr. Jefferson:
“I deplore… the putrid state into which our newspapers have passed and the malignity, the vulgarity, and mendacious spirit of those who write for them… These ordures are rapidly depraving the public taste and lessening its relish for sound food. As vehicles of information and a curb on our funtionaries, they have rendered themselves useless by forfeiting all title to belief… This has, in a great degree, been produced by the violence and malignity of party spirit.” –Thomas Jefferson to Walter Jones, 1814. ME 14:46
“Our printers raven on the agonies of their victims, as wolves do on the blood of the lamb.” –Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 1811. ME 13:59
“From forty years’ experience of the wretched guess-work of the newspapers of what is not done in open daylight, and of their falsehood even as to that, I rarely think them worth reading, and almost never worth notice.” –Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 1816. ME 14:430
“Nothing can now be believed which is seen in a newspaper. Truth itself becomes suspicious by being put into that polluted vehicle. The real extent of this state of misinformation is known only to those who are in situations to confront facts within their knowledge with the lies of the day.” –Thomas Jefferson to John Norvell, 1807. ME 11:224
“As for what is not true, you will always find abundance in the newspapers.” –Thomas Jefferson to Barnabas Bidwell, 1806. ME 11:118
“Advertisements… contain the only truths to be relied on in a newspaper.” –Thomas Jefferson to Nathaniel Macon, 1819. ME 15:179
“The press is impotent when it abandons itself to falsehood.” –Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Seymour, 1807.
My opinion about Mr. Vance is entirely relevant. Many if not most of his opponents would cheer this type of reporting regardless of the truth of the matter. When an opponent of his acknowledges the problem it illustrates the significance of the issue.
And for the record, I voted for Mr. Trump in the last three general elections (although not in the 2016/2024 primaries), supported the Tea Party movement, and voted for Mr. Reagan in the 1976 GOP primary and in 80/82. But then, if I’m in the same group as you, maybe I am being dense
“if you think that only the left leaning and leftist media organizations publish questionable or even outright lies”
Not what I said at all. Your hysterical response is interesting as a response to my simple and documented statement of fact regarding news coverage from this millenium.
Almost 100% The American free press doesn’t exist anymore. Almost all media have become the mouthpiece of the democrat socialist party.
Wake up turley! DENOUNCE THESE PURELY PARTISAN HACK LOSERS FOR THIS SHAMEFUL ABUSE OF THE “Fourth estate”. They need to be ridiculed
Said a so-called ethics expert: “We shouldn’t be utilising government resources in this way [to protect the VP!]. I never would have allowed it.”
And we shouldn’t be using government resources (drones, law enforcement) to monitor the roof top in the sight line of where Trump is speaking.
Gee, I wonder why the Left would say that.
“I never would have allowed it”
And we’re thankful that he’s only an ethicist and not in charge of anything important. In his case, I wouldn’t trust a hot dog stand to his judgment.
Hot dogs?! Packed with carcinogens. The buns? Teeming with glutens.
The “ethicist” says: Eat kale.
“Eat kale”
The ethicist can have all of my kale ration, with my eternal gratitude.
Have you no compassion for the helpless, suffering pigs?
At the very least, switch to tofu hot dogs — wrapped in lettuce (locally grown, of course).
Yet columnists, talking heads and social media pundits continue to express their admiration for, and support of, the press as a vital element in our society. Get your heads out of the academic mode and observe the press for what it has become. It’s now an activist tool for the most radical fringes of the Democrat Party. We The People don’t need for you to tell us what’s wrong. We’ve been observing the metamorphosis of the press into this horrific political advocacy machine for fifty years. What we are waiting for is absolute condemnation of press tactics, corruption and willingness to lie for political purposes.
“Get your heads out of the academic mode”
The “academic mode” must be located in a dark, dank, narrow corridor indeed… Is that “alimentary’, my dear Watson…