New York Times: Why Do These GOP Activists Keep Sucking My C*ck?

Another ‘oopsie’ from Jeremy Peters.

Welcome to another installment of What The Hell's Going On At The New York Times ? This weekend, Josh Kraushaar at the National Journal shared an excerpt from a Times article that presumably revealed that "concerns over school curriculum in Virginia aren't just a right-wing issue."

Twitter 

It read:

"I'm a Hillary-Biden voter," said Glenn Miller, a lawyer from McLean, as he walked into a Youngkin rally in southern Fairfax County on Saturday night that drew more than 1,000 people. He explained his tipping point: Working from home and hearing his teenage daughter's teacher make a comment during a virtual lesson about white men as modern-day slaveholders.

Miller was apparently such a big supporter of Hillary Clinton he feels comfortable only using her first name. Or he's a sexist creep who disrespects women. You know, Clinton had an actual platform. (She was overprepared that way) So did Joe Biden, before Joe Manchin got his hands on it. Youngkin opposes everything Clinton and Biden represent, which is why the supposed “tipping point" from reliable Democrat to fascist-tolerant Republican voter is his daughter's shocking "Kill Whitey" curriculum.

"There are a lot of people like me who are annoyed," he said, adding that he was able to vote for Mr. Youngkin because he did not associate him as a Trump Republican. "My problem with Trump was I thought he was embarrassing. I don't think Youngkin is going to embarrass me or my state."

We assume Youngkin didn't embarrass himself and others at this rally. He didn't step into a rake or forget to wear pants. However, he otherwise shares the same policy position as the average “Trump Republican": He opposes vaccine mandates and tap dances around Trump's fascist Big Lie. Although, he uses euphemistic buzz words such as “election integrity" and “audit." 

Still, Miller is a very considerate former Hillary-Biden voter who describes Youngkin according to his preferred branding. I'm sure this is all entirely on the up and up. The New York Times , after all, sets the standard for journalism.

Writer Jonathan M. Katz tweeted shortly afterward that the Glenn Miller who serenaded us with his personal horror stories about critical race theory also happened to have written a story on the subject for the libertarian-leaning Quillette in September 2020 — you know, right before he totally voted for Joe Biden.

 Josh Marshall at Talking Points Memo also revealed that Miller is a reliable Republican donor who participated in a protest last summer against race-based school admission, so maybe he was inclined to support Youngkin even before he overheard his daughter's teacher go full Louis Farrakhan.

I am *highly* dubious that this even happened, but the way it is written up in the Times creates the assertion that it is true. Unverified claims should be clearly described as "unverified." That what journalists would do for accusations of sexism, racism, etc.pic.twitter.com/AuuTogzhcP

— Mangy Jay (@Mangy Jay) 1635867814 

It seems like Times writer Jeremy W. Peters didn't bother with a quick Google search of his source. Press Watch Editor Dan Froomkin noted yesterday that the article was quietly updated. It now describes Miller as "a frequent donor to both parties" who has "been active in local efforts opposing the elimination of race-blind admissions test and has spoken out against critical race theory." The “tipping point" line remains even though it's obvious that Miller didn't need much tipping to Youngkin's side.

As journalist Magdi Semrau notes, the Times article still lets Miller's assertion about his daughter's teacher stand without actual verification. Miller is an anti-CRT activist, so he's hardly an objective witness. The editor at my college newspaper would've asked that I follow up with the school to confirm if this happened at all. Semrau also correctly observes that there's no way the Times would print a Black parent's unverified assertion that a teacher said something racist.

 The Times pulled a similar oopsie last year when writer Elaina Plott interviewed white Atlanta suburbanites who were "sticking with Trump." These weren't swing voters but paid GOP consultants and politicians. Times Deputy Editor Patrick Healy apologized but said he stood by the story because he believed the premise was sound. Joe Biden would win Georgia, and while the Times felt so bad about not foreseeing Trump's 2016 upset it hired Bari Weiss for some reason , the paper has yet to change its approach after botching this story.

Any comment, @jwpetersNYT? (h/t @nycsouthpaw)pic.twitter.com/reFHaavOZi

— Brian Beutler (@Brian Beutler) 1529781770 

Peters has been caught pulling the same stunt since at least 2018, when he profiled Gina Anders, a Republican from suburban Loudon County, Virginia. She was a supposed reasonable Trump supporter "without a stitch of 'Make America Great Again' gear in her wardrobe." The Times article failed to mention that Anders herself was such a rightwing extremist she'd helped scare off actual moderate suburban Republicans in the area. Anders is also a board member of the West Virginia Liberty PAC, which defends Confederate traitor monuments. She's central casting for MAGA.

When Times publisher Arthur Sulzberger fired the public editor in 2017, he claimed that the paper's readers would hold it accountable (for zero pay, of course). However, Peters blocks anyone on Twitter who dares criticize his work, including Crooked Media's Brian Beutler and now Jonathan Katz. Peters must also have a questionable source for the definition of “accountability."

[ New York Times ]

 Follow Stephen Robinson on  Twitter.  

     Do your Amazon shopping through this link, because reasons .

Yr Wonkette is 100 percent ad-free and entirely supported by reader donations. That's you! Please click the clickie, if you are able!