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How NPR went ‘Off the Rails’ to knee-jerk liberalism–according to a current top editor

How NPR went ‘Off the Rails’ to knee-jerk liberalism–according to a current top editor

I grew up thinking of journalism as a dogged, flawed, yet unmistakable search for the truth. That may have been wrong, but at least people could (mostly) agree that the media provided a common set of core facts. Well, that’s all vanished. The rise of social media, while generally a healthy thing, means anyone can post anything, true or false. WHY TRUMP IS DEFERRING TO THE STATES, AFTER WEIGHING AN ABORTION BAN AT 15 WEEKS The increasingly bitter and outrageous polarization in our politics and society brings unrelenting meanness to the discourse, each side demonizing the other as evil.  The growing embrace of conspiracy theories, no matter how ludicrous, poisons the dialogue. People on all sides have sorted themselves into silos, seeking out only media outlets and commentators who reinforce what they already believe.It’s an ugly picture, no question about it. And then there’s Donald Trump. He didn’t create the politics of division, but is a master practitioner. Trump told me he sometimes uses incendiary language to drive media coverage of his issues. So he creates some of his own bad press. But look at what’s happened to my business. In 2015 and 2016, the press opposed Trump but didn’t think he could win. During his presidency, journalists increasingly denounced most of what he did. And on Jan. 6, they blamed him for the Capitol riot – understandably, because he summoned his supporters to Washington after months of insisting the election had been stolen, which the press came to call the Big Lie. But they figured he was washed up in politics. Except now he’s got the nomination and is leading Joe Biden in most swing-state polls, although the president has gained some ground in recent weeks. WILL A SECOND-TERM TRUMP BE RADICAL, RESTRAINED OR ROUTED BY THE RESISTANCE? Trump was indicted in four criminal cases, the first of which starts Monday. The pundits who said that would sink him now acknowledge the charges wound up helping him by deepening the certainty of his supporters that he is being unfairly persecuted. Can anyone look at the major newspapers and networks now and deny that, with few exceptions, they are doing everything they can to defeat Trump as a danger to democracy? Uri Berliner, senior business editor at NPR, says his radio network has gone off the rails in opposing Trump. He has the cojones to do that, while still working there, in an essay for the Free Press and interview with founder Bari Weiss, who left the New York Times as an opinion editor after being harassed by colleagues for being insufficiently liberal. “It’s true NPR has always had a liberal bent,” Berliner says, “but during most of my tenure here, an open-minded, curious culture prevailed. We were nerdy, but not knee-jerk, activist, or scolding.  “In recent years, however, that has changed. Today, those who listen to NPR or read its coverage online find something different: the distilled worldview of a very small segment of the U.S. population.  “If you are conservative, you will read this and say, duh, it’s always been this way. “But it hasn’t. “For decades, since its founding in 1970, a wide swath of America tuned in to NPR for reliable journalism and gorgeous audio pieces with birds singing in the Amazon…No image generated more pride within NPR than the farmer listening to Morning Edition from his or her tractor at sunrise…  “By 2023, the picture was completely different: only 11 percent described themselves as very or somewhat conservative, 21 percent as middle of the road, and 67 percent of listeners said they were very or somewhat liberal. We weren’t just losing conservatives; we were also losing moderates and traditional liberals.” I am quoting this at length because Berliner makes such a strong case. “An open-minded spirit no longer exists within NPR, and now, predictably, we don’t have an audience that reflects America.”  That wouldn’t be a problem for an openly polemical news outlet serving a niche audience. But for NPR, which purports to consider all things, it’s devastating both for its journalism and its business model.  “Like many unfortunate things, the rise of advocacy took off with Donald Trump. As in many newsrooms, his election in 2016 was greeted at NPR with a mixture of disbelief, anger, and despair. (Just to note, I eagerly voted against Trump twice but felt we were obliged to cover him fairly.) But what began as tough, straightforward coverage of a belligerent, truth-impaired president veered toward efforts to damage or topple Trump’s presidency.  “Persistent rumors that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia over the election became the catnip that drove reporting. At NPR, we hitched our wagon to Trump’s most visible antagonist, Representative Adam Schiff.  “Schiff, who was the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, became NPR’s guiding hand, its ever-present muse. By my count, NPR hosts interviewed Schiff 25 times about Trump and Russia. During many of those conversations, Schiff alluded to purported evidence of collusion. The Schiff talking points became the drumbeat of NPR news reports. “But when the Mueller report found no credible evidence of collusion, NPR’s coverage was notably sparse. Russiagate quietly faded from our programming.” While making a huge mistake is bad enough, “what’s worse is to pretend it never happened, to move on with no mea culpas, no self-reflection. Especially when you expect high standards of transparency from public figures and institutions, but don’t practice those standards yourself. That’s what shatters trust and engenders cynicism about the media…  “In October 2020, the New York Post published the explosive report  about the laptop Hunter Biden abandoned at a Delaware computer shop containing emails about his sordid business dealings. With the election only weeks away, NPR turned a blind eye. Here’s how NPR’s managing editor for news at the time explained the thinking: “We don’t want to waste our time on stories that are not really stories, and we don’t want to waste the listeners’ and readers’ time on stories that are just pure

Congress one step closer to reauthorizing controversial federal surveillance tool

Congress one step closer to reauthorizing controversial federal surveillance tool

Congress is now one step closer to extending the life of a key federal government surveillance tool known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). A bill to reauthorize FISA’s Section 702 passed through the House Rules Committee on Tuesday night, the final hurdle for a piece of legislation before it’s considered House-wide. It passed in a 9 to 2 vote. Section 702 is a provision that allows the federal government to conduct warrantless surveillance of a foreign national outside the U.S. if they’re suspected of ties to terrorism — even if the person on the other end of the communications is an American citizen. PUBLIC TRUST IN FBI HAS REACHED ‘THE RED ZONE,’ US INCHING CLOSER TO ‘MAYHEM, CHAOS, ANARCHY:’ WSJ COLUMNIST National security hawks and members of the intelligence community have called it a critical tool for preventing another 9/11-style attack. But critics, which include both conservatives and progressives, have been seeking to limit its scope after reported instances of abuse to collect data on Americans. The fight over Section 702’s renewal has been among the most bitter that House Republicans have had to contend with, while Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., also grapples with a razor-thin majority. The current process is House GOP leaders’ third attempt at the tool’s renewal before the April 19 deadline. VEHICLE RAMS INTO GATE AT FBI OFFICE IN ATLANTA, DRIVER ARRESTED The Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act, a compromise bill between the House Judiciary Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, is aimed at curbing instances of abuse by instituting safeguards on accessing Section 702-collected data, particularly if it involves a U.S. citizen. Under terms agreed upon in the Rules Committee, the House will vote on an amendment backed by the Judiciary Committee to ban warrantless searches of U.S. citizens before voting on the final bill. A GOP lawmaker opposed to the amendment told Fox News Digital on Tuesday evening, “That would effectively kill 702, if that passed.” Not included in the final bill was an amendment sought by privacy hawks, led by Rep. Warran Davidson, R-Ohio, which would have forced the federal government to seek a warrant before buying U.S. citizens’ data from third-party brokers.  FBI DIRECTOR SAYS CHINESE HACKERS ARE ‘POISED TO ATTACK’ AS INFILTRATIONS REACH ‘FEVER PITCH’ Opponents of that provision, mostly from the House Intelligence Committee, complained that it was not relevant to Section 702 and would have bogged down its chances of passing in the Senate.  House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., told Fox News Digital earlier on Tuesday that Davidson’s amendment would be voted on as a standalone bill later. The House of Representatives is expected to vote on the Section 702 renewal bill on Thursday, Fox News Digital is told. On Wednesday, administration officials will descend on Capitol Hill for an all-member House briefing on FISA. Fox News’ Tyler Olson contributed to this report

White House condemns ‘Death to America’ chants in Michigan, Rep. Rashida Tlaib and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer mum

White House condemns ‘Death to America’ chants in Michigan, Rep. Rashida Tlaib and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer mum

Rep. Rashida Tlaib and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer remained silent after protesters in Dearborn, Michigan, who shouted “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” during an International Al-Quds Day rally were condemned by the White House and local leaders. The hour-long rally was held in front of the Henry Ford Centennial Library on Friday and was led by local activist Takek Bazzi. In the video, posted by the Middle East Media Research Institute, Bazzi denounced Israel and America. “Death to America, Death to America,” the protesters chanted. “Death to Israel, Death to Israel,” they echoed.  ACTIVIST WHO SPURRED ‘DEATH TO AMERICA’ CHANTS CALLED FOR ISRAEL’S ‘ABSOLUTE ANNIHILATION’ IN UNEARTHED VIDEO Bazzi said that the chants were in honor of former Iranian leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini. “Imam Khomeini, who declared International Al Quds Day, this is why he would say to pour all of your chants and all of your shots upon the head of America,” Bazzi said. WATCH:  When questioned by Fox News, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that President Biden condemned the chant. RASHIDA TLAIB ACCUSES ISRAEL OF INTENTIONALLY KILLING 7 HUMANITARIAN AID WORKERS “Yes,” she replied, when Heinrich asked if the president condemned the anti-American and Israeli chants. “Peaceful protests are something that the president has also been very clear that, its important to give folks space to peacefully protest. But any type of violent rhetoric, we are going to denounce,” Jean-Pierre said. Fox News has reached out to Rep. Tlaib and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer but did not immediately hear back.  Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud publicly denounced the chants, calling them “unacceptable and contrary to the heart” of Dearborn. “Over the weekend, video emerged of a rally in Dearborn where some attendees were chanting statements that were unacceptable and contrary to the heart of this city,” he said. “We reject all inflammatory and violent statements made at the gathering. Dearborn is a city of proud Americans; the hateful rhetoric heard on Friday does not reflect the opinion of the members of this community,” Hammoud wrote in a X post. “The Dearborn community stands for peace and justice for all people. We are proud to call this city and this country home.” Dr. Mahmoud Al-Hadidi, the chairman of the Michigan Muslim Community Council, told FOX 2 that the incident should be investigated as hate speech. “It is awful for somebody living on our soil, breathing our air, to be saying something like that. The shouting from the crowd… does not represent any Muslim in the United States.” Dr. Al-Hadidi said. “It should be investigated as hate speech. Hate speech is very dangerous.”

Court upholds California’s authority to set nation-leading vehicle emission rules

Court upholds California’s authority to set nation-leading vehicle emission rules

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California can continue to set its own nation-leading vehicle emissions standards, a federal court ruled Tuesday — two years after the Biden administration restored the state’s authority to do so as part of its efforts to reverse Trump-era environmental rollbacks. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit blocked an attempt by Ohio, Alabama, Texas and other Republican-led states to revoke California’s authority to set standards that are stricter than rules set by the federal government. The court ruled that the states failed to prove how California’s emissions standards would drive up costs for gas-powered vehicles in their states. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who often touts the state’s leadership on climate policy, said the court ruling reaffirmed California’s ability to fight the public health and environmental impacts of vehicle emissions. FEWER AMERICANS WANT TO BUY AN EV — EVEN AS BIDEN PUSHES FOR STRONGEST-EVER CLIMATE CHANGE RULES “The clean vehicle transition is already here – it’s where the industry is going, the major automakers support our standards, and California is hitting our goals years ahead of schedule,” he said in a statement. “We won’t stop fighting to protect our communities from pollution and the climate crisis.” The ruling comes ahead of a presidential election in which the outcome could determine the fate of environmental regulations in California and nationwide. Then-President Donald Trump’s administration in 2019 revoked California’s ability to enforce its own emissions standards, but President Biden later restored the state’s authority. At the federal level, Biden has pledged that zero-emission vehicles will make up half of new car and truck sales in the U.S. by 2030. In 2022, Ohio led a coalition of states in filing a petition to attempt to block California’s ability to enforce its own vehicle emissions standards, saying it violated the U.S. Constitution and infringed upon federal government authority. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s office did not respond to email and phone requests for comment on the ruling. For decades, California has been able to seek a waiver from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to set its own vehicle emission regulations. These rules are tougher than the federal standards because California, the nation’s most populous state, has the most cars on the road and struggles to meet air quality standards. Other states can sign on to adopt California emission rules if they are approved by the federal government. Challenges to California’s authority to set vehicle emissions standards date back to when George W. Bush was president in the 2000s, said Ann Carlson, an environmental law professor at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. Carlson — who previously served as acting administrator under the Biden administration for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which sets fuel economy rules — said the federal government often follows California’s lead on vehicle emissions regulations if they end up being successful and cost-effective. The state’s authority to set its own standards “has really kept vehicle emissions from completely stagnating,” Carlson said. California is seeking a waiver from the federal government to ban the sale of all new gas-powered cars by 2035. Ford, Honda, Volkswagen and other major automakers already agreed to follow California vehicle emission standards. The state has also approved rules in recent years to phase out the sale of new fossil fuel-powered lawn mowers, large trucks that transport goods through ports and trains powered by diesel.

Biden criticizes Netanyahu over Israel-Hamas war, says Israeli leader making a ‘mistake’

Biden criticizes Netanyahu over Israel-Hamas war, says Israeli leader making a ‘mistake’

President Biden harshly criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the way he is prosecuting the war between Israel and Hamas during an interview with Spanish language broadcaster Univision.  “I think what he’s doing is a mistake,” Biden said in an hour-long interview set to air Tuesday night about whether the Israeli leader cares more about his political survival than the national interest of his people. “I don’t agree with his approach.” The interview between Biden and Enrique Acevedo was taped last Wednesday, according to media reports.  BIDEN WARNS NETANYAHU THAT US WILL CHANGE POLICY ON GAZA UNLESS ISRAEL PROTECTS CIVILIANS Israel has received an increasing amount of criticism for its military offensive in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip following the deadly Oct. 7 attacks by the terror group.  The scorn has mounted following the deaths of several World Central Kitchen workers in Gaza by Israeli airstrikes. Israel said the strike was a mistake and that the WCK vehicles were not targeted.  Democrats have also called for Biden to withhold arms to Israel unless it does everything possible to limit civilian casualties on the battlefield. Last month, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. called for Israel to hold new elections.  In the interview, Biden called for Israel to work toward a ceasefire.  ISRAELI POLICE THWART ALLEGED ISIS TERROR PLOT AGAINST JERUSALEM STADIUM, POLICE STATION “So I what I’m calling for is for the Israelis to just call for a ceasefire, allow for the next six, eight weeks total access to all food and medicine going into the country,” he said.  “I’ve spoken with everyone from the Saudis to the Jordanians to the Egyptians. They’re prepared to move in,” Biden added. “They’re prepared to move this food in. And I think there’s no excuse to not provide for the medical and the food needs of those people. It should be done now.” Biden’s criticism comes as progressives are calling for voters to cast so-called “protest ballots” rather than support Biden. Many of the those progressives have accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.  On Tuesday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said there was no evidence that Israel was engaged in genocide.  CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “We don’t have any evidence of genocide being created. We don’t have any evidence of that to my knowledge,” Austin told Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark.