"Take That, Bibi"? So Much for Objective Journalism

Big news yesterday having to do with the Iran nuclear "deal," a foreign policy decision of far-reaching and possibly existential ramifications for Israel in particular but the entire region in general. Unfortunately, this "deal," which truth should have been viewed as a treaty and not a deal (a treaty requiring a higher standard for passage in Congress), has become yet another political football, dividing the "usses" from the "thems," and devolving eventually into partisan brinksmanship, invective, and even slander. None of which is surprising, this being Obama's transformed America. 

The "news" was that Obama got his final nostril in the nose-counting that substitutes as debate when Maryland Democrat Senator Barbara Mikulski announced she would support the deal, giving Obama a veto-proof majority when Congress votes this month on whether to accept or reject this deal.  

The press--and by "press," I mean the dominant news outlets--reported the story as a great victory for Obama. As noted in the NewsBuster piece linked below, news anchors were nothing if not giddy when reporting the story. And PBS NewsHour anchor Gwen Ifill descended notch lower with her snarky tweet following the announcement: 

Not surprisingly, the Twittersphere erupted in protest, resulting in this condescending response from Ifill:

Later she tried to downplay the original tweet by claiming to be merely re-tweeting the State Department's talking points. But, as Aaron Goldstein notes in his blog at The American Spectator, "By saying 'Take that, Bibi,' she might as well have tweeted, 'F U Israel." 

Fortunately, there's a residue of objectivity at NPR in the person of ombudsman Michael Getler who faulted Ifill for the tweet and scolded her for her poor judgment. "One would have to lean way over backwards to give her the benefit of the doubt that she was simply shedding light on the administration's view of portions of Netanyahu's arguments," Getler writes. "But to personalize it by saying, 'Take that, Bibi" is, in my book, inexcusable for an experienced journalist who is the co-anchor of a nightly news program watched by millions of people over the course of any week."

Personally, I would go further and suggest that Ifill has basically disqualified herself from any further reporting on the Iran deal. It's one thing to have partisan views; it's another to reveal them publicly. It would be interesting to hear what pundits Mark Shields and David Brooks, regulars on PBS NewsHour, have to say on this issue; Brooks, in particular, being Jewish, and also having a son currently serving in the Israeli armed forces. He's a gentleman and would never critique his colleague (the issue is moot since there's no chance of Judy Woodruff bringing it up, anyway). But how could Brooks not be at least privately appalled by Ifill's shameful tweet?

Sources

"Media Hand Obama 'Major Victory' as Most Oppose Iran Deal" (Kyle Drennan, MRC NewsBusters, September 2, 2015).

"PBS's Gwen Ifill Stands by 'Take That, Bibi' Tweet" (Adam Kredo, Washington Free Beacon, September 2, 2015).

"Take That, Gwen Ifill" (Aaron Goldstein, The Spectacle Blog, The American Spectator, 9/2/15). 

"More Self-Inflicted Wounds" (PBS Ombudsman Michael Getler, September 2, 2015).

"Senator Bob Corker Rails Against the Iran Deal" (Lauren Fox, National Journal, July 23, 2015).

"We Can Thank Bob Corker for Ratifying Obama's Iran Deal" (Aaron Goldstein, The Spectacle Blog, The American Spectator, 9/2/15).

"Obama Doubles Down on Comparing GOP to Iranian Hardliners"(CNN)

What Left-Leaning People on Facebook Say About Iran Deal

Eavesdropping on the Lefties...they really are foolish. I'd venture to say they have no idea what they're talking about.

Addendum (July 31, 2015)

I happened to catch a Michael Medved segment today in which he interviews Professor Alan Dershowitz of Harvard Law School about Dershowitz's brand new book called, The Case Against the Iran Deal: How Can We Stop Iran From Getting Nukes? Professor Dershowitz's opening remarks were telling: he clearly self-identifies as a man of the left, a Democrat, an Obama supporter, etc., and in doing so, indignantly repudiates any suggestion by the the president that those who oppose the deal are conservative or Republicans. 

Dershowitz had some pretty damning things to say. Pay attention, left-leaning people! I hope his book (currently available as an e-book) makes the rounds on Capitol Hill, especially among Democrats, some of whom seem more loyal to party than to country. 

A Tale of Two Commencement Speeches

On the same day, no less!  

Barack Obama speaking to graduating cadets at the Coast Guard Academy in Connecticut on Wednesday, May 20, 2015.

"Climate change, especially rising seas, is a threat to our homeland security--our economic infrastructure, and the safety and health of the American people . . . We all know what needs to happen--it's no secret: The world finally has to start reducing its carbon emissions now. This is a place where we need you." 

Obama Recasts Climate Change as a Peril with Far-Reaching Effects (Julie Hirschfeld David, New York Times)

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaking at the Imam Hussein Military University in Tehran on Wednesday, May 20, 2015

"They say new things in the negotiations. Regarding inspections, we have said that we will not let foreigners inspect any military center."  

Iran's Supreme Leader Rules out Broad Nuclear Inspections (Thomas Erdbrink, David E. Sanger, New York Times). 

That President Obama could speak about global warming as a threat to our homeland security only a few days after the fall of Ramadi to Islamic State, seemingly oblivious to the defiance of Iran's Supreme Leader regarding the supposed "deal" John Kerry is negotiating with Iran suggests that this president is quite possibly delusional.