The results of a recent research poll signify the astonishing resentment the American people have toward the press. According to the study, the vast majority of the country distrusts the liberal media. Talking heads at CNN and MSNBC dedicate their livelihoods to lambasting the duly elected President, yet they are puzzled as to why the population holds them in low standing.
During a segment on Friday's Tucker Carlson Tonight with author Robby Soave of Reason Magazine, Fox News host Tucker Carlson wondered: "And so, the press is what it is. They have taken a highly partisan, very aggressive position against a sitting president, fine. Why not just admit it? Why lecture the rest of us about how they are objective?"
Soave discussed the pompous attitudes among many in the media, and their refusal to analyze their biased reporting:
But they, the people you are referring to I mean, they their smugness is so consuming. They really believe that they are just, you know, holding the powerful to account. When it's clear it's an anti-Trump entertainment news network, right? Like this isn't news at some point, it's literally just providing entertainment fodder for people who already hate the President....Tons of the American people have turned against them. Their confidence in the press, their lack of confidence in the press is at an all-time high. You would think that would prompt some self-reflection. It clearly has not.
Carlson acknowledged, “well, in fact, they assiduously suck up to power,” and later added that journalists were "desperately unhappy people." He then posed this question: “Do you think they believe it when they tell us it's all about the facts? They know they are lying, right?” Soave responded by speculating the motive behind the lies is egotistical and power driven:
People can convince themselves that they are not lying when even deep down they know they are right. If the incentives are that powerful. If they are -- everyone is going -- or their viewers or someone is going to tell them no you are so great. We love what you are doing. There is a temptation there to believe the best myth about yourself that you can come up with.
Once a large portion of your prospective audience despises you, it may be time to rethink your priorities and admit to your shortcomings.
Read the transcript below:
Tucker Carlson Tonight
6/14/19
8:21:18 PM
TUCKER CARLSON: Robby Soave writes for Reason Magazine, he's the author of the book Panic Attack Young Radicals In The Age Of Trump and he joins us tonight. Robby, the reason I want to talk to you about this is because you are, I would say, great at puncturing obvious myths. And so, the press is what it is. They have taken a highly partisan, very aggressive position against a sitting president, fine. Why not just admit it? Why lecture the rest of us about how they are objective?
ROBBY SOAVE: That's exactly the issue. I mean, look, a lot of people in media are biased but you can just be straight forward about it. I'm an opinion journalist and my ideology informs what I write about and you should take that with a grain of salt when you listen to me and when you read me. But they, the people you are referring to I mean, they their smugness is so consuming. They really believe that they are just, you know, holding the powerful to account. When it's clear it's an anti- Trump entertainment news network, right? Like this isn't news at some point, it's literally just providing entertainment fodder for people who already hate the President. They are not going to ask critical questions on actually the subject you were just talking about. We are not going to ask any of these intelligence officials about the mistakes that led to us invading Iraq or turning Libya into an ISIS training ground, having us intervene in Syria more than we already have. If we are going to hold the powerful to account, right? We wouldn't just be parading these people on TV and letting them talk about how much they hate Trump and how is he a monster.
CARLSON: Well, in fact, they assiduously suck up to power. How else do you explain John Brennan's continued presence on cable television? The former head of the CIA, if you were holding the powerful to account, you would have a series of questions for John Brennan. Real questions about things that he has done, things that he has lied about and there are many -- but they let him spew his talking points.
SOAVE: I know, I remember not so long ago, right? When Progressives, liberals were skeptical of military authorities, of intelligence of authorities, of authorities in general, and -- wanted to call those people out. Now, but because those are anti-Trump figures we're going to just let them talk about how Trump is bad and how we can't question the CIA things of that nature, because it's entertainment. And they have this just insistence that’s their right and anytime you say there is something wrong with about their approach, you must just be a shill for Trump. Tons of the American people have turned against them. Their confidence in the press, their lack of confidence in the press is at an all-time high. You would think that would prompt some self-reflection. It clearly has not. I think the Acosta book is as powerful evidence you could ever have for the position this has prompted on their part, no self-reflection whatsoever.
CARLSON: Yeah, they are desperately unhappy people. Really quickly I don't want to put you in a position where you have to play shrink but I can't resist. Do you think they believe it when they tell us it's all about the facts? Really we are just here to give you the facts. Do they know they are lying? They know they are lying, right?
SOAVE: People can convince themselves that they are not lying when even deep down they know they are right. If the incentives are that powerful. If they are -- everyone is going -- or their viewers or someone is going to tell them no you are so great. We love what you are doing. There is a temptation there to believe the best myth about yourself that you can come up with. That's what I suspect they are doing. Deep down they probably know okay, we have taken this far beyond what any reasonable person would assert is actually talking truth to power.
CARLSON: Never believe the myths about yourself, that's rule one. Robby great to see you tonight, thank you.
