If you’ve been following the news, you probably know that we’re in perhaps the stupidest and most absurd outrage cycle since Donald Trump came down the golden escalator. What caused this novel consternation in the chattering class? Has another charge been filed? Did he shout a racist slur when he shot someone on Fifth Avenue?
No, it wasn’t anything like that. Instead – and you might want to sit down for this – Trump visited a McDonald’s.
I know it sounds trite, but rest assured it was an incredibly horrific “stunt” the likes of which the political world has never seen. Firefighter journalists have spent every waking second since he put in some fries and passed out some Happy Meals trying to alert the public that the scene was “staged” and a display of intense manipulation.
Newsweek even went so far as to have the McDonald’s location where he appeared canceled. No, I’m not kidding. They dug up some health code violations to show how evil this particular restaurant is.
SEE: Outrage after Newsweek attempts to cancel McDonald’s Trump visit to PA
An inspection report for the McDonald’s restaurant in Pennsylvania found that employees did not have “clean and properly washed hands.”https://t.co/qbTCVIXki9 pic.twitter.com/LUTPq32CiQ
— Newsweek (@Newsweek) October 21, 2024
Of course, MSNBC decided to operate Trump’s photo op as evidence that he is mentally ill. Because no politician has ever visited a speedy food restaurant.
The manic madness of it is that he literally engages in the usual political sensationalism and they lose their minds. https://t.co/MiHIFdLDCj
— Ben Domenech (@bdomenech) October 20, 2024
While all the screaming was going on, the New York Times published a “fact check” concluding that Trump was lying about Harris never working at McDonald’s because her campaign and a “friend” claimed so. No further evidence of her alleged employment was found.
READ: The New York Times fact-checks Kamala Harris working at McDonald’s and it’s hilarious
Seriously: the biggest fact check of all time pic.twitter.com/A5lkL759zl
— Kyle Smith (@rkylesmith) October 21, 2024
Believe it or not, the stalwart American press corps wasn’t done yet. On Monday, Trump posted an AI-generated image posing as an NFL player. The former president had just attended the game between the New York Jets and the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night. Here was the reaction.
And I thought that was real. pic.twitter.com/Gs2xIpGZ9L
— EducatëdHillbilly™ (@RobProvince) October 21, 2024
Where would we be without the mainstream media doing the demanding work to ensure that the above image was “probably” generated by AI? Nevertheless, examples kept coming. On the same day as this ridiculous report, The New Republic published an article claiming that Republicans win elections through “fraud.”
Here’s the facts about how Republicans win presidential elections: They cheat. This has been the case in most elections in recent American history.
Out of @mtomaskyhttps://t.co/UTjuDp8oAN
— The New Republic (@newrepublic) October 21, 2024
I think the point is clear. The press has set a novel standard for absurdity when it comes to what it freaks out about when it comes to Donald Trump. What does that tell us? It shows us that they are afraid.
I’m not suggesting that the press was gentler on Trump a year ago than it is today. On the contrary, ancient journalists’ penchant for losing their minds whenever the former president takes a breath is well documented. However, this feels like a novel standard. We don’t see them hyperventilating about “Russian collusion” or whatever the Justice Department’s latest indictment is. They’re crazy about Trump go to a McDonald’s.
There is a certain level of desperation in this. With Election Day just two weeks away, the press can sense Trump’s momentum and it’s frightening them. If you thought the last nine years were crazy, just wait until you see what else the press is cooking up these last few days.
