Ep. 794 - So. Much. Journalisming.

Episode Summary

Executive Summary: Ben Shapiro critiques media and late-night bias, arguing outlets like BuzzFeed, MSNBC, and the BBC selectively shame conservatives while flattering liberals. He mocks Chris Matthews' fawning Pete Buttigieg interview, analyzes Stephen Colbert's openly partisan comedy, covers Trump's generally successful UK visit amid protests, and closes with a broader conservative debate over government, virtue, and libertarianism versus social conservatism.

Main Topics: Media hypocrisy and online shaming (Priority: 5/5): Shapiro argues that mainstream outlets sensationalize trivial or politically useful stories, including BuzzFeed resurfacing old tweets to attack a black and gay hotel clerk who confronted a racist caller. MSNBC’s Pete Buttigieg promotion (Priority: 5/5): He criticizes Chris Matthews’ interview style as sycophantic and agenda-driven, saying MSNBC framed Buttigieg as a historic candidate despite weak polling and limited support. Stephen Colbert and partisan comedy (Priority: 4/5): Shapiro uses Colbert’s New York Times Magazine interview to argue late-night comedy has become openly left-wing political messaging rather than balanced humor. Trump’s UK visit and media framing (Priority: 4/5): He says Trump was treated respectfully by Queen Elizabeth and overall had a decent visit, while British media exaggerated protests and mocked superficial details. Conservative movement debate over government and virtue (Priority: 5/5): He discusses the Saurabh Amari vs. David French dispute over whether conservatives should use government to promote virtue or limit government power to preserve civil society. Polling and media spin (Priority: 3/5): He notes CNN’s coverage of Joe Biden’s numbers as another example of media soft-pedaling negative movement in the race.

Key Arguments: Mainstream media selectively ruins people who do something laudable if those people later express politically incorrect views. BuzzFeed and similar outlets present themselves as truth-tellers while engaging in ideological pile-ons and personal destruction. Chris Matthews treated Pete Buttigieg like a favorite candidate rather than an interview subject, illustrating MSNBC’s partisan posture. Buttigieg’s national buzz is overstated relative to his polling and real electoral coalition, especially among Black voters. Stephen Colbert is effectively a left-wing activist with punchlines, not a neutral comedian. Trump’s UK trip was diplomatically normal and even successful, but media attention focused on protests and ridicule instead of substance. Conservatives disagree over whether cultural decay is best countered by shrinking government or by using state power to reinforce social norms. Using government power to impose virtue is dangerous because the same machinery can later be used against conservatives. CNN’s framing of Biden’s decline as only a slight dip is evidence of media favoritism. The broader problem is that journalists and entertainers often conceal ideology while pretending to simply report or joke.

Data Points: Pete Buttigieg CNN poll support: 5% - Shapiro cites Buttigieg’s standing in a CNN poll to argue he is not nearly as dominant as media hype suggests. Joe Biden CNN poll support: 32% - Ryan Struyk’s CNN poll update described Biden as down from 39% in April. Joe Biden prior CNN poll support: 39% - Used to show a 7-point drop that Shapiro says was minimized by CNN. Bernie Sanders CNN poll support: 18% - Part of the cited CNN Democratic primary polling breakdown. Kamala Harris CNN poll support: 8% - Included in the poll results discussed on air. Elizabeth Warren CNN poll support: 7% - Shapiro notes that Biden’s 7-point drop equals Warren’s entire support level. Pete Buttigieg CNN poll support: 5% - Equal to Beto O'Rourke in the cited CNN poll. Beto O'Rourke CNN poll support: 5% - Tied with Buttigieg in the cited CNN poll. Kirsten Gillibrand CNN poll support: 1% - Mentioned humorously as a sign of marginal support. Trump-UK visit duration: 3-day visit - Shapiro references President Trump’s state visit to the United Kingdom. D-Day anniversary: 75th anniversary - The official reason for Trump’s UK visit and a basis for the Queen’s remarks. Americans visiting the UK annually: almost 4 million - Quoted from Queen Elizabeth’s comments on shared cultural ties. Holiday Inn clerk video: 1 video went viral - A black and gay hotel clerk’s response to a racist caller became a widely shared clip.

Pivotal Quotes: "Not since Barack Obama was the candidate has someone ignited so much buzz so fast." — Chris Matthews: Opening praise for Pete Buttigieg on MSNBC, which Shapiro mocks as hagiographic. "I make no claim that we do. Sometimes it's the same joke." — Stephen Colbert: Colbert’s admission in the New York Times Magazine that his Trump jokes repeat the same theme. "We did it with Japanese-Americans. There can be ways of doing this that are fair, or at least bring us to a more just reality than the one we're living in right now." — Pete Buttigieg: Buttigieg’s answer on slavery reparations during the MSNBC interview.

Implications: Shapiro argues that media partisanship is eroding trust across journalism and comedy, while conservatives must choose between reclaiming government or limiting it to prevent future ideological abuse.