U.S. Media Begins to Pivot Away from Afghanistan Story

From Jim Geraghty: “…the people with the loudest voices in the national media clearly have concluded that the past two weeks have been enough. Keeping our attention on Afghanistan, and watching the Taliban’s brutal rule of death, might make our national shame intolerable. So it’s time to go back to familiar stories about how bad Jim Jordan is and Joe Rogan is Texas pro-lifers and gun owners are. The mostly urban and blue-state audience for these news organizations like hearing how much more sophisticated and morally superior they are to Republicans.” He then looks at many of the disturbing stories much of the media is now ignoring (National Review). https://www.nationalreview.com/the-morning-jolt/american-media-turn-away-from-afghanistan/?taid=61319066e [login to see] 14a6b&utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter More stories on the effort to escape the Taliban (Washington Examiner, New York Post). https://nypost.com/2021/09/02/tell-the-state-dept-to-f-k-themselves-taliban-taunted-evacuees/?utm_source=NYPTwitter&utm_medium=SocialFlow&utm_campaign=SocialFlow From Peggy Noonan: The president’s people think this will all just go away and are understandably trying to change the subject. But the essence of the story will linger. Its reverberations will play out for years. There are Americans and American friends behind Taliban lines. The stories will roll out in infuriating, sometimes heartbreaking ways. The damage to the president is different and deeper than his people think, because it hit at his reputational core, at how people understand him. His supporters have long seen him as soft-natured, moderate—a sentimental man famous for feeling and showing empathy. But nothing about this fiasco suggested kindliness or an interest in the feelings of others. It feels less like a blunder than the exposure of a seamy side. Does he listen to anyone? Does he have any people of independent weight and stature around him, or are they merely staffers who approach him with gratitude and deference? (WSJ). https://www.wsj.com/articles/afghanistan-withdrawal-fiasco-biden-mcchrystal-gates-holbrooke-obama-military-taliban [login to see] 5?st=tcd57m9l9l0m7uo&reflink=share_mobilewebshare The RNC put out a video of Afghanistan veterans (Townhall). https://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepavlich/2021/09/02/must-watch-veteran-gop-congressman-reflect-on-sacrifice-in-afghanistan-n2595211