We’re now on Day Three of the media frenzy over Donald Trump’s visit to a Pennsylvania McDonald’s. (What should we call this? The Gold-Arch Standard? The 2-Patty Scandal? McDonald’s-gate?) What’s truly remarkable is how the press can’t seem to help themselves, spiraling into overreaction and self-inflicted embarrassment.
Today, the circus continues, with CNN’s media expert Brian Stelter weighing in. Of all people, the guy often mockingly called “Idaho Spud” might want to sit this one out. But Stelter, famously lacking self-awareness, predictably jumps in, rushing to defend the very industry he’s supposed to critically cover.
Brian has come out and declared that those troubled souls of the Right are the ones who made the Trump Drive-thru Photo Shooting a lingering news story on the third.
The right is making Trump’s McDonald’s photo-op into a three-day story by saying liberals are losing their minds over it >> pic.twitter.com/06l3U26nUv
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) October 22, 2024
We have seen the reactions of the various media outlets over the last few days. It is fair to say that the press has “lost their mind”. They were indignant when a planned and scheduled visit to a campaign stop was “staged.” It’s not like this is a new development. Newsweek even went as far as to say that Trump did not work a full day! (We are awaiting the disclosure of whether he properly clocked out.)
This time it’s from the New York Times. The “Paper Of Record”, a prestigious newspaper, decided it was important journalism to send journalist Stefanos to McDonald’s in the area and ask the workers to assess the former president’s work. He sent professional fry cooks to criticize Trump’s work in the burger joints. Some of the criticisms:
- The box is backward. “He doesn’t appear to know how to do this.”
- You don’t use salt in this way.
- Trump’s first official day in office
- No one over the age of 78 should operate a fryer.
Chen visited a total of six McDonald’s restaurants in Manhattan to learn about these tough measures. In addition, we might add that the candidate in the pictures did not wear a nametag or indicate that he was a trainee.
“He doesn’t seem to know how to do it.”
After Donald Trump served fast food during a campaign stop at a McDonald’s, several actual McDonald’s workers who examined a video of his performance earned mixed reviews from workers and patrons alike. https://t.co/nXW7FpDBPg
— The New York Times (@nytimes) October 21, 2024
Stelter’s desperation is growing as the election draws nearer and Kamala appears to have a chance of winning as unlikely as the McFlurry working at a particular visit. What else could explain Stelter’s assumption that only the right-wingers are mentioning Trump taking a weekend shift at work?
The New York Times, like the rest of the media, couldn’t help but order up another dish of shameful reporting. The extra saltiness of their reporting only makes it worse.