Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) unloaded on the New York Times after leaked meeting transcript allegedly shows editors discussing plans to tie President Donald Trumpto racism.
Late last week, Slate published the transcript of a recorded meeting allegedly held by New York Times Executive Editor Dean Baquet where he addressed the staff about their political coverage.
Baquet acknowledged that the New York Times took the Mueller investigation from a story about “whether the Trump campaign had colluded with Russia and obstruction of justice to being a more head-on story about the president’s character.”
Now that the Mueller report came up empty relating to a conspiracy between Trump and Russia, Baquet told his staff that they needed to take their coverage in another direction, this time focusing on Trump and racial issues in the United States.
He claimed that race “is going to be a huge part of the American story” and added that he hoped their 1619 Project — a series of reports looking at the impact of slavery in the U.S. — would “teach [New York Times] readers to think a little bit more like that.”
Cruz was outraged that the New York Times was planning to tie their coverage of Trump to race before they even know what will happen. He took to Twitter to call the outlet out.
Ted Cruz✔@tedcruz
There was a time when journalists covered “news.” The NYT has given up on even pretending anymore. Today, they are Pravda, a propaganda outlet by liberals, for liberals. These remarks at their “town hall” are a scandal & would be a firing offense at any real journalistic outlet. https://twitter.com/redstate/status/1163118517685825536 …
RedState✔@RedState
The New York Times Decides ‘Trump’s Racism’ Is The New Hotness After Russia Collusion Narrative Fails https://www.redstate.com/slee/2019/08/18/new-york-times-decides-trumps-racism-new-hotness-russia-collusion-fails/?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_term=new-york-times-decides-trumps-racism-new-hotness-russia-collusion-fails&utm_content=0&utm_campaign=PostPromoterPro …
Ted Cruz✔@tedcruz
If you care about journalism, or the First Amendt, READ the transcript. The Editor says (in effect) “for 2 yrs, we covered ‘Russia, Russia, Russia,’ facts be damned; now we’ll scream ‘racism, racism, racism’ for 18 mos, and the rest of the media follow us.” That’s not journalism. https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1163134559862611969 …
Ted Cruz✔@tedcruz
There was a time when journalists covered “news.” The NYT has given up on even pretending anymore. Today, they are Pravda, a propaganda outlet by liberals, for liberals. These remarks at their “town hall” are a scandal & would be a firing offense at any real journalistic outlet. https://twitter.com/redstate/status/1163118517685825536 …
Ted Cruz✔@tedcruz
The NYT is destroying itself w/ Trump hatred. And it’s ultimately bad for freedom of the press when “journalists” openly revel in being partisan propagandists. When our Nation is so tribalised that each side has their own “news” & “facts” and we don’t even talk to each other. https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1163135857320235009 …
Ted Cruz✔@tedcruz
If you care about journalism, or the First Amendt, READ the transcript. The Editor says (in effect) “for 2 yrs, we covered ‘Russia, Russia, Russia,’ facts be damned; now we’ll scream ‘racism, racism, racism’ for 18 mos, and the rest of the media follow us.” That’s not journalism. https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1163134559862611969 …
Cruz even called out the Times for their recent scandal where they changed a headline, allegedly folding to pressure from anti-Trump critics, as IJR previously reported.
Ted Cruz✔@tedcruz
It’s also deeply cynical—at a time when racial tensions are raw, for the NYT to be deliberately stoking the fires of racial tension & hatred. Ironically, their approach is the obverse of their original headline (before they succumbed to the mob): “NYT Urges Racism Vs Unity.” https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1163137145218973696 …
Ted Cruz✔@tedcruz
The NYT is destroying itself w/ Trump hatred. And it’s ultimately bad for freedom of the press when “journalists” openly revel in being partisan propagandists. When our Nation is so tribalised that each side has their own “news” & “facts” and we don’t even talk to each other. https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1163135857320235009 …
CNBC reporter John Harwood noted that the exact quote by Baquet wasn’t “racism, racism, racism,” in an attempt to discredit Cruz’s rant. The senator called out Harwood and encouraged him to read the transcript to verify Cruz’s summary.
Ted Cruz✔@tedcruz
Harwood—whose angry partisanship was so bad he got NBC fired from hosting 2016 GOP debates—reflexively defends NYT. But w/ ZERO facts, ZERO analysis: he simply asserts (w/ apologies to Orwell) “Oceania was at war with Eastasia. Oceania had always been at war with Eastasia.” 1/x https://twitter.com/johnjharwood/status/1163268187682680839 …
John Harwood✔@JohnJHarwood
no, that’s not what the editor said https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1163135857320235009 …
Ted Cruz✔@tedcruz
A real “journalist” (rather than a propagandist) might analyze the transcript, see what the Editor said, have a fleeting concern w/ journalistic ethics. Not Harwood. We must defend the Old Grey Lady. My Tweets linked to actual transcript, encouraged you to read for yourself. 2/x https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1163406452830220288 …
Ted Cruz✔@tedcruz
Harwood—whose angry partisanship was so bad he got NBC fired from hosting 2016 GOP debates—reflexively defends NYT. But w/ ZERO facts, ZERO analysis: he simply asserts (w/ apologies to Orwell) “Oceania was at war with Eastasia. Oceania had always been at war with Eastasia.” 1/x https://twitter.com/johnjharwood/status/1163268187682680839 …
Cruz highlighted that the editorial team noted several times that the 1619 Project was designed to change the mindset of readers.
Ted Cruz✔@tedcruz
E.g., NYT: ““One reason we all signed off on The 1619 Project [explained below] and made it so ambitious and expansive was TO TEACH OUR READERS TO THINK A LITTLE BIT MORE LIKE THAT.” Does that sound like news? Or editorial? (Remember, this was the “News” Editor.) 3/x https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1163407320111599617 …
Ted Cruz✔@tedcruz
A real “journalist” (rather than a propagandist) might analyze the transcript, see what the Editor said, have a fleeting concern w/ journalistic ethics. Not Harwood. We must defend the Old Grey Lady. My Tweets linked to actual transcript, encouraged you to read for yourself. 2/x https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1163406452830220288 …
Ted Cruz✔@tedcruz
What is the 1619 project? In NYT’s words: “It aims to REFRAME OUR COUNTRY’S HISTORY, understanding 1619 as OUR TRUE FOUNDING, and placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of black Americans at the very center of the STORY WE TELL ourselves about who we are.” 4/x https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1163408247145095168 …
Ted Cruz✔@tedcruz
E.g., NYT: ““One reason we all signed off on The 1619 Project [explained below] and made it so ambitious and expansive was TO TEACH OUR READERS TO THINK A LITTLE BIT MORE LIKE THAT.” Does that sound like news? Or editorial? (Remember, this was the “News” Editor.) 3/x https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1163407320111599617 …
Additionally, Cruz highlighted that Banquet specifically tied the racial narrative to future Trump coverage, especially surrounding immigration.
Ted Cruz✔@tedcruz
The Editor continued: “Race in the next year…is going to be a huge part of the American story. And I mean, race in terms of not only African Americans and their relationship w/ Donald Trump, but Latinos & immigration.” So, he’s explicit that this is the political narrative. 5/x https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1163409199537229825 …
Ted Cruz✔@tedcruz
What is the 1619 project? In NYT’s words: “It aims to REFRAME OUR COUNTRY’S HISTORY, understanding 1619 as OUR TRUE FOUNDING, and placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of black Americans at the very center of the STORY WE TELL ourselves about who we are.” 4/x https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1163408247145095168 …
Ted Cruz✔@tedcruz
Now, will Harwood engage w/ the transcript, actual facts? More to the point, WILL THE NYT (AND THE MSM) COVER THIS SHAMEFUL, OPENLY MANIPULATIVE “TOWN HALL” AS AN ACTUAL NEWS STORY & report on the facts? Or will they just say “these are not the droids you’re looking for”? 6/x https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1163409951898972160 …
Ted Cruz✔@tedcruz
The Editor continued: “Race in the next year…is going to be a huge part of the American story. And I mean, race in terms of not only African Americans and their relationship w/ Donald Trump, but Latinos & immigration.” So, he’s explicit that this is the political narrative. 5/x https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1163409199537229825 …
Cruz’s thread on the New York Times caught the attention of many, including President Trump, who tweeted his support for the senator’s outrage.
Donald J. Trump✔@realDonaldTrump
Thank you @TedCruz, I couldn’t agree more! https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1163137145218973696 …
Ted Cruz✔@tedcruz
The NYT is destroying itself w/ Trump hatred. And it’s ultimately bad for freedom of the press when “journalists” openly revel in being partisan propagandists. When our Nation is so tribalised that each side has their own “news” & “facts” and we don’t even talk to each other. https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1163135857320235009 …
This is not the first time the Times has been criticized by Republicans. President Trump has gone out of his way to deem the outlet the “failing New York Times” and has claimed they have “zero credibility,” though subscriptions to the Times are reportedly at a record high.
