7 chapters across the catalog
The hosts critique the perceived decline in objectivity at PBS NewsHour following the passing of Gwen Ifill. They argue that the program has become more partisan and progressive under subsequent leadership. They reflect on Ifill's career, including her controversial hagiography of Barack Obama, while acknowledging her skill in maintaining the show's previous stature.
During Joe Biden's first official press conference, PBS reporter Yamiche Alcindor was criticized for asking a question that framed the President as a "moral, decent man." This approach was compared unfavorably to past White House correspondents, with critics labeling it a "humiliation to journalists" and a form of hagiography.
The passing of former President George H.W. Bush dominated the news cycle over the weekend, coinciding with the G20 summit. Critics argue that mainstream media coverage is focused on hagiography while ignoring controversial aspects of his career, such as his involvement in Iran-Contra and his presence in Dallas during the Kennedy assassination.
Norman Finkelstein criticized Thomas Friedman's New York Times column on Mohammed bin Salman as "the most expensive verbal blowjob in world history." The piece is described as a fawning hagiography that ignores Saudi Arabia's role in the conflict in Yemen and its financing of regressive movements across the Arab world.
Charlie Rose, Obama Hagiography and Media Cheerleading
Charlie Rose hosted Kathleen Parker and John Meacham for a discussion characterized as "media hagiography" regarding President Obama. Parker praised Obama's "off the charts" emotional intelligence, while Meacham described him as one of the brightest presidents in history. The segment critiques the mainstream media for acting as a "cheerleading squad" rather than providing objective analysis.
Vernon Loeb, Washington Post and CIA Media Plants
Vernon Loeb, the Metro Editor at the Washington Post, is identified as the co-author of the Petraeus biography "All In." The discussion compares Loeb to Bob Woodward, suggesting both serve as intelligence community plants within major media outlets to manage propaganda and hagiographies.
Gwen Ifill, PBS Neutrality, and Obama Hagiography
PBS anchor Gwen Ifill is accused of being a "Manchurian news candidate" due to her perceived bias in favor of the Obama administration. The hosts define her work as "hagiography"—an idolizing biography—and point to her role in debates as evidence of a conflict of interest. They argue that even the supposedly neutral PBS NewsHour is compromised by subtle propaganda.
