Topic: Journalism History

The hosts reflect on the era of "soundbite news reporting" from 20 years ago, which was widely criticized for lacking context. They argue that the internet and platforms like C-SPAN solved this problem by providing full access to events, yet modern journalists like Bernstein are now pushing to return to a more curated, edited format. This shift is viewed as a move toward controlling public perception.

A quote attributed to Thomas Jefferson regarding leaders speaking against the press being a "hallmark of a tyrant" is scrutinized and determined to be likely bogus. Historical records suggest Jefferson had a contentious relationship with the press of his era. The segment warns against the proliferation of fabricated historical quotes on social media that are used to support modern political narratives.

Ben Carson discussed media unfairness with Bill O'Reilly, claiming the press has abandoned its constitutional duty to be objective. The hosts dispute the notion that the press was ever objective, citing the history of "yellow journalism" and the explicitly partisan names of early American newspapers. They argue that modern journalism schools were created to mask inherent biases rather than eliminate them.

Writer Christopher Buckley, son of William F. Buckley, is discussed in the context of a satirical Trump inaugural address he wrote for the Wall Street Journal in 1999. A personal anecdote is shared regarding Buckley's early skepticism of the internet during a family Thanksgiving in 1992. Buckley is criticized for his perceived arrogance and for using his media appearances to plug his latest novel.