18 Comments

What does legacy media need press freedom FOR?

Press freedom as a legally protected right is unnecessary if the press stays within bounds. So if the press intends to stay in bounds then they don't need press freedom and don't need to campaign for it.

I think this might explain the disconnect Matt and Katie appear to have with the rest of the press. They imagine that other journalists can imagine that press freedom might one day have relevance in their lives. But maybe they don't.

And it does make sense. According to the propaganda model, press freedom will only be given to those who aren't going to need it. Either we aren't a threat because we have insignificant audience or we aren't a threat because aren't going to say the wrong things. Assange/Wikileaks is an unusual case.

Expand full comment

For those who believe Assange “gave us Trump”, maybe not so bad as it is likely Hillary would have brought on WW III.

Expand full comment

"he has a lot of experience inhaling and blowing" I've never heard of Nina Felshin before but holy shit, she's hilarious.

Expand full comment

I subscribed on Substack to hear the complete Assange interview but the podcast is the same length as the public post. Where is the complete interview?

Expand full comment

So much of what liberals think they know about Assange was a concerted disinformation campaign to discredit him. It's too late now, but the Mueller report was extremely cagey in using weasel words to describe all the unsubstantiated bs about any connection between WikiLeaks and Trump or WikiLeaks and Russia. At some point, Matt (I know this would be drudgery), it would be great for you to revisit the Mueller Report and put it into the context of all the revelations since, such as the newly unredacted pages that further minimize the evidence for any connection between Assange and Russia and Shawn Henry and others' revealed testimony from 2017 under oath (only released in May of 2020 and not covered by the MSM) that contradicts the major premise for the entire case - that the DNC was hacked by Russia or by anyone else.

Expand full comment

Lol this Hunter Biden shit. This is what we're doing now? Isn't this the same MF who was paid a bunch of money to have a do-nothing job for Burisma?

Yeah, totally seems legit. Nothing to see here.

Expand full comment

The money for the paintings is probably just bribes but maybe art is in the eye of the beholden.

Expand full comment

Matt, I think you know the answer to your own question “why isn’t the MSM covering this?” Do you think journalist are not afraid to be canceled? Or have to be spied on? I think your own work suggests that every journalist should walk lightly when it comes to these nat. Security issues.

Expand full comment

Wikileaks exposes corruption, deception, abuse of power and now apparently, incorrect thought?

Expand full comment

The US's charges are a travesty, period. That more media isn't taking a stand in his defense is also a travesty and shows their lack of interest in America's crimes and exposing complicit leadership. The American people lose, but apparently we just don't give a shit. Therefore, we get the government that we deserve. Thanks, Obama.

Expand full comment

Where is extended interview? The link I got does not include it. SPECTACULAR interview BTW!! THANK YOU for giving this issue the space it deserves!! Please keep going!!

Expand full comment

Does Katie know that the Sanskrit’bodhi’ is an adjective meaning ‘awakened’? As in ‘bodhisattva’ ‘bodhicitta’ etc.

Expand full comment

OMG! I can’t believe I’m listening to a podcast where we are interpreting Hunter’s paintings. I’m actually pissed off, you wasted my time, before I gave up. And turned this off. Nobody is watching useful idiots to lu see them to Katie’s mom’s schoolmate talk abt how much red are in Hunter’s paintings. WTF

Expand full comment