Does anyone remember the Saturday Night Live Cold Open from 1997 with Tim Meadows as O.J. Simpson?
No? That’s ok, you can watch it here.
Long story short, O.J. (Meadows) is giving an impromptu press conference from his driveway after burying all his money in the backyard (so he doesn’t have to turn it over to victims). Reporters quiz him. Here’s the exchange:
O.J. Simpson: Thank you. Thank you all for coming. I’d like to comment on the 8.5 million dollar judgment against me. I will gladly pay this fine, but there is no money. I am flat broke. You know, if you haven’t talked to my lawyers, they have all the money. You know what I say when I see my lawyers? “Show me the money! Show me the money!”
[ O.J. chuckles. The reporters can’t seem to break the awkwardness. ]
Reporter #1: Mr. Simpson, you were seen earlier emptying out your bank accounts.
O.J. Simpson: Now see, that’s not true! I was here all day. I was taking a nap. No, no — I was chipping golf balls. No, no — I was packing! No, no — me and Kato went to McDonald’s. No, no — it was Arby’s! No, no — it was McDonald’s — I’m going to say McDonald’s!
Reporter #2: Mr. Simpson, did you just bury all your money in the backyard?
O.J. Simpson: Did I bury the money!?!? No way!! There are two things I’ve never done – beat a woman and bury my money in the backyard. You know, I don’t even have a shovel…
Reporter #2: Then what’s that?
O.J. Simpson: What?
Reporter #2: In your hand? Isn’t that a shovel?
O.J. Simpson: This is not a shovel! “Show me the money! Show me the money!” Who saw that movie?
Reporter #3: And what’s that stuck to it? It looks like money.
O.J. Simpson: Yeah it is. It’s the only money I have left. I’m going to be distributing this money to those who deserve it from the judgment against me. But I stuck it on this shovel so I wouldn’t forget it.
Reporter #2: I thought you said you didn’t have a shovel.
Next, O.J. (Meadows), utters a racial slur under his breath and then pretends someone else said it to deflect from the fact that he’s holding a shovel with money stuck to it.
See that’s kind of how the Trump administration acts. Especially Sean Spicer. They’re holding a metaphorical O.J. shovel with money stuck to it and when reporters question them, they mutter “Putin” under their breath and then promptly say “Did someone call me a Russian?! Why does this always have to be about Russia?!”
That’s how this looks to the rest of us. Like this:
Well, given that, I wanted to highlight something that Politico reported on Friday that I imagine most people probably missed thanks to the unfolding “repeal and replace” drama.
In what can only be described as a blatant “f*ck you” to every American who thinks that where there’s (Russian) smoke, there’s probably (Russian) fire, Sputnik is applying for a White House press pass.
For those unfamiliar, Sputnik is a goddamn joke. Plain and simple. It’s propaganda for propaganda’s sake. The “articles” aren’t articles. The “sources” they cite are dubious (and that’s putting it nicely). And… well look, there are frankly so many “ands” here that I could go on all day, so I’ll just let Politico explain it.
Via Politico
The Russian state-owned news website Sputnik has applied for a White House hard pass and is seeking membership in the White House Foreign Press Group in order to become a part of pool rotations.
Sputnik, which Foreign Policy magazine described as the “BuzzFeed of propaganda,” would be part of a rotating group of roughly 22 overseas outlets following President Donald Trump in his everyday interactions along with pool reporters from American print, TV, and radio outlets.
Andrew Feinberg, Sputnik’s White House correspondent, has been in talks with the WHFPG head Philip Crowther, who told POLITICO that if Feinberg and Sputnik complete the boilerplate criteria for being a member of the press group, there “shouldn’t be any reason” they wouldn’t join the White House press pool.
Here’s the punchline:
Sputnik is one of Russia’s government-funded news outlets aimed at international audiences. Launched in 2014, Sputnik has a goal of providing “alternative interpretations that are, undoubtedly, in demand around the world,” its head Dimitry Kiselyov said at the launch.
Yes, “alternative interpretations.” Or, in other words, “lies.”
What say you Kellyanne?…
