Ink Stained Wretches

Nebulous Media
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Ink Stained Wretches

Eliana Johnson and Chris Stirewalt love the news business but they hate a lot of what’s happening to it these days. Using their decades of experience in print, digital and TV news they tell the story behind the stories, always on the lookout for bias, sloppy reporting and, well, just plain wretched journalism. Every week they help you to be a better, smarter news consumer.

  1. 13 HR AGO

    Gravy Emergency

    Welcome to an early episode this week! Before diving into our Thanksgiving takes, we’re discussing the “normalcy” of Trump’s win, the last cable news star, and a Cormac McCarthy scoop that went viral for all the wrong reasons. Wretch on, and Happy Thanksgiving from your favorite Wretches! Time Stamps: 2:00 Front page 35:50 Obsessions 43:22 Reader Mail 45:03 Favorite Items Show Notes: The New York Times: Opinion | The Bizarro Normalcy of the Public Reaction to Trump’s Win The New York Times: Election Forecasts Try to Go Beyond the Polls. Are They Helping? The Ankler: MSNBC Mayhem: Rachel Maddow Pay Cut, Brutal Lineup Shakeup Coming  Semafor: Kaitlan Collins’ star rises at CNN  Slate: An Interview With the Vanity Fair Writer Whose Cormac McCarthy Scoop Went Viral for All the Wrong Reasons  The Wall Street Journal: A $12,000 Surgery to Change Eye Color Is Surging in Popularity NBC News: Thanksgiving dinner is historically affordable this year  Axios: Why "fart walks" after meals are good for you, experts say  The New York Times: How Thanksgiving Lasagna Became an American Staple  The Washington Free Beacon: MSNBC Says It Was 'Unaware' of Harris Campaign Contributions to Al Sharpton Nonprofit—But Won't Say Whether It's Taking Action The Wall Street Journal: The Case for Being Ungrateful  The New York Times: A Real Estate Queen and the Secret She Couldn’t Keep Hidden The New York Times: At 17, She Just Passed the State Bar of California

    50 min

  2. 5 DAYS AGO

    McRibbing The Libs

    Watch the video episode on YouTube. The media business of yesteryear is gone, folks. This week, we’re breaking down MSNBC’s brutal week, Trump’s cabinet chaos, and the ongoing postmortem for the Democrats. Be sure to send us your favorite Thanksgiving traditions, and as always, Wretch on. Time Stamps:  01:11 Front Page 48:26 Obsessions  51:45 Reader Mail  53:55 Favorite Items  Show Notes:  Mediaite: Joe and Mika’s ‘Fears of Retribution’ As Motivation for Trump Meeting Feels a Lot Like Clean Up on Aisle Mar-a-Lago New York Times: Viewers Flee MSNBC, and Flock to Fox News, in Wake of Election  Wall Street Journal: Comcast Greenlights $7 Billion Spinoff of NBCUniversal Cable Channels  AP News: Pete Hegseth had been flagged by service member as possible 'Insider Threat'  The Washington Post: Trump picks fracking CEO Chris Wright to be energy secretary Times of Israel: Muslims who voted for Trump upset by his pro-Israel cabinet picks The Washington Post: Opinion | Democrats thumb their nose at the rule of law in Pennsylvania  The Washington Post: Two Republicans who lost Senate races refuse to concede The New York Times: Opinion | When Will Democrats Learn to Say No?  Apple: Apple shares the most popular podcasts of 2024  The Washington Post: The Onion wins auction to take control of Alex Jones’s Infowars  The New York Times: Women Get Less Exercise Than Men. It’s a Problem.  The New York Times: Some Black Women Are Choosing Rest Over Politics  The Wall Street Journal: Want to Network in Silicon Valley? Bring a Bathing Suit Food and Wine: Want More Sauce on That McRib? McDonald’s Has You Covered With Its All-New Jug of McRib Sauce The New York Times: Trump Has Put an End to an Era. The Future Is Up for Grabs. American Enterprise Institute: The Supreme Court Misses a Chance to Clarify Press Freedom for Gathering News via New Technologies | American Enterprise Institute  The Washington Post: The mysterious Virginia mansion allegedly bought with stolen Nigerian money The New York Times: How to Cook the Best Thanksgiving Turkey

    59 min

  3. 14 NOV

    Dems In The Doge House

    Much has happened since our last episode—or so we’ve heard. Get ready as we dive into it all: Trump’s ‘landslide’ victory, key takeaways for Democrats, Trump Administration 2.0, Elon Musk, and, of course, the American news media’s reaction to the election results. Wretch on! Time Stamps: 1:19 - Front Page 49:25 - Obsessions 54:10 - Reader Mail 56:33 - Favorite Items Show Notes: Daily Mail: Election results breakdown reveals how Trump won by a landslide - taking both the popular vote and the crucial electoral vote  Politico: Trump Has Humiliated His Foes  Axios: Elon Musk becomes the most powerful (unelected) man ever  Politico: ‘Who the f--k is this guy?’: Defense world reacts to Trump’s surprise Pentagon pick Axios: Scoop: Trump expected to shake up White House briefing room Abc News: Trump and Biden both call for smooth transition in historic Oval Office meeting New York Times: Democrats Ignored Gaza and Brought Down Their Party Washington Post: Pro-Hamas messages intensify on college campuses Slate: The One Thing Democrats Need to Embrace to Survive  Semafor: A tale of two jets: The old media grapples with its new limits  Reuters: New York Times Tech Guild to return to work, negotiations will go on  The Washington Free Beacon:  Fighters, Failures, and Freaks: The Definitive List of Winners and Losers of the 2024 Election BBC: Monkeys will never type Shakespeare, study finds       The Wall Street Journal: Pro Take: Less Jobs Data Is Going Into the Jobs Report The Wall Street Journal: Voters Reject the Party of Scold Tom Elliot on X:  “If Jonestown had recorded a final video”

    1 hr

  4. 2 NOV

    Garbage In, Garbage Out

    It’s the final countdown, folks. We’ll see you on the other side. But what does that mean, exactly? We’re breaking down what next week could look like, as well as Garbage Gate, the meltdown at The Washington Post, and Nerds Gummy Clusters. Wretch on! Time Stamps: 9:00 Front Page 54:44 Obsessions 59:44 Favorite Items Show Notes: The Washington Post: Will TV viewers trust network election calls? Chris Stirewalt hopes so.  The Washington Post: Did Biden call Trump supporters ‘garbage’? It comes down to an apostrophe. AP News: AP sources: White House altered record of Biden’s ‘garbage’ remarks despite stenographer concerns  Fox News: Trump sues CBS News for $10 billion alleging 'deceptive doctoring' of Harris' '60 Minutes' interview  The New York Times: Why the Right Thinks Trump Is Running Away With the Race  The Washington Post: ‘Like it or not’: In one quote, Trump distills the 2024 gender gap  The Washington Post: Opinion | Jeff Bezos: The hard truth: Americans don’t trust the news media Semafor: Bezos celebrated in Europe with Katy Perry as Post crisis began  Semafor: Washington Post pays to boost stories critical of Trump as subscribers flee  The Free Beacon: EXCLUSIVE: WaPo Opinion Editor David Shipley Blames Bezos for Endorsement Drama, Tells Staff They Can Quit as Distraught Journalists Slam Bezos for 'Conflict of Interest' and 'Thumb on the Scale'  The Wall Street Journal: America’s Newest Hit Candy Is Gummy, Crunchy and Printing Money The New York Times: This $350 Oura Ring 4 Tracks Your Sleep. Is It Worth the Splurge?  New York Post: Facebook execs suppressed Hunter Biden laptop scandal to curry favor with Biden-Harris admin: bombshell report Slate: Election 2024 polls: Could Jill Stein tip the election to Trump? It’s complicated. The New York Times: Opinion | Donald Trump Is Bored  The Wall Street Journal: From Internet Sensation to Overexposed Child Star? Moo Deng Fans Can’t Get Enough

    1h 4m

  5. 25 OCT

    Birtherism, meet Burgerism

    Christine Rosen is back in the saddle as Chris braves air travel this week on Ink Stained Wretches. Welcome in as we discuss Kamala’s performance on CNN’s Town Hall, The Atlantic’s story on “Generals” and of course, Trump’s stop at McDonalds. Wretch on! Time Stamps: Front Page - 1:08 Reader Mail - 53:46 Favorites 54:41 Show Notes: The New York Times: Kamala Harris and McDonald’s: A College Job, and a Trump Attack The Atlantic: Trump: ‘I Need the Kind of Generals That Hitler Had’ The New York Times: As Election Nears, Kelly Warns Trump Would Rule Like a Dictator CBS News: A statement from 60 Minutes  The New York Times: U.S. Study on Puberty Blockers Goes Unpublished Because of Politics, Doctor Says

    1 hr

  6. 17 OCT

    Campaign Economics For Dummies

    Even if neither presidential candidate is economically literate, the great media blitz of 2024 rolls on. This week on Ink Stained Wretches, we break down the friendly interviews, the cautious ones, and the controversies behind them (ahem, CBS). Wretch on! Time Stamps: 2:10 Front Page 40:14 Obsessions 49:51 Reader Mail 54:16 Favorite Items Show Notes: AP News: Kamala Harris will sit down with Bret Baier for her first Fox News interview  The New York Times: Harris Slams Trump in Interview With Charlamagne Tha God: 5 Takeaways Fox News: JD Vance clashes with ABC News host over migrant gang presence in Colorado: 'Do you hear yourself?' CNN Business: Trump backs out of CNBC interview, his second about-face with mainstream press this month  Mediaite: Sean Hannity Gushes Over Trump After Chaotic Interview With Bloomberg Editor: ‘Absolutely Schooled!’  Axios: Harris responds to Trump's town hall-turned "music fest": "Hope he's okay"  The Free Press: ‘60 Minutes’: Release the Unedited Kamala Harris Transcript Fox News: Speaker Johnson accuses CBS of 'selectively editing' interview on heels of VP Harris '60 Minutes' controversy  Speaker Mike Johnson on X: "I recently traveled to NC and victims of Hurricane Helene told me nearly two weeks after landfall, the Biden-Harris Administration had STILL not provided them with all the resources they desperately needed. But CBS selectively edited OUT ENTIRELY this first-hand perspective. https://t.co/ZjO5LWdtsM" / X  Wall Street Journal: CBS News Chief Tested by Internal Crises and an Agitated Owner  The New York Times: Washington Post C.E.O. Elevates Deal-Making to a Top Priority  Nieman Lab: Midwestern news nonprofit The Beacon shuts down its Wichita newsroom The New York Times: The Downfall of FTX’s Ryan Salame and Crypto Advocate Michelle Bond Chris Rufo on X: EXCLUSIVE: Kamala Harris plagiarized at least a dozen sections of her criminal-justice book, Smart on Crime, according to a new investigation. The current vice president even lifted material from Wikipedia The New York Times: Conservative Activist Seizes on Passages From Harris Book  The New York Times: The University of Michigan Doubled Down on D.E.I. What Went Wrong? Semafor: No matter who wins, the US is moving to the right  The Dispatch: Tippecanoe and Harris Too Wall Street Journal: ‘Impactful’ Leaves This Wordsmith Reeling  WV News: Everything's fair game at the Roadkill Cook-Off in Marlinton, West Virginia The New Yorker: A Husband in the Aftermath of His Wife’s Unfathomable Act The New York Times: Chestnut Championship in England Is Roiled by Accusation of Cheating

    58 min

  7. 11 OCT

    CBS Mournings

    If you’re not caught up on the CBS controversy, we’ve got you covered in today’s episode. We break down the interview with Ta-Nehisi Coates and its aftermath. We also discuss the 2024 media blitz, Trump’s decision to decline a Fox debate, and climate change. Wretch on! Time Stamps:  2:04 Front Page 44:29 Obsessions 52:14 Reader Mail 55:20 Favorite Items If you have a story you want us to talk about, e-mail us at wretches@nebulouspodcasts.com. Sign Up for the Newsletter: https://wretches.substack.com Follow us on Instagram @InkStainedWretches Show Notes: Puck News: The Tony–Ta-Nehisi Affair The Free Press: How Is CBS Marking October 7? By Admonishing Tony Dokoupil The Wall Street Journal: CBS Interview on Israel Triggers Fight at Network; Shari Redstone Weighs In The New York Times: CBS Rebukes Anchor Over Tense Interview With Ta-Nehisi Coates The New York Times: Inside the Turmoil at CBS News After a Tense Ta-Nehisi Coates Interview  The Free Press: Does CBS News Know Where Jerusalem Is?  Reuters: Trump rejects Fox News invite to debate Harris in late October  Mediaite: James Carville ‘Scared To Death’ About Election Day: Kamala Harris Needs To Get ‘Aggressive’ Wired: Tim Walz Rally Goes Live on World of Warcraft Twitch Stream  The Daily Beast: Host Laughs in Trump’s Face After He Calls Himself ‘Basically a Truthful Person’  Axios: Potential Trump loss threatens destruction of modern GOP  Yahoo News: New York Sun owner Dovid Efune nearing deal to buy the Telegraph  The New York Times: Introducing the Dachshund Bag The Honest Broker on Substack: Weather Attribution Alchemy Slow Boring on Substack: Media organizations are blowing their endorsements  The Washington Post: Mossad’s pager operation: Inside Israel’s penetration of Hezbollah

    1 hr

  8. 5 OCT

    Apolitical Campaigning

    How has Hurricane Helene impacted the election? Will the VP debate sway voters? Why did Melania release a pro-abortion memoir and request $250,000 from CNN? All of this and more will be discussed on today’s episode. Wretch on! Time Stamps: 4:06 Front Page 56:29 Obsessions 1:03:09 Reader Mail 1:07:16 Favorite Items Show Notes:  Politico: Trump and Kemp to appear together for first time since 2020  Politico: Harris consoles those devastated by Helene in Georgia — a contrast with Trump's visit  Wall Street Journal: The Profane 78-Year-Old Leading the Dockworkers Strike  The Washington Post: Vance peddles Trump agenda in softer tones, misleading ways during debate The Wall Street Journal: JD Vance’s Version of Trump Is Better Than the Real Thing Politico: 8 Body Language Tells From the Vice Presidential Debate  Reason:  Tim Walz's Very Bad Answer on Social Media Censorship The Atlantic: Tim Walz Is Too Good at This  The Guardian: Melania Trump passionately defends abortion rights in upcoming memoir  CNN: CNN requested an interview with Melania Trump. Her book publisher asked for $250,000 in exchange  The New York Times: Photos Show Rep. Mike Lawler in Blackface as Michael Jackson  CNN: Olivia Nuzzi accuses ex-fiance of orchestrating blackmail campaign amid RFK relationship  Hollywood Reporter: Taylor Lorenz Exits Washington Post to Launch ‘User Mag’ on Substack (Exclusive)  The Washington Post: No one loved baseball, or damaged it, as much as Pete Rose  The Wall Street Journal: Too Timid to Tell the Boss You’re Quitting? There’s a Service for That.   The New York Times: How Chicken Tenders Conquered America  CNN: McDonald’s is finally selling the Chicken Big Mac in the US  The Washington Post: How a 14-year-old became the alleged school shooter at Georgia’s Apalachee High The Federalist: Trump: Liz Cheney Is A Stupid Warhawk  Politico: Trump and Kemp to appear together for first time since 2020  The Financial Times: We may have passed peak obesity  The New York Times:  Whole Foods Tried to Change the Berry Chantilly Cake Recipe. Customers Lost It.

    1h 12m
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Hosts & Guests

About

Eliana Johnson and Chris Stirewalt love the news business but they hate a lot of what’s happening to it these days. Using their decades of experience in print, digital and TV news they tell the story behind the stories, always on the lookout for bias, sloppy reporting and, well, just plain wretched journalism. Every week they help you to be a better, smarter news consumer.

Information

  • Creator
    Nebulous Media
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2024
  • Episodes
    171
  • Copyright
    © Nebulous Media LLC
  • Show Website
    Ink Stained Wretches

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