Ink Stained Wretches

Nebulous Media

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. 3D AGO

    Plutocrats & Populists

    Happy Thursday! We’re coming to you a day early with MAGA infighting, a showdown at Columbia University, a media vibe shift, and the story behind the original Egg McMuffin. Wretch on! Time Stamps: 2:26 - Front Page 55:10 - Obsessions 1:04:39 - Reader Mail 1:08:51 - Favorite Items If you have a story you want to discuss with us, email us at wretches@nebulouspodcasts dot com. Show Notes: The New York Times: The Populist vs. the Billionaire: Bannon, Musk and the Battle Within MAGA The New Republic: Why Don’t Plutocrats Care That Trump Is Tanking the Economy? The Wall Street Journal: Capitol Hill’s Republican Sycophant Caucus National Review: Does Trump Know Why He Was Elected? Axios: Trump vows to "lead the charge" to unseat GOP Rep. Massie AP News: Trump warns that arrest of Palestinian activist at Columbia will be ‘first of many’ The Wall Street Journal: Faculty-on-Faculty War Erupts at Columbia as Trump Targets Elite School NPR: A top 'Washington Post' columnist resigns, accusing publisher of killing piece The New York Times: MeidasTouch Pops on Podcast Charts as Progressives Search for Answers The New York Times: Can the Media’s Right to Pursue the Powerful Survive Trump’s Second Term? The New York Times: The Future of News Looks Niche The Wrap: Wall Street Journal Cuts Tech Reporters and Editors in Media Reconfiguration of Coverage Sports Illustrated: Yankees’ Wives Carrying On Team’s Abandoned Battle Against Beards CNN: Trump official tasked with defending DOGE cuts posted fashion influencer videos from her office The Wall Street Journal: How Foundation and Eyeliner Became a Political Battleground WGN9: An early version of the Egg McMuffin included a surprising condiment Axios: MAGA's antisemitism divide BBC: Russian spy ring's plans to kill journalist 'beyond imagination' The Atlantic: Mitch McConnell and the President He Calls ‘Despicable’ The Wall Street Journal: The High-Pressure Tactics Attorney Gloria Allred Uses—On Her Own Clients

    1h 13m
  2. MAR 7

    Actually, it’s a Digital Beanie Baby Reserve

    Watch this episode on YouTube! The Wretches are back in the studio, and it feels so good. This week, we’re covering Trump’s joint address to Congress, tariffs, ‘based’ Newsom, and much more. Wretch on! 1:55 - Front Page 29:07 - Obsessions 37:24 - Reader mail 42:26 - Favorite Items Reuters: Storm clouds gather over US economy as Trump kicks off trade war  CBS News: Poll on Trump's 2025 joint address to Congress finds large majority of viewers approve  National Review: When the Left Is Too Smug Even for the New York Times The New York Times: During Trump’s Rowdy Speech to Congress, the Quiet Moments Said the Most The Wall Street Journal: The ‘Hustling Expert’ Behind Argentina’s $250 Million Crypto Scandal  The Wall Street Journal: The Two-Headed Monster Stalking the Economy Has a Name: Stagflation  Politico: Gavin Newsom breaks with Democrats on trans athletes in sports  Deadline: Tom Llamas To Succeed Lester Holt As ‘NBC Nightly News’ Anchor  Nieman Lab: FiveThirtyEight is shutting down as part of broader cuts at ABC and Disney  Mediaite: Despite Bezos’ Efforts to Shove WaPo Opinion to the Right, Op-Eds Still Taking Defiantly Anti-Trump, Anti-Musk Tone  Axios: Patch scales to 30,000 U.S. communities with AI newsletters The New York Times: She’s a Foot Soldier in America’s Losing War With Chronic Disease  The New York Times: When This Professor Got Cancer, He Didn’t Quit. He Taught a Class About It.

    46 min
  3. MAR 1

    Of Fools in Pools

    Happy Saturday from your favorite band of Wretches! We’re diving deep into the latest from the White House Press Pool, Jake Tapper’s Biden book, shake-ups at MSNBC, and a true obsession with Gene Hackman. Wretch on! Time Stamps: 2:36 - Front Page 42:25 - Obsessions 55:09 - Reader Mail 57:37 - Favorite Items National Journal: White House wrests control of pool coverage away from reporters  Axios: Judge upholds Trump's right to block AP for now  Semafor: Reuters and Associated Press among outlets barred from Trump’s first cabinet meeting  The Dispatch: Donald Trump, Woodrow Wilson, and the Problems of a Free Press  Reason: Trump tries to carve out a First Amendment exception for 'fake news'  The Washington Free Beacon: MNSBC's Newest Anchor Eugene Daniels Is a 'Kamala Harris Expert' and 'Walking Beyoncé Encyclopedia' Who Has Revolutionized the DC Fashion Scene  The Hollywood Reporter: Trump Targets Comcast CEO Brian Roberts As MSNBC Plans New Lineup  The New York Post: Jen Psaki comes out on top of MSNBC shakeup as network axes shows by 3 more lefty anchors, Joy Reid ouster  The New York Post: MSNBC host Rachel Maddow rips own network for axing Joy Reid's show and other 'non-white' hosts' programs  The New York Times: Lester Holt to Leave ‘NBC Nightly News’ Anchor Role  Unherd: Jeff Bezos rebrands Washington Post as billionaire's think tank   Good Morning America: How a community rallied for trans and nonbinary recovery homes following LA fires  The New York Times: In an Age of Right-Wing Populism, Why Are Denmark’s Liberals Winning?  The New York Times: Gene Hackman, Hollywood’s Consummate Everyman, Dies at 95   The Atlantic: How the Woke Right Replaced the Woke Left  The Wall Street Journal: The Business Conference Where Dignity Goes to Die

    1h 3m
  4. FEB 22

    Murdoch Outfoxed?

    We’re kicking off with the biggest story in American news media: the Murdoch family. We’re also discussing Hamas, Ukraine, and Mayor Karen Bass’s masterclass in spin. Wretch on! Timestamps:  4:28 - Front Page 46:35 - Obsessions 55:55 - Reader Mail 57:21 - Favorite Items Show Notes:  The Atlantic: Growing Up Murdoch The New York Times: ‘You’ve Blown a Hole in the Family’: Inside the Murdochs’ Succession Drama  The New York Times: Hamas Releases What It Said Were the Bodies of 4 Israeli Hostages Free Beacon: WATCH: As Gazans Celebrate the Murder of Jewish Women and Children, NPR Calls the Scenes 'More Somber and Much Less Celebratory'  Commentary Magazine: What Did Trump Just Say About Ukraine? WHAT???  The Wall Street Journal: How the Trumps Turned an Election Victory Into a Cash Bonanza  The New York Times: How Trump’s Directives Echo Project 2025 The Hill: Washington Post backs out of ‘Fire Elon Musk’ ad order Jeremy Barr on X: NBCUniversal is settling a lawsuit filed by obstetrician gynecologist Mahendra Amin Collin Rug on X: NEW: LA Mayor Karen Bass says she’s investigating why she was allowed to go on a trip to Ghana days before the LA fires. The New York Times: As a White Man, Can I Date Women of Color to Advance My Antiracism? NPR: Performers protest Trump leadership at Kennedy Center with dance  CBS News: Online searches for gambling addiction surge as sports betting expands, study finds The New York Times: What Should I Wear to Protest an Unspoken Dress Code?  The Telegraph: Margaret Brennan's CBS humiliation exposed everything that's wrong with the Left-wing media  The New York Post: CBS News exec Adrienne Roark, who reprimanded anchor over Israel interview, plans to exit network  The Wall Street Journal: Inside Amazon’s Messy Push to Bring Everyone Back to the Office  I Might Be Wrong on Substack: I’m Such a Hopeless Libtard That It Bothers Me When We Side With the Authoritarian Predator State  The New York Times: Art Adviser. Friend. Thief.

    1 hr
  5. FEB 14

    Gulf of Sighs

    Watch this episode on YouTube. We’re back in person, and it feels good. Today’s theme is “crisis”—or the lack thereof. Whether it’s a crisis in the White House press room, the FBI, the FCC, or a general “constitutional crisis,” we’ve got it covered. Plus, Chris gets nostalgic about Ajit Pai. Wretch on! Time Stamps: 2:06 - Front Page 43:05 - Obsessions 49:05 - Reader Mail 50:52 - Favorite Items Mediaite: White House Bans Associated Press Reporter From Trump and Musk Oval Office Event, Editor Says  TIME: Calling 'Em Out: The White House Takes on the Press  The New York Times: Trump’s Actions Have Created a Constitutional Crisis, Scholars Say The New York Times: High School Trans Athletes Challenge Trump’s Executive Order in New Hampshire  The New York Times: CPI Report: Inflation Rose Unexpectedly in January  The Washington Post: Sinkhole of bureaucracy  Semafor: ‘Almost like surrender’: Steve Bannon on the media in Trump’s ‘Days of Thunder’  The Washington Post: Hegseth’s visit to U.S. base in Germany met with student walkout The Washington Post: U.S. intelligence, law enforcement candidates face Trump loyalty test The New York Times: Serena Williams’ Super Bowl appearance with Kendrick Lamar ends a Drake tennis culture feud The Daily Beast: MAGA Melts Down Over Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl Halftime Performance  Jewish Insider: CNN inks deal with Qatar to launch network hub in Doha  Semafor: Fake, viral conspiracies on X stump politicians, media  The Times: Was I enraged by America’s controversial commentator on race? No, I was bored  The Washington Free Beacon: Toobin's New Beat: Renowned Masturbator Joins New York Times  The Washington Free Beacon: The Historical Case for Trump’s Riviera

    55 min
  6. FEB 8

    The One Where Eliana Has Laryngitis

    Chris takes the lead this week as Eliana rests her vocal cords. This week, we are covering everything from the FCC to the trans sports ban out of the White House, as well as a few items on the Super Bowl and the latest shake from McDonald’s. Wretch on! Time Stamps:  2:04 - Front Page 52:01 - Obsessions 55:56 - Reader Mail 57:48 - Favorite Items Show Notes: The Wall Street Journal: More Than 40,000 Federal Workers Have Resigned So Far, Short of Target   The Washington Post: Republican ire at USAID finds an unusual target: Politico  The Hill: Politico publishes note ‘to set the record straight’ on government subscription outrage  Axios: Scoop: Trump orders key government agency to cancel all media contracts  Fortune: Member of Elon Musk’s DOGE resigns after being linked to a social media account that shared racist posts   NPR: Why CBS stands at the epicenter of Trump's assault on the media  CJR: A Plea for Institutional Modesty AEI: When Anti-Press Ascendancy Meets FCC Public Interest Regulation  The Wrap: Meta Hires Chief Correspondent From Tucker Carlson-Founded Daily Caller  Mediaite: ‘Mass Murderer in Waiting’: Writer Accuses LA Times of Editing His Anti-RFK Op-Ed to Support Conspiracy Theorist  Semafor: Inside Tom Cotton’s unconventional push for Tulsi Gabbard  The Washington Post: The couple who want to make America procreate again The New York Times: As Trump Attacks Diversity, a Racist Undercurrent Surfaces  AP News: Winging it for the Super Bowl? Broccoli might be a cheaper party snack this year  Poynter: Donald Trump brings back the tradition of the Super Bowl interview  USA Today: Travis Kelce: Trump attending Super Bowl 'cool.' The president said 'I hate Taylor Swift.'  The Hill: Whole Hog Politics: An inflection point for the transgender movement  The Wall Street Journal: Americans Don’t Eat Enough Bacon. The Pork King Has a Plan.

    1 hr
  7. JAN 31

    Rescission: Impossible

    The theme (so far) of Trump’s second administration has been shock and awe. This week, Chris and Eliana explain why you can’t shock yourself in the process. Aside from the White House, they discuss Jim Acosta, The New York Times’ audience, and dress shoe styles. Wretch on! Time Stamps: Front Page - 3:17 Obsessions - 42:43 Reader Mail - 52:01 Favorite Items - 54:45 Show Notes:  CNBC: White House says Trump funding freeze remains in effect despite rescinding OMB memo  The Atlantic: The Memo That Shocked the White House The New York Times: Justice Dept. Fires Prosecutors Who Worked on Trump Investigations AP News: Trump uses mass firing to remove independent inspectors general at a series of agencies  CNN: Trump DOJ appointee in DC lashes out after flurry of ‘personally insulting’ leaks in his first week   CBS News: Transcript: Vice President JD Vance on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Jan. 26, 2025  The Atlantic: America Is Divided. It Makes for Tremendous Content.  Status News: Acosta La Vista  The Washington Free Beacon: EXCLUSIVE: Read Jim Acosta's Resignation Letter to CNN Axios: Trump's Colombia tariff threat raises fears on coffee prices  The Washington Post: Transgender soldiers date to the Civil War  The New York Times: Is There Still a Rule Against Wearing Brown Shoes With Blue Pants? The New York Times: The Pure Liberation of a Personal Urination Device - The New York Times  The Wall Street Journal: As a Rising Political Star, Gabbard Paid to Mask Her Sect’s Ties to Alleged Scheme  @PleaseDontDestroy on Instagram: The New York Times coming up with emails to send you Forbes: This Former Billionaire, And New U.S. Senator, Is Now Broke The New York Times: The Return of the Lumbersexual

    59 min
  8. JAN 24

    $WRETCHCOIN

    This is not a crypto scam—it’s an opportunity. As for the news about the news, we’re diving deep into the inauguration, Trump’s administration, Prince Harry, and much more. Wretch on! Time Stamps:  4:05 - Front page 59:54 - Obsessions 1:09:55 - Reader Mail  1:15:30 - Favorites The Washington Post: Trump inauguration puts the fashion in old-fashioned  The New York Times: The Bishop Who Pleaded With Trump: ‘Was Anyone Going to Say Anything?’ MSNBC: Black America in a 'state of emergency': Civil rights leaders brace for Trump's return  Fox News: Trump reflects on return to White House after 4 years of Biden's agenda: 'Got there just in the nick of time' The Hill: Stirewalt: Will Trump invest his political capital or spend it? The Washington Post: Neither euphoric nor despairing be. Trump too shall pass.  Bloomberg: The Second Trump Presidency, Brought to You by YouTubers Deadline: New FCC Chair Revives Complaints About ABC, CBS And NBC Content That His Predecessor Rejected As “At Odds With The First Amendment”  The New York Times: Labeling Mexican Cartels ‘Terrorists’ Could Expose U.S. Companies to Sanctions The New York Times: Biden commutes prison sentence of Leonard Peltier, an Indigenous rights activist convicted in F.B.I. killings.  Mediaite: CNN Reportedly Set To Lay Off Hundreds of Employees as Trump-Era Restructuring Begins  New York Post: CNN CEO tells on-air talent not to express outrage during Trump inaugural coverage  The Washington Post: Prince Harry settles with Murdoch’s U.K. tabloids, gets long-sought apology  NBC News: Senators receive affidavit containing new allegations against Pete Hegseth, who denies the claims  The Wall Street Journal: The Best and Worst Airlines of 2024  @100YearsAgoLive on X: Coolidge Forbids Big Inauguration The New York Post: Megyn Kelly rips Lauren Sánchez for wearing bra at Trump inaugural

    1h 19m
4.7
out of 5
689 Ratings

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.

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