Jann Wenner: my feelings don’t care about your facts
Sometimes it takes a dishonest newspaper to put a lying magazine in its place.
On Friday, the New York Times published an interview with Rolling Stone founder Jann Wenner — and the Gray Lady did not hold back. Interviewer David Marchese asked Wenner to defend the magazine’s now discredited University of Virginia rape story, accusing the publication of putting a “juicy story” ahead of the truth.
Wenner was not all too concerned with the accusations. “The University of Virginia story was not a failure of intent, or an attempt to be loose with the facts. You get beyond the factual errors that sank that story, and it was really about the issue of rape and how it affects women on campus, their lack of rights,” Wenner claimed.
Published in November 2014 and retracted the following April, “A Rape on Campus” described a purported gang rape by fraternity members at a UVA party. The problem: the accuser made her account up. After the Charlottesville Police and other journalists found no evidence to corroborate the article, the magazine was forced to pay $4 million in settlements for defamation.
The media magnate doubled down on this as well, distinguishing between the spirit of the article and facts. “Other than this one key fact that the rape described actually was a fabrication of this woman, the rest of the story was bulletproof,” he said.
Wenner described the mistake as “one of those errors — every publication in the country, including the Times, makes every fifty years at least.”
Vivek’s TikTok flip-flop is paying off
Vivek Ramaswamy to The Spectator, day one of his campaign: “I think this is the single most important issue we’re dealing with, is that dynamic with China. And I’m optimistic. I think there’s a window, because of the Xi Jinping self-inflicted damage, to be able to act now.”
Vivek Ramaswamy in the first week of his campaign: “I’m very open to banning TikTok outright. In the meantime, we sit on our hands and do nothing as kids get addicted to it like it’s digital fentanyl.”
Vivek Ramaswamy discussing young people on the campaign trail last month: “Sixty percent of them say they would sooner give up their right to vote than to give up their access to TikTok. I’m not making this up. This is the stuff of a national crisis unless we step up and stand from something as a nation.”
Vivek Ramaswamy on Twitter/X this week: “Had dinner with @JakePaul on Sunday. He changed my mind and convinced me to join TikTok. Yes, kids under age 16 shouldn’t be using it, but the fact is that many young voters are & we’re not going to change this country without winning.” (Paul, for what it’s worth, did not endorse Vivek in exchange for the candidate’s reversal on the Chinese-run app.)
Commenters on Vivek Ramaswamy’s first TikTok Thursday: “Vivek i edge to you”; “Vivek I’m so close”; “vivek im gooning to this so hard”; “Whoa Vivek! I edge to you my guy”; “Vivek I constantly edge to you🥰🥰🥰”; “Vivek I edge to you buddy”; “finally vivek a true voice we can all edge to !!”; “We edge to Vivek!”
…and he bags second billing at FRC
In other Ramaswamy news, the 2024 presidential candidate has snagged a prime spot at this weekend’s Family Research Council’s Pray Vote Stand Summit. Until just a few days ago, Florida governor Ron DeSantis and former president Donald Trump were slated to speak back-to-back during the Friday night session. But on Wednesday, the FRC sent out an updated schedule with Ramaswamy slotted for a twenty-minute speech between the two politicians. Appearing right before the front-runner will give Ramaswamy another chance to win over the evangelical crowd, which has been suspicious of his Hindu faith and attempts to downplay it. Hopefully they like Eminem…
Donald Trump: the new King David
Sound of Freedom star Jim Caviezel, to the War Room podcast on Wednesday: “When you go back to David, Trump was like that. He was a boy that was called out. Many people didn’t like him, including his own father, but he was selected by God. I think Donald Trump was selected by God Almighty… he listened to the voice and probably didn’t think he’s the best, or maybe he thought he was the best guy because in my opinion he’s pretty great.”
2 Samuel 11:2-5, King James Version: “And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, ‘Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?’ And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house. And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, ‘I am with child.’”
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