For those of us who take a minute to think before blindly aggregating, not so fast.

With regards to Newsweek’s Jessica Kwong, the case ironically could be made not to jump to premature conclusions.

It all started with her Thanksgiving piece written about President Trump….

Kwong proudly promoted it on Twitter.

There’s one problem. President Trump went to Afghanistan to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with soldiers stationed there and failed to inform the media accordingly, for the obvious security reasons.

Newsweek had to do the quick dance to fix their published error.

As a result of being the latest justified journalist laughingstock, Kwong attempted damage control.

As evidenced by her pieces and social media comments, she consistently refers to the president as “Trump”, not “President Trump”; the initial indication of her lack of journalistic and professional impartiality which was allowed by her employer.

“Written before knowing” should be the avoidable lesson of this cautionary tale. Newsweek, publicly embarrassed that their reporter (making an “honest mistake”?) falsely accused the President of the United States of callous insensitivity over the holiday, assured us all that corrective measures had been taken.

Newsweek investigated the failures that led to the publication of the inaccurate report that President Trump spent Thanksgiving tweeting and golfing rather than visiting troops in Afghanistan. The story has been corrected, and the journalist responsible has been terminated. We will continue to review our processes and, if required, take further action.
— Newsweek representative to the Washington Examiner

So, how was the story “corrected”? When dealing with arrogant liberals who are quite reluctant to admit when they’re in error, actions don’t always match their words as evidenced by the fact the smarmy-but-tweaked headline is STILL up as of Saturday, November 30, 2019.

Not sure if there’s any visual evidence to prove President Trump actually golfed on Thanksgiving Day but we’re confident there’s clarification coming soon from Newsweek. The retraction/correction is also rather short, lame and lacking the remorse-on-overdrive we’d have seen had they done this to President Obama.

This story has been substantially updated and edited at 6:17 pm EST to reflect the president’s surprise trip to Afghanistan.
— Newsweek

If you believe Newsweek’s statement and the “journalist responsible has been terminated”, you’d never know it by some informal searching online.

Kwong is still listed as their staff writer.

Jessica still lists herself as a “reporter” for Newsweek on social media. Either we have more ball-dropping on the part of Newsweek coupled with narcissistic denial in the case of Kwong, or something else may be afoot.

Jessica Kwong could be prepping a wrongful termination lawsuit, that is if she was actually fired, THIS was her first offense, and the customary counseling and/or formal warnings didn’t happen.

But there’s also something suspiciously missing.

Most responsible news organization don’t just give their reporters free rein to hit the publish button whenever the spirit moves them. Pieces are supposedly checked by editors and the fact that Jessica got sacked and the person who was supposed to remind her to verify (in this case) President Trump was at Mar-a-Lago “Tweeting, golfing” before publishing and was apparently spared is problematic at best. This should have been that mere part of the “processes” Newsweek mentioned.

Kwong, after making “an honest mistake” is now shifting the blame.

Kwong told the Washington Examiner that she was assigned to write a story on what Trump was doing on Thanksgiving. The next day, Kwong reached out to the editor on duty and relayed the president’s latest actions, after which the story was published. When the president’s trip to Afghanistan was announced, that editor then decided to assign another reporter to write a new story about it but neglected to update Kwong’s original piece in a timely manner.
— Washington Examiner, 11/30/19

Jessica Kwong should be fired because if you’re one of the extremely privileged to have been given the White House beat, that should come with the experience to know where lines are drawn, etiquette is respected and observed, understanding the over-importance of Journalism 1.01: verify, and if you blow it, you’re gone. No second chances or timeouts in the naughty corner.

Newsweek did not answer additional questions about the editor’s status with the outlet or if they would face any consequences over the publication of the story.

AND whoever was responsible for proofing and editing Kwong’s “work” should also be fired for all of the same reasons. If you terminate one, you’d better terminate both and seeing how neither can be independently verified, there’s no reason to take Newsweek at their word on this one either.

UPDATE

It looks like the hammer has belatedly come down.

Newsweek investigated the failures that led to the publication of the inaccurate report that President Trump spent Thanksgiving tweeting and golfing rather than visiting troops in Afghanistan. The story has been corrected, the reporter responsible was terminated and the editor was demoted. We will continue to review our processes and, if required, take further action.
— iMediaEthics, 12/2/19

UPDATE

Jessica Kwong managed to find a new home (with obviously relaxed standards) for her journalist excellence.

It’s not exactly as we’ve been taught….

Rush Limbaugh didn’t get a chance to read President George Washington’s Thanksgiving Proclamation on air, so here it is in print.

Thanksgiving Proclamation
By the President of the United States of America. a Proclamation.

Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor—and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me “to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.”

Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be—That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks—for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation—for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war—for the great degree of tranquillity, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed—for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted—for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions—to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually—to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed—to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord—To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease of science among them and us—and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand at the City of New-York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.
Go: Washington

Happy Thanksgiving from Bob and Laura!

But it appears the Democrat Party believes their base is so stupid, they have to provide them with “talking points” for the Thanksgiving dinner table as to rebut any ugly right-wing propaganda that might pollute an otherwise perfectly liberal holiday get together.

It’s that time of year — full of food and fun and celebrating with family and friends. But we here at the DNC know that occasionally all that togetherness can lead to some… let’s call them “lively” conversations about politics with that one Republican uncle (or aunt, or brother — you know who I’m talking about). And as Democrats, it’s up to each of us to go into those situations ready with the truth.

So I’m officially deputizing you to serve as a Deputy Democratic Spokesperson this holiday season — and giving you special access to all the facts you could ever want.

We’ve designed a handy website with the perfect responses to all the most common right-wing talking points spouted by your family members who may spend a little too much time tuned into factually-challenged conservative talk radio. Click here to check it out.

When it comes to the economy, health care, climate change, and immigration we know there are the facts, and then there’s what Republicans want to believe. But don’t blame your Republican relatives too much — after all, they’re only taking after the GOP’s presidential candidates and their loose interpretation of reality.

That’s why we have this handy guide compiled, so you can do your part to debunk the latest myths coming from the right wing bubble. Make sure you check it out before turkey-time:

www.YourRepublicanUncle.com

Thanks for doing your part! I’m so glad to have you on the team.

Have a great Thanksgiving!

Luis

Luis Miranda
Communications Director
Democratic National Committee

Note the liberal assumption that men are evil, thus it’s that intolerable “Republican Uncle” who’ll be the one to fuck up Thanksgiving.

The holiday season is filled with food, traveling, and lively discussions with Republican relatives about politics sometimes laced with statements that are just not true. Here are the most common myths spouted by your family members who spend too much time listening to Rush Limbaugh and the perfect response to each of them.

Translation: You’re most likely to be sandbagged by some obnoxious Republican in your family during a time when you just want to relax and enjoy that ambiance with loved ones. Sadly, you’ll be inundated with untruths and here are the crib note answers, seeing how you’d be flustered and caught off guard by the rude, homophobic, misogynistic, jingoistic, racist, right-wing lies.

As things are only believable to the left when they come from their certifiable sources….

New York Times: How to Talk to Your Relatives About Politics at Thanksgiving
Washington Post: How to talk to your family about politics this Thanksgiving
Think Progress: How To Talk To Your Tea Party Uncle About Obamacare This Thanksgiving
HuffPo 2013: Here’s Every Argument You’ll Need To Win Your Obamacare Debate This Thanksgiving
UCS 2014: How to Talk About Climate Change at Thanksgiving: Recipes for Good Conversations
Michael Bloomberg 2014: Everytown for Gun Safety Thanksgiving

And suggestions even came down from the White House.

As people sitting around the Thanksgiving table talking about these issues as they should and I’m sure they will all across the country, I hope that’s a question that will be raised and asked by members around the table.
— Josh Earnest, White House Press Secretary

Look, we’re talking family and it’s not like you can dis-invite them, then again try being a black Republican in a Democrat family where physical bans routinely occur.

But should your Democrat aunt or know-it-all, college student-mooch decide to pull a get-in-your-face around the dinner table, let them spout. Tell he or she what you didn’t have to memorize and when you get that familiar “There’s nothing more to talk about!”, you’ll find your Thanksgiving dinner will almost immediately become more enjoyable because your liberal relative has more than enough incentive to keep that mouth shut.

That is, until it’s time for more free food.