Sparks Fly in Must-See Exchange After Reporter Presses White House on ‘False Flag’ Claims – Opinion

Skepticism is building around the White House’s narrative regarding Ukraine and Russia, and that boiled over today during the press briefing at the US State Department. Matt Lee, of the Associated Press, criticized Ned Price as a State Department spokesperson. It was a rare instance of journalistic journalism.

The issue at hand involved the Biden administration’s latest claims that Russia is spreading “misinformation” and seeking to commit a “false flag” attack to offer a pretext for war. While most reporters would have just accepted the government’s word as fact, Lee was having none of it. He lit into Price, comparing the claims to “crisis actors,” and describing them as “Alex Jones territory.”

Five minutes of uninterrupted viewing is well worth your time.

Reporter: “It’s an action that you say they have taken, but you have shown no evidence to confirm that. […] This is like – crisis actors? Really? This is like Alex Jones territory you’re getting into now.”

The must-watch exchange among @APDiploWriterMatt Lee @StateDeptSpox. pic.twitter.com/RPIPb2zwf5

— The Hill (@thehill) February 3, 2022

The context of Lee’s frustration is simple: The government has, time and time again, shown itself to be completely untrustworthy in relaying information to the public. Sometimes the dishonesty is a result of omission. At other times, it’s manifested in outright lies. In the exchange, the AP reporter cites the lead-up to the Iraq War and the Biden administration’s claims about Kabul not being in danger as examples of past falsehoods.

In summary, Price makes a serious assertion about Russia’s attempts to launch a war without providing any evidence. The claim itself is made in a few vague words to give the White House some leeway. It’s not surprising that some journalists are fed up of being manipulated by the government. The vast partisanship in mainstream media does have its limitations.

The Washington Post’s reporter also criticised the government for their behavior. He pointed out that Jen Psaki did the exact same thing on Thursday.

Reporter did not back off:

“But, I’m not saying that the U.S. is always straightforward when it comes to what happens with civilians,” she stated. That is an essentiafact. 3/x

— Felicia Sonmez (@feliciasonmez) February 3, 2022

Price said: “If there is any doubt about the U.S. government’s credibility, the British government or other governments, and would like to seek solace from the Russians’ information, this is what you should do.” 5/x

— Felicia Sonmez (@feliciasonmez) February 3, 2022

As I’ve shared before, the Biden administration’s messaging on the Ukraine situation is confusing at best and harmful at worst. While Ukraine’s own president has sought to deescalate tensions and calm his people, the White House has gone out of its way to sound the war drums. Biden also complied with sanctions that would have put pressure on Russia long before this stage. The strategy being used is contradictory, absurd and unsound.

The administration, however, is not content with explaining the discrepancies. Instead they accuse everyone who poses relevant questions of being Kremlin agents. It’s the same playbook the Democrats used throughout the Trump administration, but Trump is gone, and at least some members of the media seem to have had enough.

Still, I wouldn’t expect to see this become a trend. Lee and the other reporters from the State Department pool are known for their no-nonsense approach to questioning. However, the majority of reporters at the White House pool seem like complete idiots. There’s no reason to believe that will change.