A group of Washington Post reporters, several of whom are also CNN analysts, faced intense scorn online following Democrats’ partisan impeachment of President Donald Trump after they posted a picture of themselves celebrating “impeachmas” over drinks.
House Democrats voted on Wednesday to, for the first time in history, impeach a president along strictly partisan lines, as no Republicans supported their effort and multiple Democrats defected and sided with the Republicans.
Left-wing Washington Post journalist Rachael Bade tweeted out a photograph of herself along with four of her colleagues — Paul Kane, Mike DeBonis, as well as Seung Min Kim and Karoun Demirjian, who are both paid CNN contributors along with Bade.
Bade tweeted, “Merry Impeachmas from the WaPo team!”
The tweet instantly went viral for all the wrong reasons, and numerous notable media analysts and political figures quickly weighed in on it by condemning the blatantly partisan celebration from a group of journalists that routinely portray themselves to be non-partisan.
Bade deleted the tweet approximately an hour after she tweeted it and then claimed in a subsequent tweet: “I’m deleting a tweeting tonight that is being misinterpreted by some as an endorsement of some kind. To be absolutely clear, we at the Post are merely glad we are getting a break for the holidays after a long 3 months. I will retweet the group photo w/ a better caption!”
I’m deleting a tweeting tonight that is being misinterpreted by some as an endorsement of some kind. To be absolutely clear, we at the Post are merely glad we are getting a break for the holidays after a long 3 months. I will retweet the group photo w/ a better caption !
— Rachael Bade (@rachaelmbade) December 19, 2019
By the time she cast blame on others for “misinterpret[ing]” her tweet, the damage had already been done as numerous news reports had been published and dozens of numerous notable figures had weighed in on the tweet.
White House Press Secretary and Communications Director Stephanie Grisham tweeted: “And on cue some reporters will circle the wagons & defend their colleagues at all costs. Calling out reporters for inappropriate behavior is labeled (by the media) an attack on the free press. Reporters claim they ‘hold the powerful accountable’. But who holds them accountable?”
Columnist Stephen Miller tweeted: “Do these people have any self awareness? Any at all?”
Do these people have any self awareness? Any at all? pic.twitter.com/GaLa0lcV9U
— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) December 19, 2019
Joe Concha, media reporter at The Hill, tweeted: “Washington Post reporter and CNN political analyst Rachel Bade celebrates Impeachmas, which isn’t a horrible look for both news organizations or anything…”
Washington Post reporter and CNN political analyst Rachel Bade celebrates Impeachmas, which isn’t a horrible look for both news organizations or anything… https://t.co/Q7fTgGXAOe
— Joe Concha (@JoeConchaTV) December 19, 2019
Fox News Los Angeles reporter Bill Melugin tweeted: “What the hell were you thinking when you tweeted this? Some of us still care about ethics and unbiased reporting, and this garbage makes it harder for all of us by reinforcing a stereotype. Come on guys.”
What the hell were you thinking when you tweeted this? Some of us still care about ethics and unbiased reporting, and this garbage makes it harder for all of us by reinforcing a stereotype. Come on guys.
— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) December 19, 2019
Federalist writer Erielle Davidson commented on Bade’s follow-up tweet, writing: “LOL this is so sad”
LOL this is so sad https://t.co/iSJ4TZs1jV
— Erielle Davidson (@politicalelle) December 19, 2019
Another notable account, which is very critical of Trump, tweeted: “I don’t really think it was misinterpreted at all, alas. And if you can’t convince someone like me, who is pretty mild about these things (and deeply anti-Trump), you sure as heck aren’t going to convince anyone to my political right.”
I don't really think it was misinterpreted at all, alas. And if you can't convince someone like me, who is pretty mild about these things (and deeply anti-Trump), you sure as heck aren't going to convince anyone to my political right. https://t.co/EUb7IfvASF
— Christmasoteric (@EsotericCD) December 19, 2019
Immigration attorney Matthew Kolken mocked The Washington Post’s “Democracy Dies in Darkness” slogan, which was adopted by the newspaper at the start of the Trump administration, tweeting: “Democracy dies at happy hour.”
Democracy dies at happy hour.
— Matthew Kolken (@mkolken) December 19, 2019
Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale tweeted: “Ladies & gentlemen, your fair and objective press corps in action! What a joke.
Media needs to stop acting like they are ‘impartial’.”
Ladies & gentlemen, your fair and objective press corps in action! What a joke.
Media needs to stop acting like they are “impartial”. https://t.co/F89tPhbRZT
— Brad Parscale (@parscale) December 19, 2019
Fox News contributor Mollie Hemingway tweeted: “Washington Post celebrating the impeachment of their biggest political opponent. An impeachment that they worked so hard to achieve over several years.”
Washington Post celebrating the impeachment of their biggest political opponent. An impeachment that they worked so hard to achieve over several years. pic.twitter.com/IYVpzT2cCP
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) December 19, 2019
NewsBusters Managing Editor Curtis Houck comments on Bade’s follow up tweet, writing, “The best part is she thinks we’re misinterpreting her!”
The best part is she thinks we're misinterpreting her! https://t.co/YuAkV635Os
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) December 19, 2019
CNN contributor and Trump campaign surrogate Steve Cortes tweeted: “Since the coward ‘journalists’ at WaPo deleted the tweet, re-posting the screenshot here. Far too many in corporate media ‘form a cabal of group-think ‘resistance’ advocates masquerading as reporters.'”
Since the coward “journalists” at WaPo deleted the tweet, re-posting the screenshot here:
Far too many in corporate media “form a cabal of group-think ‘resistance’ advocates masquerading as reporters.”
My article on #MediaMalfeasancehttps://t.co/F4MgE9QsMg pic.twitter.com/9r9JVhFqBN
— Steve Cortes (@CortesSteve) December 19, 2019