During a press conference in Philadelphia on Monday, Vice President Joe Biden said the White House will be counting on what he called the "legitimate media" to help push their gun control agenda.
“The president and I are going to continue to travel the country,” he said, “so that what we’re proposing can’t be misrepresented.”
"To be very blunt with you, we’re counting on all of you, the legitimate news media to cover these discussions because the truth is that times have changed,” he added.
“The social media that exists out there, the tragedies that have occurred, the Supreme Court decision affirming that it’s an individual right to bear arms – all give a lie to the argument that what we’re trying to do is somehow unconstitutional, or somehow goes after the legitimate right to own and bear arms and to hunt and protect yourselves,” he said.
"You bet they’ve changed," Twitchy said in response. "These days, the 'real journalists' that make up 'legitimate news media' (who knew there was such a thing?) have serious competition from lowly bloggers when it comes to reporting on reality. And the White House desperately needs media lapdogs to dutifully bury all those inconvenient truths," the site added.
Liberal columnist Kirsten Powers weighed in on the idea of a "legitimate media."
"Is 'legitimate media' like a 'so-called American?'" she asked.
"Alternate Biden: 'Legitimate media' will do what we tell them to do," she tweeted a minute later.
"Legit media? So you decide who is legit and you admit you and main stream media are on the same team? Sounds legit!" another Twitter user said.
"Biden talking about 'legitimate media' supporting gun control is akin to Goebbels praising his own propaganda machine," added another user.
But the so-called "mainstream media" has already been doing the administration's bidding. A study conducted by the Media Research Center found that of the 216 gun policy stories run by the so-called "big three" networks' evening and morning news programs between Dec. 14 and Jan. 17, those advocating gun control outnumbered those opposing gun control by a factor of eight to one.
Cable networks like CNN and MSNBC have openly sided with the administration on the issue.
But for many, the idea that the administration can pick who it feels is "legitimate" is frightening, and smacks of certain 20th century dictatorships.
"Biden pretending he gets to choose what is or isn't 'legitimate' media is funny, yet chilling," tweeted Breitbart.com's Rebel Pundit.
"Russians had a name for 'legitimate' media. Pravda," one person responded.
Video of Biden's remarks can be seen here.
Related:
- MSNBC's Martin Bashir compares NRA to Hitler
- Mother Jones editor uses murder of Navy SEAL Chris Kyle to push gun control
- Des Moines columnist calls for repeal of Second Amendment, death of gun owners
- Liberal propaganda: Chris Matthews calls pro-gun conservatives segregationists
- Marco Rubio: Obama doesn’t have the guts to admit he’s anti-Second Amendment
- Obama declares war on NRA, CBS obeys, compares group to Nazis
- Liberals, media engage in propaganda to demonize law-abiding gun owners
- Daily Beast op-ed: David Gregory should not be prosecuted for breaking gun law
- Email indicates NBC used illegal magazine on air after being denied permission
- Authorities investigating NBC’s David Gregory for gun law violation
- Gun debate pits liberals, media against Constitution, freedom-loving Americans
- Report: NBC’s David Gregory violated D.C. gun laws on ‘Meet the Press’
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