Brennan Confronts Chinese Ambassador. Zelensky and the Info War. Let Them Eat Lentils. | Winners & Losers in Today’s Green Room
MEDIA WINNER: Margaret Brennan
CBS’ Margaret Brennan put China’s Ambassador to the U.S., Qin Gang, through an intense series of questions over China’s relationship with Russia in the midst of the war in Ukraine.
She started the interview on Sunday’s episode of Face The Nation by asking Gang if China intends to answer Vladimir Putin’s request for aid. Gang deflected by answering, “China stands for peace, opposes war. China is a peace-loving country. We hate to see the situation in Ukraine come to this. We call for immediate cease-fire, and we are promoting peace talks, and we are sending humanitarian assistance.”
Brennan followed up, citing factual examples and putting Gang on the spot with pressing questions about whether China was willing to “condemn” the invasion of Ukraine, and challenging his assertions that China had asked Putin to back down.
She also confronted Gang about the accusations that China is committing genocide against the Uyghurs.
Throughout the interview, Brennan maintained her composure and refused to back down when Gang tried to duck her questions or proffer empty talking points.
It was a phenomenally important interview at a critical time for the entire world, as melodramatic as that may sound. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has the potential to destabilize longstanding geopolitical power structures, and China could be a very influential chess piece.
MEDIA LOSER: Bloomberg
“Let them eat cake,” the aristocratic nutritional recommendation inaccurately attributed to Marie Antoinette, was bad enough. But “let them eat lentils”? All the class warfare and none of the fun.
In a Bloomberg Opinion op-ed titled “Inflation Stings Most If You Earn Less Than $300K. Here’s How to Deal,” Teresa Ghilarducci offered some questionable suggestions for combating the “sting” of inflation.
Chief among her ideas was giving up meat for the aforementioned lentils. “When it comes to food, don’t be afraid to explore,” wrote Ghilarducci, admitting that a transition to vegetarian options could be tough: “your palate may not be used to it.”
“[Y]ou may want to rethink those costly pet medical needs,” she added, acknowledging that it “may sound harsh.” Ghilarducci also recommended considering selling your car and opting for public transportation, an option that is simply not practical for vast swaths of our sprawling suburbian country.
In a rare bit of bipartisan condemnation, the column got completely destroyed by observers of all political stripes, exacerbated by a tweet that made Ghilarducci’s suggestions sound even preachier.
Were the Bloomberg editors really that clueless about how their “let them eat lentils” sermon would be received, or were they deliberately fishing for hate-clicks? Either way, inflation is a real challenge for millions of Americans, and Bloomberg’s approach was so absurd it was borderline mockery of people’s real economic struggles.
Links We Like:
What the Russian Invasion Teaches Us About the Right
– David French, The Atlantic
Yes, Cancel Culture Is Real
– Charlie Sykes, The Bulwark
Standup comedy and the myth of cancel culture
– Sean Illing, Vox
Occupational Licensing Hurts the Vulnerable Without Helping the Public
– J.D. Tuccille, Reason
Read the full Mediaite Green Room Newsletter here, including the latest updates on Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky’s battles in the information war and a confrontational Fox Business interview with former President Donald Trump. Sign up for your free subscription here.
