citationsneededpodcast

Ep 214: Fake Ceasefire Talks and Feigned 'Concern': How US Media Helped Distance Biden From the Gaza Genocide

Added 2024-12-11 17:00:42 +0000 UTC

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"White House frustrated by Israel's onslaught but sees few options," reports the Washington Post. "White House cancels meeting, scolds Netanyahu in protest over video," announces Axios. "Biden Works Against the Clock as Violence Escalates in the Middle East," asserts The New York Times.

Since Oct. 7, 2023, we've heard seemingly endlessly that the Biden White House disagrees with the violence in Gaza, but can't do anything to stop it. A number of hindrances frustrate the administration, we're told. There are limits to the United States’ influence and power. President Biden is furious and anguished at Israeli leadership. The administration is working around the clock toward a ceasefire, which — we are repeatedly told — will come any day now.

But, as everyone from the Brookings Institution to the Financial Times to Israeli officials and generals themselves make clear: Biden has been able to, and still can, end Israel's genocidal onslaught whenever he wants. The US has dispositive leverage over Israel, leverage Biden has repeatedly––and openly––ruled out using.

The stark reality is that Biden simply doesn't want to stop Israel and, while he may have complaints about the excesses and PR around the margins, he largely agrees with the outlines of Israel’s destruction of Gaza.

To obscure this central fact, US media has now spent over a year pushing out three White House and Israeli-curated media genres of hand-wringing deflection: (1) Helpless Biden, (2) Fuming/Deeply Concerned Biden, and (3) Third Partying.

On this episode, as Biden is set to step down next month, we will go over the media's legacy of covering for the President for 15 months, examine these fictitious reporting genres designed to distance him from the carnage in Gaza, and look at how they worked tirelessly to minimize responsibility and absolve US officials from their involvement in a genocide being live-streamed for over a year.

Our guest is journalist Dalia Hatuqa.

Guest

Dalia Hatuqa (@daliahatuqa) is a multimedia journalist, specializing in Israeli/Palestinian affairs and regional Middle East issues. She also writes about religion, minorities and immigration in the United States.

Since 2000, she has divided her time between the U.S. and the West Bank, covering a range of political, economic and cultural issues for print, TV and radio. Her work has been featured in Al Jazeera, BBC, The Washington Post, NPR, TIME, PRX, New York Review of Books, The Economist, Foreign Policy, Foreign Affairs, The Atlantic, and elsewhere.

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Show Notes

There's Always a Reason Nothing Can Change and Nothing You Do Matters

Adam Johnson | May 16, 2024 | The Column

How the US Media Helped the Biden Administration Distance Itself From the Horrors of Gaza

Adam Johnson and Othman Ali | November 25, 2024 | The Nation

A Study Reveals CNN and MSNBC’s Glaring Gaza Double Standard

Adam Johnson and Othman Ali | October 14, 2024 | The Nation

Coverage of Gaza War in the New York Times and Other Major Newspapers Heavily Favored Israel, Analysis Shows

Adam Johnson and Othman Ali | January 9, 2024 | The Intercept

The Horrors of Gaza Won’t End Until Liberals Admit Biden and Harris Are Lying About ‘Ceasefire Talks’

Adam Johnson | October 18, 2024 | The Column

Netanyahu, not Biden, is setting the agenda in the Middle East

Dan De Luce and Abigail Williams | September 28, 2024 | NBC News

Why Does the NYT Keep Lying About Biden “Trying to End the War”?

Adam Johnson | May 10, 2024 | The Column

“Massacred” vs “Left to Die”: Documenting Media Bias Against Palestinians Oct 7 - Nov 7

Othman Ali | November 14, 2023 | The Column

Biden Again Pretends To Be Powerless — This Time About Gaza

Adam Johnson | November 9, 2023 | The Lever

Israel-Palestine war: Don’t be fooled. Biden is fully signed up to genocide in Gaza

Jonathan Cook | November 15, 2023 | Middle East Eye

In dehumanising the Palestinians, Biden has surpassed Trump

Haidar Eid | October 29, 2023 | Al Jazeera

It’s time to stop US arms sales to Saudi Arabia

Bruce Riedel | February 4, 2021 | Brookings Institution

For Palestinians, America Was Never an Honest Broker

Dalia Hatuqa | September 13, 2018 | Foreign Policy

Oslo revisited: Was the US ever the 'honest broker'?

Arwa Ibrahim | September 13, 2018 | Middle East Eye

60 Minutes Looked at Yemen War—Without a Second to Look at US Role

Adam Johnson | January 17, 2018 | FAIR

Vietnam War’s End Created Peace – Just In Time For Reelection

Bryan McKenzie | January 27, 2023 | UVAToday

Obama administration arms sales offers to Saudi top $115 billion: report

Yara Bayoumy | September 7, 2016 | Reuters

The Lyndon Johnson tapes: Richard Nixon's 'treason'

David Taylor | March 22, 2013 | BBC

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Transcript

For a full transcript of this episode, go here. You can also find transcripts of past episodes, live shows, Beg-a-Thons, Interviews and News Briefs here.

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