The Death of Media Swagger: A Lament for a Bygone Era

Greg Gutfeld weighs in on a recent Politico article that mourns the decline of swagger in journalism, arguing that the mainstream media has become timid and lost the trust of the public. He believes that the media's obsession with political correctness and their hostility towards half the country have contributed to their downfall.

In a recent article, Politico writer Jack Shafer lamented the "death of swagger" in journalism, bemoaning that the industry has become "wounded and limping" and lost its "quality" that has carried it through trials for a century and a half. While Shafer points to a lack of boldness as the cause, the truth is far more complex. The legacy media has lost its sway with the public, and its once-venerated swagger is long gone.

Today, the mainstream media is less trusted than week-old tuna salad. Shafer claims that journalism has become too timid, but his real purpose seems to be a call to action for his fellow reporters to get tougher. This is a misguided plea, as Brian Stelter, the embodiment of mainstream media weakness, can't even do a single girl push-up.

Shafer claims that there are a few approved journalists out there with swagger, but apparently his definition of swagger is writers who despise half the country. This narrow view betrays the true nature of swagger, which is an unwavering confidence born from integrity and authenticity, not political bias.

The article itself inadvertently proves its point. Shafer's mourning of traditional journalism is essentially its epitaph, a eulogy marked by a story about RussiaGate, the media's biggest fabrication in recent memory.

What the traditional media misses today is not swagger, but control. The swaggering types that Shafer cites from the good old days are the very characters who would be shunned by today's newsrooms, victims of their own political incorrectness. The media's obsession with political correctness has driven it to embrace conformity and suppress dissenting views.

The media's loss of status is also due to the relentless attacks from politicians like Trump, who have exposed their hypocrisy and bias. The media's cheerleading of the bogus lawfare against Trump has further damaged their credibility.

Shafer laments that journalists today experience ridicule and harassment at public events. While this is true, it's a far cry from the golden age of journalism, where reporters were respected for their objectivity and fearlessness. The media's decline is self-inflicted, a result of their own arrogance and dishonesty.

Shafer misses the direction of this doom, which originated in the groupthink of grad schools and the media's coddling of conformity. The legacy media has turned into a machine that churns out clones, lacking the diversity of thought and perspective that once defined the field.

The media's swagger is gone, and it's not coming back. The rise of alternative media, such as Fox News, has proven that people crave authenticity and unbiased news. The legacy media's clinging to the past is a futile attempt to revive a dead era.

Shafer's addition that "no, Fox News does not swagger" is a desperate attempt to protect his fragile ego. The swagger of Fox News hosts like Trace Gallagher, who embody the confidence and charisma of a James Dean, is a testament to the fact that swagger is not a relic of the past, but a quality that can thrive in any era.

The mainstream media's decline is a warning to all institutions that resist change and refuse to listen to the public's demands. The death of media swagger is not a tragedy, but an opportunity for a new generation of journalists to emerge, journalists who are unafraid to speak the truth, challenge the powers that be, and regain the trust of the people.