Episode 122: Secret Plane Switch

It’s a big story involving alleged life and death stakes: Were the Secret Service and the president -willing to risk the lives of journalists and staffers? Before taking off from Turkey recently, President Trump and a few aides were secretly snuck out of the plane and into another military aircraft, amid a security threat from Iran. 

Members of the media say the president and Secret Service used them, as well as other White House staffers, as decoys, endangering them. But presidents have done similar things before. How different was this case? The reporting has been filled with conjecture. Today, Josh pieces through the claims to find the facts. He speaks with Joe Lockhart, who was press secretary for President Clinton in 2000 during another plane switcheroo.

Then, Josh explains how the media missed a giant opportunity to educate people about big developments in American security, foreign threats, and a world-shaping event in the 20th century. 

Plus, another group is caught stealthily removing terrorists from its list of so-called “journalists” killed in Gaza. But it’s leaving others on the list. Josh shows why these two stories together demonstrate how the media is endangering its own safety.

Episode 121: El-Sayed & Existential Threats

The narrow victory of left-wing candidate Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary exposed a fault line in America. Some people who recognize his problems with antisemitism say Democrats should now support him anyway. They argue that MAGA is an “existential threat” to the United States, so any Democrat will do. 

Today, Josh shatters that myth, laying out how a left-wing movement presents an existential threat to the nation, and El-Sayed is their new poster child. Josh pieces through the candidate’s blatant lies that fuel violent antisemitism, “shocking” video that pretends Islamist terrorism doesn’t exist, funding from groups linked to terror, and more. 

Then, Josh shares the truth about the Democratic Socialists of America, which backs El-Sayed. The DSA openly calls for the American democratic system of government to no longer exist. It also celebrates the terrorists who carried out the October 7 massacres. The central political battle is no longer left versus right, Josh says. It’s about people who stand for democracy against those who don’t. 

Plus, an update on the war between Russia and Ukraine; the U.N. makes a big admission about Gaza; and a new, horrific attack on Christians in Africa.

Episode 120: Fauci’s Fame/ Jonah Platt

In recent years, news giants have vowed to do a much better job of representing minorities. But there’s an obvious exception. They’ve doubled down on misrepresenting Jewish Americans, who compose about 2% of the country. They seek out the token few who support AZHM (the antizionist hate movement) and ignore virtually everyone else.

Today, Josh speaks with Jonah Platt, an actor and singer who created Being Jewish, a show for Jewish celebrities and others to share their stories. “Most people on planet Earth have never met and will never meet a Jew,” he says. “The only thing they know is whatever 12 seconds of the news they catch.” The two discuss fears gripping Hollywood, why Jonah’s show is like Harry Potter’s train to Hogwarts, and the new TV show Boston Blue, which centers on a Black Jewish family.

Plus, Josh calls out Variety for a fawning interview with actress Melissa Barrera that portrayed her as a victim while hiding the vile antisemitic propaganda she spreads. And he shows how the fallout from Boy George’s new song supporting the Israeli people disproves the media’s “cancellation” narrative.

But first, Anthony Fauci, the chief scientist who advised the U.S. government on the Covid response, is facing new criticism. So are Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, two of Josh’s former CNN colleagues, for off-air interactions with Fauci. He details why this story shows what happens when the media fails to do its job and loses America’s trust.

Episode 119: Popularity Trap

A scene in an old Robin Williams movie highlights a dangerous pattern people fall into — one that’s more widespread than ever today: the popularity trap. In this episode, Josh shows its unprecedented scale. He explains how the media is falling into the trap and dragging society down with it. But we can break out of it.

Then, should a member of a terror group count as a journalist? The answer is an obvious no. But a group that the media cites all the time just voted yes, almost unanimously. That explains the ongoing, nonsensical claims about Israel killing so many “journalists” in Gaza.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) published a statement attempting to justify its decision. The statement is packed with lies, nonsensical claims, and at least one assertion that’s physically impossible. Josh breaks it down.

Plus an Islamist terrorist attacked a pride parade in Berlin. NPR actually admitted that in a headline! Perhaps the broadcast giant is finally responding to what Josh and TSC listeners have been demanding. But the New York Times, of course, still hid the key fact from its headline.

Episode 118: The Media’s One-Night Stand

When some news agencies chose not to air Trump’s primetime speech live, they noted that he was likely to lie. Then right afterward, they resumed booking lawmakers and pundits to lie and not be fact checked. Today, Josh explains how the media’s hypocrisy hurts us all, and how the news business should tackle the problem. He also shows why the “sky is falling” freakouts about CBS were disproven yet again.

The night also exposed another gaping hole in the news landscape: The media has failed to inform America about China’s influence campaigns. So when Trump makes allegations, people don’t know what to believe. Josh pieces through what’s known about Beijing’s efforts targeting the media — including retaliations against journalists’ families. 

Then, he answers listener questions. One involves 350,000 Haitians losing legal status in the United States this week. The other involves what legal scholars are calling “the most aggressive movement of settler populations into occupied territory in current times.” Josh explains that news giants avoid that story because it turns their favorite victim narrative on its head.

Plus: The New York Times brings back its favorite blood libelist for round two… A court battle over subpoenas gets an update… And Josh explains why virtually all organizations doing great work get ignored by the media.

Episode 117: Independents Ignored & NYT Subpoenas

We’ve all seen it so many times that most of us don’t even think about it. The media talks politics and presents “the two sides” — a Democrat and a Republican. In reality, a much larger slice of America does not identify with either party. The American plurality, close to a majority, is treated as an afterthought. And that’s just one way the media fails to cover independents. 

Today, Josh speaks with a leader in the fight for this ignored community: Chad Peace of the Independent Voter Project, a group changing how elections work across the country. The two discuss how the media’s political narratives block reality; how coverage of California’s gubernatorial race and New York socialists fit in; and what journalists are afraid to say.

Plus, just last week, Josh told us about how the Obama administration had subpoenaed journalists. Now the Trump administration has done so. The case involves security questions surrounding the new Air Force One plane, a giant gift from Qatar. Josh explains how the story reflects not only encroachments on press freedom, but also media failures.

Episode 116: Pseudo-Ethics & Press Freedom

Two mainstream news giants are using recent screwups to pretend to care about ethics and guidelines. One is NPR, where iconic reporter Nina Totenberg falsely reported that Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito was retiring. The other is the New York Times, where sports journalist Diana Russini has left the company following a so-called “scandal” involving her relationship with an NFL figure and her actions during a traffic stop.

Today, Josh digs into these stories and explains what they expose about the hypocrisy of Big Media. It’s as though news agencies are showing great concern about a smudge on a penthouse window, while ignoring the fact that the entire building is on a shaky foundation.

Then, a look at America at 250. Virtually every country promises freedom of expression, including press freedom, in its constitution. What distinguishes democracies is the system that gives the people the power to enforce it. It’s up to every generation to carry on that fight. Josh explains why that makes today’s media failures so inexcusable. He cites how the annual White House Correspondents Association dinner and a joke from Obama factor in.

Plus, a new breaking twist in the saga of the disastrous Democratic Senate candidate in Maine, Graham Platner. Why that isn’t just a political story — it’s a media story.

Episode 115: Kindled Brains

When the news shows people certain images, particularly of war and suffering, it creates physical changes in their brains. It triggers part of the mind so intensely that they often can’t think straight. Propagandists take advantage of this. Their greatest weapon is the media.

Today, a leading expert joins Josh to explain. Clinical and neuropsychologist Orli Peter introduces us to “the kindled brain,” and what it means for us all. She explains the dangers of the mental state so many people are in; how terrorist groups have mastered the Western mindset; and why the last three years have been unlike anything she’s ever seen. 

Also, Josh explains how a clip from the old TV show M*A*S*H fits in, and why an attack from decades ago suddenly has new relevance. And Orli discusses her experience responding publicly to New York City First Lady Rama Duwaji, who celebrated the October 7 massacres and denied the sexual assaults that day. The denial harms patients, Orli says. Big media wouldn’t listen, but she found another place that did — and it “went viral.”

Episode 114: Iran Ignorance/ Rape Gangs

Looking at the disastrous coverage of the Iran deal, Josh asks, “What imaginary mental world is the media living in? It’s as though the whole thing boils down to just gas prices, the Strait of Hormuz,  maybe a mention of Iran’s nuclear threat, and of course, imaginary big, bad Israel having a magic ability to force the U.S. into a war.”

Today, Josh lays out the reality. Iran presents the greatest current threat to humanity, and the Islamic regime is conducting global efforts in the effort to control as much of the world as possible. The real story involves so much shaping the world and the lives of Americans, he explains. It’s about drugs, immigration, assassination plots on U.S. soil, Islamist terrorist attacks, threats to U.S. water supplies, the safety of U.S. children’s hospitals, other shipping channels like the Panama Canal and the Red Sea, genocidal attacks on Christians, and the the safety of the world’s largest democracy (which isn’t the U.S.).

All this and more are wrapped up in what seems to be a disastrous capitulation to Tehran. And if this deal is as bad as it seems to be, that would be totally unsurprising given the reality of Trump’s history.

Then, Josh tackles a story the media is hiding altogether: The Rape Gang Inquiry, a big new report on the systemic, horrific rape of young girls across the United Kingdom. The government has long turned a blind eye to it because acknowledging it was deemed “racist” and “Islamophobic.” A man was even jailed for talking about it. The media is a big part of the problem. 

Plus, a trip to LA, JOMO, and Josh’s appearance on the Unapologetically Jewish podcast in conversation with host Shana Meyerson.

Episode 113: Don’s Picks

With Josh just back from vacation, producer Don Jackson hosts a special “best-of” edition of They Stand Corrected, pulling six powerful clips that define the show’s mission. Don’s picks tackle media bias around Israel and Gaza, Trump-era disinformation, immigration narratives, the failure to reach low-income voters, and the meaning of October 7 through Jewish history and resilience. 

Episode 112: China’s Useful Idiots

A top official representing Uyghurs reached out to Josh, saying he’d welcome the chance to talk about misinformation in the media. Then, the story of China’s extreme repression of the mostly Muslim Uyghurs became especially timely.

Today, Salih Hudayar, foreign minister of the East Turkestan Government in Exile, discusses how China is manipulating the world with help from the media. He assails the hypocrisy left-wing groups that claim to care about human rights, “colonialism,” and “genocide,” while ignoring “the biggest imperialist power,” China. 

Josh explains how this affects coverage of politics, the war in Iran, trade, immigration, and more. He explains how Chinese funding fuels organizations like Code Pink and streamers like Hasan Piker as they work to radicalize people around the world’s stupidest cause: hating Israel. 

The plight of the Uyghurs also highlights the hypocrisy of many Islamic nations, the U.N., and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Hudayar shares his experience being kicked out of U.S. mosques for simply requesting a prayer to end the genocide of Uyghurs.

Plus, Maine Democrat Graham Platner has Democrats’ backing despite a long record of horrible behaviors, and ousted 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley leaves big questions unanswered.

Episode 111: Moderation Mandate

News giants have been fixating on horse-race coverage of primaries, and misleading the country. While the headlines play up support for far-right and far-left candidates, Americans are clamoring for moderation. Today, Josh digs into the data. He shows that overwhelming numbers of Americans say Republicans and Democrats have gone too far in their ideological directions.

He highlights how Big Media hides the truth about the top issues for voters. A survey finds that Americans worry “a great deal” about terrorism — even more than energy affordability and illegal immigration. But you wouldn’t know that from the New York Times. 

Also, the media keeps churning out political predictions despite a long record of being very wrong. USA Today humor columnist Rex Huppke joins Josh to discuss his wish: “Make stupidity embarrassing again.” Josh shares the story of a “news” anchor known for spouting nonsense shamelessly before Trump became president the first time. 

Plus, new arrests of women in Western countries who have been carrying out the slave trade for ISIS, the Islamic State. Josh discusses why the majority of those arrested in democracies have been women, and why many so-called “human rights” campaigners stay silent about this slavery — as well as the chattel slavery that still exists in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania.