Our weekly unworthy Pulitzer Prize recognition of less-than-meritorious excellence in journalism.

As an extension of the media-mocking venture at Townhall, Riffed From the Headlines, we once again note the sub-exalted performances from our journalism industry in numerous categories to properly recognize the low water mark in the press.

Distinguished National Reporting

• Jake Tapper – CNN

While the press is busy working to discredit the numerous whistleblowers with information about the Biden family, Jake Tapper warmly invited on his show Frances Haugen, who is a FaceBook whistleblower. In the course of touting her new book, the pair discussed the need for social media platforms to silence bad actors and those promoting ideas they disagree with in the name of safety.

These companies are worth trillions of dollars. They can hire more people to weed out the Nazis and to take down misinformation and all that. Why don’t they?!

Tapper appears oblivious that for the sake of silencing fascists, he is pushing for fascist behavior.

Facebook whistleblower @FrancesHaugen discusses her new book, "The Power Of One: How I Found the Strength to Tell the Truth and Why I Blew the Whistle on Facebook" pic.twitter.com/bnrBGA7nWn

— The Lead CNN (@TheLeadCNN) June 15, 2023

Distinguished Investigative Journalism

• Daniel Dale – CNN

For someone who boldly says he is holding the President accountable, CNN’s resident “fact-checker” Daniel Dale has a genuine aversion to performing his avowed vocation. Over the past three months, he has committed exactly one fact-check on President Jose Biden, all while routinely correcting Donald Trump and other Republicans. 

In one of his latest, he looked at Trump’s legal trouble over the classified documents investigation.

In order to prove Trump is legitimately charged under the Espionage Act, Dale cites another case of an individual in trouble over classified intel. In referencing the case of a defense contractor caught with documents in his home, Dale tries to tie this to the former president by calling it “a routine case from the Trump Era.” The only problem: The individual was caught and arrested years earlier, while Biden was the vice president.

Oh holy hell, Dale is taking hackery to new lows. Just some FACTS for Daniel:

– Trump is not the President
– PRESIDENT Biden has his share of documents taken – As he says "from the Trump presidency", Marshall was arrested while…(wait for it)…Biden was the Vice President https://t.co/WhYeQnCE4l pic.twitter.com/k82K1DnmZx

— Brad Slager: CNN+ Lifetime Subscriber (@MartiniShark) June 16, 2023

Distinguished Local Reporting

• Gary Fineout – Politico

Well, look, here’s another case of the press delivering an imbalanced report about Governor Ron DeSantis. For the Florida Playbook at Politico, state correspondent Gary Fineout saw a wrinkle in the latest state budget signed by DeSantis, and he claimed that DeSantis was supposedly delivering retribution to GOP members of the state legislature who are not supporting his presidential bid. Fineout has cases where he says programs were slashed for those not backing correctly, except here are the examples:

• The Agriculture Commissioner supposedly has land buyback proposals cut, except his program is fully funded from the previous budget, and he has not endorsed any candidate.
• State Senator Joe Gruters is backing Trump and claims cuts to proposals for his Sarasota district were out of spite – despite over $150 million for other projects in the area getting funding.  
• Sen. Ed Hooper of St. Petersburg was said to have tens of millions cut from a program that technically fell under the AG Commission buyback plan. Also, Hooper has actually backed Ron DeSantis.

So it was possibly ONE politician, and in that lone example, the man’s district still received funding.

Some Republicans aren't happy about DeSantis budget vetoes including Fla's Ag Commissioner & Sen. Joe Gruters … DeSantis' budget vetoes include projects from GOP lawmakers who didn't endorse him https://t.co/bbQHLhG6L6 via @politico

— Gary Fineout (@fineout) June 16, 2023

Distinguished Investigative Reporting

• Tom Lassiter, Lawrence Delevingne, Makini Brice, Donna Bryson, Nicholas Brown, Tom Bergin – Reuters

In an apparent attempt to set up the argument in favor of reparations (we mean, seriously, what other purpose was there?!), Reuters delivered an extensive report on how many leaders in this country descended from former slave owners. Current and former leaders were displayed, with the guilt of something heavily attached. Yet, these geniuses managed to come to a conclusion they probably did not anticipate and certainly did not want to be displayed.

Among the prominent names was every single president, living or dead – including President Obama – save for one. Only Donald Trump is exempted from this list of shameful histories.

More than 100 U.S. leaders — lawmakers, presidents, governors and justices — have slaveholding ancestors, a Reuters examination finds.

Few are willing to talk about it. https://t.co/UWVse7Q3H4

— NBC News (@NBCNews) June 27, 2023

Distinguished Political Cartoons

• Leo Kelly – Quad City Times

In what had to be intended as a cutting commentary on conservatives, cartoonist Kelly portrayed GOP candidate Vivek Ramaswamy delivering a campaign speech to a mostly empty hall, with only three MAGA-hat-wearing attendees shouting racist comments at the candidate.

It was a base display, rooted in prejudice (while allegedly suggesting prejudice of others) and Kelly even managed to display his own racist ignorance; he drew one member shouting out “Muslim!” while Ramaswamy is an avowed Hindu. This entry was so bad that the paper issued a follow-up apology editorial and announced it was severing its relationship with the cartoonist.

It’s sad that this is how the MSM views Republicans. I’ve met with grassroots conservatives across America & never *once* experienced the kind of bigotry that I regularly see from the Left. Iowa’s ⁦@qctimes⁩ absolutely has the right to print this, but it’s still shameful. pic.twitter.com/5QNwGSJgJb

— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) June 22, 2023

Distinguished Sports Reporting 

• WMAZ Channel 13 News

In a blistering report, the local Central Georgia station announced that its minor league baseball team has come under fire from a doctor’s group…located in Washington state. This group — known for promoting a vegan diet for better health — has taken exception to the fact that the team is called the Macon Bacon. They wear uniforms resembling the meat product, and the mascot has been a fan-favorite named Kevin. 

It goes without saying that this gaggle of hippie physicians is not swaying minds, not when the stadium sells team-themed foods that are both appropriate and damned tempting by sound: 

The Bacon’s current food menu features items like 6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon, Bacon Wrapped Bacon, Steak Cut Bacon, Bacon Cheeseburger, Bacon Dog, Bacon Loaded Cheese Fries, Bacon Loaded Mac N Cheese, and Bacon Chips.

'Macon Bacon’s glorification of bacon': Physicians group calling for team to change its name https://t.co/eacbAYJayT

— 13WMAZ News (@13wmaznews) June 21, 2023

Distinguished Explanatory Reporting

• Christine Romans – CNN

With Bud Light sales continuing to fall flat, there was a reality that many in the press were forced to report on, and that was the esteemed beer label losing its decades-long standing as the top-selling brand in the country. However, the freefall resulting from backlash against the promotional partnering with trans-influencer Dylan Mulvany is a pure sign of a market repudiation of the media push for trans activists, and as such, it could not be addressed in an honest fashion. Otherwise, the press would have to admit its propaganda efforts have failed to sway the public, and that is something that can never take place.

As a result, CNN covered the news, with John Berman introducing a segment about the brand’s demise, barely admitting the public repudiation, and then business correspondent Christine Romans came on to try to pass the blame onto anything else besides the Mulvaney controversy.

8.4 percent of—of beer sales in May belong to Modelo, only 7.3 percent, Bud Light. Now, you’re right, there’s some changing tastes happening and also this is the month of May. There’s Cinco de Mayo, there’s also a really clever advertising promotion campaign from Modelo. And changing tastes. Analysts tell us that already there’s been an affinity, growing affinity for Mexican beer and spirits for some time now. So that’s sort of a tipping point that you’re seeing here.

Cinco de Mayo has been a reality for years. And beer drinkers do not shift their tastes in a massive market fashion in a matter of a few weeks. Even when Romans brings up Mulvaney, there is the desperate need to couch it as little more than a curious side note in this sales implosion.

The transgender influencer who had one can, one customized can of Bud Light, and did an Instagram post, and conservative media and conservative social media went on a very full, full, forceful boycott of—of the beer, and so that is one other kind of factor here at play.

WATCH: CNN Absurdly Spins Bud Light's Epic Fall on 'Flat-out Changing Tastes,' Dismisses Mulvaney Boycott https://t.co/eYkaZS6NPQ

— RedState (@RedState) June 16, 2023

Distinguished Cultural Commentary

• Adam Flemming Petty – The Atlantic

This column is dedicated to lobbying for our retail and grocery stores to be managed differently to curtail a plethora of branding selections made available to consumers. In an article positioned as a brilliant think-piece about the nature of our grocery stores, we get a therapist’s couch session about the emotional torment Mr. Petty experiences while shopping for food – due to too many options. 

This writer calls for stores to limit the number of items offered for purchase because he becomes flummoxed when faced with making a decision. Yes, seriously – Adam here admits to having a gripping dose of anxiety when he looks at store shelves filled with shopping choices.

I froze in the orange-juice aisle of a big-box store. So many different brands lay before me: Minute Maid, Simply, Tropicana, Dole, Florida’s Natural, Sunny D—not to mention the niche organic labels. And each brand offered juices with various configurations of pulp, vitamins, and concentrate. The sheer plenitude induced a kind of paralysis: Overwhelmed by the choices on offer, I simply could not make one. I left the store without any orange juice.

The variety at the grocery store has become overwhelming, @flamingpetty writes. “Single-option stores” may be the solution. https://t.co/3iasgDwuVq

— The Atlantic (@TheAtlantic) June 25, 2023