Not everything needs to be fact-checked
There is nothing "humiliating" about honest work. No one likes a snob.
I have said that we are so deep into clown world that parody and satire are nearly impossible, but there is another reason that comedy is dead: Too many people are extreme literalists and are unable to get an obvious joke. We saw this recently with President Donald Trump's stint as a "McDonald's employee."
Now, anyone with the slightest bit of common sense knows that Trump did not actually work at McDonald's. He did not fill out an I-9 form, fill out his W-4, and go through the application and interview process. This was obviously a campaign stunt from the very beginning. But that did not stop the news media from breathlessly reporting that the stunt was fake:
However, rumors have been circulating on social media that Trump's visit to McDonald's was "staged."
REALLY???
I simply cannot believe that President Trump would defraud and gaslight the American people like this. This is horrifying and shows that Trump is totally unfit for office. This is worse than every scandal in American political history combined. If Trump wins, he must immediately be impeached and removed from office before he can even take power on January 20.
Or, alternatively, we could all grow a sense of humor.
Fact checks are an important part of journalism. Politicians and political activists frequently lie or tell half-truths, so pointing out where they are misleading the public is a duty that journalists should take seriously. (Of course, the news media should also avoid lies and half-truths.) But when you have something that is an obvious joke, you do not need to run a "fact check." You make yourself look foolish by doing so.
Did Newsweek beclown itself enough? No, because the Palmer Report said "hold my beer," calling Trump working at McDonald's a "humiliating idea." They were promptly roasted on X (formerly Twitter) for this remark.
This is a perfect example of "Limousine liberals" disrespecting the working class. And while it does not need to be said, I will say it anyway: This is how you got Trump in the first place. I have bagged groceries. I have washed dishes. I have bussed tables. I have brought in carts from the parking lot, in the bitter winter cold and during a thunderstorm. There is nothing "humiliating" about honest work. No one likes a snob.
This was a well-designed event, making Trump look relatable while trolling the Kamala Harris campaign. I have often said that Trump's lack of focus, discipline and professionalism makes him his own worst enemy. But the anger, fact-checking and snobbery that followed Trump's stint as a "McDonald's employee" showed that the Left and the news media are Trump's most effective supporters. Trump makes them so irrationally angry that they beclown themselves overreacting to him.
The Left could be much more effective in opposing Trump, but they need to stop overreacting to everything he says and does. So here is my advice: Grow a sense of humor. Stop taking everything literally. Stop being pedantic about obvious jokes. Stop sneering at the working class. Before you react angrily, take a breath and walk away for a while. Until you can do that, you will remain Donald Trump's biggest allies.