Julian Assange was arrested inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London on April 11. The Australian-born co-founder of Wikileaks had been trapped in the building since 2012 after taking refuge there. He was immediately found guilty of failing to surrender to a British court, and was taken to Belmarsh prison. An extradition to the United States is widely seen as imminent by corporate media, who have, by and large, strongly approved of these events.
The Washington Post (4/11/19) suggested that journalists who hope that their work affects the outcome of a political race are not really journalists.
A Washington Post editorial (4/11/19) claimed Assange was “no free-press hero” and insisted the arrest was “long overdue.” Likewise, the Wall Street Journal (4/11/19) demanded “accountability” for Assange, saying, “His targets always seem to be democratic institutions or governments.”
Other coverage was more condemnatory still. The View’s Meghan McCain (4/11/19) declared she hoped Assange “rots in hell.” Saturday Night Live’s Colin Jost (4/13/19) said it was “so satisfying to see an Internet troll get dragged out into the sunlight.” But it was perhaps the National Review (4/12/19) that expressed the most enthusiastic approval of Assange’s arrest, condemning him for his “anti-Americanism, his antisemitism and his raw personal corruption,” and for harming the US with his “vile spite.”
Both the United Nations and the ACLU have denounced Assange’s arrest, with the former condemning Sweden and the UK for depriving him of liberty and freedom, ordering them to pay compensation for the many years he was confined to the embassy. Despite this, establishment media have overwhelmingly described this situation with a euphemism: Mr. Assange’s “self-imposed isolation” (CNN, 4/11/19; USA Today, 4/11/19; New York Times, 4/11/19), a phrase that conjures a very different image of the situation and the responsibilities of the various parties involved. The Daily Beast (4/11/19) made this implication explicit, describing Assange’s predicament as “voluntary confinement.”
Assange is a controversial character who originally took refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy after England’s High Court ruled to extradite him to Sweden for questioning related to an allegation of rape and other sexual offenses. Yet most of the media coverage downplayed or even did not mention this (e.g., Bloomberg, 4/11/19; National Review, 4/12/19; Daily Beast, 4/11/19), suggesting they did not consider it relevant.
The universal charge of narcissism
Celebrating his arrest, The Week (4/11/19) attacked Assange as a “delusional, childish narcissist” who undermined the security of every nation. A host of other media outlets across the spectrum (Washington Post, 4/12/19; New York Times, 4/12/19; London Times, 4/7/19) similarly framed him as a “narcissist,” one with an “outsized view of his own importance,” despite his poor “personal hygiene,” according to the New York Times (4/11/19).
The narcissist accusation is a common trope thrown at enemies of the US establishment, including Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez (National Review, 6/27/07; Economist, 3/9/13; Miami Herald, 7/25/15), Vladimir Putin (Atlantic, 4/15/14; Guardian, 3/10/18) and even Bernie Sanders (Huffington Post, 2/9/16; New York, 11/25/18). It was also exactly the same line of attack the media used against Edward Snowden, the whistleblower who leaked NSA documents (e.g., New Yorker, 6/10/13; Bloomberg, 11/1/13; Chicago Tribune, 12/23/14), and how the prosecution portrayed Chelsea Manning at her trial, suggesting it is a convenient putdown rather than a good-faith description of anti-establishment figures.
Manning had offered the files that came to be known as the Iraq War Logs to both the Washington Post and New York Times. However, only Wikileaks decided to publish them. The files showed evidence of US war crimes in the Middle East, and shot both Manning and Assange onto the world stage.
The UK press reaction
The infamously acerbic British press responded to Assange’s arrest with undisguised glee. The Daily Mail’s front-page headline (4/12/19) read, “That’ll Wipe the Smile Off His Face,” and devoted four pages to the “downfall of a narcissist” who was removed from “inside his fetid lair” to finally “face justice.” The Daily Mirror (4/11/19) described him as “an unwanted guest who abused his hospitality,” while the Times of London (4/12/19) claimed “no one should feel sorry” for the “overdue eviction.”
The Mirror (4/13/19) also published an opinion piece from Labour member of Parliament Jess Phillips that began by stating, “Finally Julian Assange, everyone’s least favorite squatter, has been kicked out of the Ecuadorian embassy.” She described the 47-year-old Australian as a “grumpy, stroppy teenager.”
At the far-left of the corporate media spectrum, the New Statesman (4/12/19) described Assange as a “demented-looking gnome.” The Glasgow Herald editorial board (4/13/19) summed up the press reaction: “Julian Assange is not a journalist, and he’s not a hero, and his day in court is long overdue.”
Is Assange a journalist?
The central question of whether Assange a journalist has been discussed at great length this week in corporate media. The resounding response has been “no.”
Frida Ghitis (CNN, 4/11/19) maintained that Assange is “not entitled to the protections that the law—and democracy—demand for legitimate journalists.”
The National Review (4/12/19) declared him a “petty, biased, hostile foreign actor”; CNN (4/11/19) described him as an activist, not a journalist, demanding he “face justice.” Fox News (4/12/19) also labeled him an activist, one who is using journalism as a “fig leaf for his reckless conduct.” Other outlets (Bloomberg, 4/11/19; Washington Post, 4/11/19) have also been eager to insist Assange is not a journalist.
The New York Times editorial board (4/11/19) writes that while Assange’s arrest will likely raise questions about press freedom, for now, the Trump administration has “done well” by charging the “scraggly-bearded refugee” with an “indisputable crime.” They argue that there is currently technically no First Amendment issue because he is no journalist but a “foreign agent seeking to undermine the security of the United States through theft,” who highlights the “sharp line between legitimate journalism and dangerous cybercrime.”
Veteran journalist and supporter of Assange John Pilger disagrees, contending that his arrest is a historically important warning to “real journalists,” who are few and far between at establishment media, who resent him for highlighting their subservience to the elite.
Whatever your view of Assange might be, it seems clear he shares virtually nothing in common with those in positions of influence in big media outlets, who have been only too happy to watch his demise.
Featured image: Bloomberg depiction (4/11/19) of Julian Assange, described as looking “like a cranky, beleaguered version of Santa Claus.”
This is important. Actually, Ari Melber of MSNBC has raised concerns. Others have too.
Seems important to point out exceptions.
I heard one BBC person say— paraphrasing, that Assange was no journalist because he only publishes the wrongdoing of the USA. Reporting the wrongdoing of the USA will keep any real journalist busy 24/7/365.
Think on this
Would the “#Resistance” corpress ever malign Killer Clown in this manner, or any of his Mafiosi?
Makes clear who’s seen as a true threat to the media status quo, don’t it just?
How ironic that America would be upset about TRUTH—-oh yes, I forgot—America disses its agreements, creates phony wars with WMD stories that even the spy people did not seem to see through. And how peculiar that so many want to excise free speech and the 1st Amendment—how curious for so many in Congress to be more concerned with Israel’s PR then with your own Free Speech I had always thought that the Red Queen shouting “Off with their heads,” was a comedy–but apparently not only is TRUMP copying it, but so are too many in the corporate media—and yet corporate media, YOU also published Wikileak’s information. What a conundrum—- TRUTH and JUSTICE—–did the Red Queen get them too?
Trump and Assange are in league with each other. Haven’t you heard?
Trump fights against the truth – each and every day he twits. While Assange provides transparency.
The difference between Assange and U.S. main stream media is that Wikileaks is not bought by corporate elites. Wikileaks seeks to inform and the MSM seeks to propagandize a narrative that serves their bosses.
Oh they are bought out alright. The russians just made them a better offer.
Mueller 2 year investigation begs to differ. You are entitled to your fantasies, but need to present facts if you seek the truth. Yes, FACTS, something you completely lack. The current facts are DNC/HRC is only entity proven to have interfered in 2016 elections. Then after loss to Trump, deliberately decided to ignore voters and launch the Russiagate fraud to excuse their sorry-ass elitist candidate. The DNC is still corrupt and maintains their power to appoint candidates not elected democratically by the people (as the field is loaded and surely to go to a seconed round). They are an absolutely corrupt corporate controlled party.
I’d be afraid to use my real name or initials too, “C”, if I was peddling McCarthyite bullsh*t like you.
Tis indeed sad that corporate media and government run media have condemned JA for his actions. After all, when one finds another capable of standing up for freedom of press and freedom of thought and the character and strength to not capitulate to those who seek to bring an end to government “by and for the people”, it is not strange to find them to be resentful and full of hate for such show of character. I only hope that those reading about the cowards who simply can no longer understand the difference between exposing the truth, and hiding the truth to serve their corporate dollars, will see their readership drop. I note that PBS didn’t find time to do any balanced reporting on this either: With only a ham job of comments that completely missed the point of whistle blowers and the media that understands its obligation to expose wrongs where ever they may emanate versus hide it. That this government unlawfully overstepped its bounds is a clear as the sun rises. To hide behind some journalistic babble as to the right avenue to expose wrongs, could not illustrate any better the brain and moral decay of corporate media.
Being a Trump/Putin bot does not make you a freedom fighter. Unless of course your an inbred white racist.
Are you saying that tRump and Putin engaged in collusion?
The sun came up today. Is it in league with tRump and Putin?
You many be captive to the DuNCe/RunCts. You remember the DuNCe’s cheated so that they could put the most disliked and least liked Democrat in history up against her choice of tRump?
When you grow up and your whole brain is working look back at your asinine comment and blush. Besides you left out Putin nazi/fascist/troll/Manchurian candidate/etc.
The only sympathetic attitude was from RT , real journalism. Be prepared- you are the next:(
RT is state funded Kremlin propaganda. Btw if you think a highly conservative racist state like Russia is a friend to you western progressives. Then your as dumb as those conservative Richard Spencer types shouting Russia is our friend during white nationalist rallies.
If you don’t think that NYT, NBC, ABC, Fox News, and WaPo are essentially organs of the American government, especially on foreign policy, then you have a lot of growing up to do.
How about this – rather than spouting irrelevant accusations, why don’t you try actually refuting what it is that you disagree with that RT has published? Once you do that, I’ll provide you with a list of all the lies that the aforementioned American outlets have told and we can compare. Deal?
I already know you’re too afraid to take me up on that, so have fun making a fool out of yourself in other ways.
The US a government has been smearing him non stop for 8 years now, and it works.
Incidentally look at how Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela were regarded in their time. They were hated!
The smugnorant elite media think they have so much more class than Trump, but their dehumanization of Julian Assange puts them right on Trump’s level. Trevor Noah was carried onto The Daily Show stage by six men in a sickening imitation of the way Assange was carried out of the embassy. How can people be so heartless?
How can they be heartless? The media is OWNED of, by and for the wealthy. They hire and they fire. Were did Phil Donahue go when “
liberalMSNBC was pushing WMDs, mobile weapon labs and yellowcake for the MIC/DNC/RNC?Brilliantly researched and written article Mr. MacLeod!
I might add that as the demographics in the U.S. change, the sentinels of the alt-white’s draconian rule of planet earth will find their bloody reign of terror coming to an abrupt halt, and those grinning at the temporary demise of Mr. Assange will find themselves recorded in history as no better than the Nazis before them.
Were the founding fathers alive today, they would I believe, unanimously vote Mr. Assange into the presidency.
I’d also like to add that there’s more in the Hillary emails (that Mr. Assange released) than the press has cottoned onto. For example, protection for the leadership of the LTTE. What does the U.S. government do with the U.S. supported leadership of terrorist groups? I know. I’ve met them in this country and that. Well, it’s always nice to have large groups of terrorists hanging around isn’t it? Speaking of Hillary, those YouTube videos of her bragging and laughing about the murder of Muammar Gaddafi are certainly chilling, especially in light of the fact that the U.S. is now supporting an army that is fighting against a U.N. backed army in Libya. Yeah, a war between the U.S. and the UN in Libya. It’s surreal. The headlines of every newspaper in the world should be screaming about this, yet… it’s all fragmented and rationalized like usual.
Certainly any conflict where Muslims are killed is AOK with the alt-white, and anyone who dares to expose any part of their agenda is certainly in for a rough ride. This is something I know all too well from personal experience.
FREE Assange!
Assange for PRESIDENT!
Long live ASSANGE – Hero of truth, justice and freedom!
Unfortunately you repeat the lie that Assange was wanted in Sweden to face CHARGES of rape, he has NEVER been charged with rape; Swedish authorities wanted to QUESTION him about rape ALLEGATIONS one of which was withdrawn. On a second point and as others have pointed out if Assange is not a journalist how come he and Wikileaks have won so many awards for um journalism? Media types claiming he “exposed US service people to possible harm” are basically saying people committing war crimes should not be exposed. Always bear in mind that the first release of material provided by Manning showed civilians, including two Reuters journalists being murdered by a US helicopter gunship and that Reuters effectively covered that up. That is what the msm has long been: enablers of war crimes both in reporting as fact outright lies(Iraq WMD, Libyan Viagra, “regime” CW attacks in Syria etc) and not publishing information detrimental to the powerful.
Caitlyn Johnstone – “Debunking All The Assange Smears” dissects each piece of the Smear Campaign, and exposes each one to factual analysis, upon which they fail. A must-read.
“He’s not a journalist.”
“He’s a rapist.”
“He was hiding from rape charges in the embassy.”
“He’s a Russian agent.”
“He’s being prosecuted for hacking crimes, not journalism.”
“He should just go to America and face the music. If he’s innocent he’s got nothing to fear.”
“Well he jumped bail! Of course the UK had to arrest him.”
“He’s a narcissist/megalomaniac/jerk.”
“He’s a horrible awful monster for reasons X, Y and Z… but I don’t think he should be extradited.”
“Trump is going to rescue him and they’ll work together to end the Deep State. Relax and wait and see.”
“He put poop on the walls! Poop poop poopie!”
“He’s stinky.”
“He was a bad houseguest.”
“He conspired with Don Jr.”
“He only publishes leaks about America.”
“He’s an antisemite.”
“He’s a fascist.”
“He was a Trump supporter.”
“I used to like him until he ruined the 2016 election” / “I used to hate him until he saved the 2016 election.”
“He’s got blood on his hands.”
“He published the details of millions of Turkish women voters.”
“He supported right-wing political parties in Australia.”
“He endangered the lives of gay Saudis.”
“He’s a CIA agent/limited hangout.”
“He mistreated his cat.”
“He’s a pedophile.”
“He lied about Seth Rich.”
“Assange … originally took refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy after England’s High Court ruled to extradite him to Sweden to face charges of rape.”
Wrong.
Assange was never charged with any crime in Sweden. He was only wanted for questioning. The investigation into the sexual misconduct allegations against him (which probably wouldn’t qualify as “rape” in many countries) was ultimately dropped. Twice.
This is a common factual error that is repeated ad nauseam by Assange’s detractors. It’s disappointing to see it repeated by FAIR.
It just goes to show you how a falsehood repeated often enough becomes conventional wisdom. And now people can cite this “fact” in an ostensibly favorable article on FAIR, so it must be true, right?
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2019/04/so-where-is-the-swedish-warrant/
https://medium.com/@caityjohnstone/assange-smear-2-hes-a-rapist-df9effd8b49d
Please correct the article. Assange was never charged with any crime in Sweden. He was only wanted for questioning.
Foundation controlled Amy Goodman threw him under the bus.