‘Everybody knows the Republicans are full of shit’: Playboy reporter Brian Karem slams Trump and co. in epic MeidasTouch interview

 

Brian Karem takes down Trump

Playboy reporter Brian Karem has always asked the tough questions, which isn’t surprising because Brian Karem is tough.

He’s a former crime reporter. He’s an ex-boxer who has been in jail for not revealing his sources. He’s covered the Gulf War in Kuwait City. He’s covered the drug war in Colombia.

He even narrowly escaped being beaten up by a 6’8” cellmate named ‘Baby Huey’ while Karem was scrubbing nicotine stains off the ceiling in jail, thanks to a nearby mop that he slammed into the giant’s forehead.

All this prepared him for the Trump Administration.

I’ve covered wars, I’ve covered the drug wars, I’ve covered riots; January 6th at the insurrection in the Capitol was the most unsafe I’ve ever felt covering a story.

The insurrection will be televised

Robert Keith Packer was arrested for his role in the Capitol Insurrection

screenshot / YouTube

Since March 2020, MeidasTouch has grown into the leading producer of viral, hard-hitting political videos on the Left. They’ve built one of the most engaged followings in progressive politics along the way.

The work of the three Meiselas brothers helped flip the Senate and get Biden in the Oval Office. “Because truth is golden,” the brothers have expanded their efforts to provide more in-depth political commentary with their series of compelling podcasts.

Karem was a guest on Friday’s episode. The discussion centered on how Trump wanted to be king, not president, how being called “fake news” by the administration’s team of professional liars and how Republicans can turn anything into a “crisis.”

The National Press Award-winning journalist explained how he felt on January 6th:

I’ve covered wars, I’ve covered the drug wars, I’ve covered riots; January 6th at the insurrection in the Capitol was the most unsafe I’ve ever felt covering a story. I had a couple of death threats just walking across the street that morning. They were yelling that they were gonna kill reporters. I said, “I’m with Playboy.” They said, “really? Can you get us to a party?”

The lies started immediately

Gage Skidmore / Flickr

The contentious relationship with Trump was nearly instantaneous. And when your press secretary is lying about your inauguration size on day one, that’s to be expected. It’s even worse when liars call you a liar.

I got sick of them calling us “fake news” and the “enemy of the people.”

After Sean Spicer’s departure, Sarah Huckabee Sanders took over, and things didn’t get any truthier. Huckabee Sanders wanted the reporters “to look at a piece of video that she admitted that she hadn’t seen but thought it was really good and it was actual fake media.”

When Karem challenged the claims, they shifted the focus to him.

They made me part of the story when they called me fake news. Fuck that! I’m not taking that from anybody! I don’t give a shit what they thought of me. I’m not there for them.

First Amendment on shaky ground

A close up photo of a gavel

Unsplash / Bill Oxford

Because Karem fought back against fascism, the White House had his press credentials removed. Karem “beat him in court three times!”

This backfired on the administration. Karem’s case actually strengthened the existing ruling of free speech, and it will now make it harder to remove reporters just because you don’t like what they have to say.

“Peaceful transfer of power?” Hahahaha!!!!

Blink O’fanaye / Flickr / CC BY-NC 2.0

Way back in September, Karem asked Trump, “Will you commit here today for a peaceful transfer of power after the election? (Spoiler alert: he didn’t.)

I always try and ask a question that I think that you at home would want asked.

Journalists without borders

Three men quickly scale a newly built portion of the border wall

Screenshot/Twitter

Talk moved to the Mexican border. Republicans keep insisting that “It’s a crisis.”

Karem begs to differ.

No, it’s not [a crisis]. It’s an issue that they think they can make hay off of because they’re getting killed on the coronavirus, and everybody knows that the Republicans are full of shit, so now they’re just gonna try and make you afraid of something so they can get your vote in the midterms.

Listen here:

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