Yes, they deleted this tweet not long after it started gaining attention for its narrative purpose. Still, for a short period of time, CBS’ “news” division reported that Kyle Rittenhouse confessed on the stand, or something:

bang up job, guys. pic.twitter.com/bhQVfYMcpZ

— tsar becket adams (@BecketAdams) November 11, 2021

Narrative journalism? What narrative journalism? Why, there’s no bias in mainstream media!

In fact, Rittenhouse didn’t say any such thing. He defended his actions rather capably under a harsh cross-examination in his murder trial yesterday, insisting that he only fired his weapon to stop the threats on his life, not for an explicit purpose of killing anyone.

CBS belatedly replaced that tweet with this more accurate take, without ever acknowledging the deletion or issuing a correction:

Kyle Rittenhouse testified in his murder trial yesterday, breaking down in tears as he told the jury he killed two men at a Black Lives Matter protest last year in self-defense. pic.twitter.com/ImQTlBbYM6

— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) November 11, 2021

All hail the mainstream-media memory hole! Shouldn’t CBS have explained why they changed their reporting on the trial?

Perhaps it could have been worse (via Twitchy):

they ran out of character space.

— tsar becket adams (@BecketAdams) November 11, 2021

Some suggest that this might be cause for a defamation case. Anyone with $100 and a lawyer can file a lawsuit, of course, but don’t count on this going anywhere. Like it or not, Rittenhouse is a public figure, and CBS’ action in deleting the tweet would almost certainly preclude any finding of “actual malice” in the legal sense. It may not have been according to Hoyle for professional corrections, but almost certainly not actionable.

Of course, this is only a taste of all the conclusion-jumping in the national media about this case. (John will have more in an upcoming post.) The actual on-air report from CBS Mornings was better than its tweet suggested, although the report misses out on the full point of why the prosecution angered the judge repeatedly in Rittenhouse’s cross-examination. Most of the national media have continued their narratives on the case, which may leave their consumers very surprised or even shocked if the jury comes back with an acquittal … or the judge declares a mistrial.

Of course, as I wrote earlier, it’s these narrative biases that makes independent reporters like our own Julio Rosas so indispensable (and why our VIP members are equally indispensable). Julio reports this morning that sources are saying that Wisconsin is getting ready for unrest after the trial, although they’re not going public with it yet:

According to @Julio_Rosas11, your mom wants you to watch our @townhallcom live chat at 12:30 p.m. ET with the latest from the Rittenhouse trial in Kenosha and what's happening ahead of an expected verdict. https://t.co/0zTaiQfWBR

— Spencer Brown (@itsSpencerBrown) November 11, 2021

I’ve email the WI Gov’s office about the WI National Guard potentially deploying to Kenosha w/ no response.

Sources told me a warning order has come down for the NG’s quick reaction force to be staged by the end of this week with rosters made of personnel with riot training.

— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) November 11, 2021

Sounds like they’re expecting a quick verdict. The judge today expressed optimism that they could wrap it up for jury consideration by tomorrow. Given Rittenhouse’s performance on the stand yesterday, one would expect a jury to acquit on the murder charges rather quickly, although the weapons charge might be a stickier wicket for the defense. However, it’s tough to predict what any jury will do, let alone one under this kind of public pressure in an environment where media narratives about Rittenhouse have run far afield of the evidence, even though videos shown in court have been publicly available all along. (Julio shot some of that video himself during the riot.)

Anyway, stay tuned …. and I think I know where Julio may end up next:

JUST IN – Black Lives Matter leaders, including co-founder Hawk Newsome, threaten "riots" and "bloodshed" in the streets if Mayor-elect Eric Adams reinstates the NYPD's anti-crime units (Daily)

— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) November 11, 2021