THE NEW YORK TIMES IS HAVING AN EMBARRASSING MELTDOWN OVER JOSH HAWLEY’S EXISTENCE:

Just before the third chapter of “How I Became A Famous Novelist,” Steve Hely’s 2009 satirical novel lampooning the publishing industry, he includes a fake New York Times Best Seller list. The No. 4 Nonfiction slot goes to “Needs Improvement In All Areas,” an attack on President George W. Bush, written by his former kindergarten teacher.

That happened for real today when The New York Times broke the news that an administrator from Sen. Josh Hawley’s middle school disapproved of his politics.

Barbara Weibling is quoted condemning her former middle school charge. Left unsaid by The New York Times is that Barbara Weibling is a left-wing activist. She is a small but committed donor to Democrats, and a perusal of her Facebook page shows she’s not exactly an unbiased educator. Her avatar is a flattering portraiture of Vice President Kamala Harris in the foreground, with President Joe Biden in the background.

She posts about her strong dislike of Fox News (where this reporter is a contributor) and love of Russia collusion conspiracy theorist Rachel Maddow of MSNBC. She posts outlandish left-wing claims from a group called “Occupy Democrats.” In between the supportive posts of socialism, Bernie Sanders, and Biden are attacks on Republicans going back to Reagan, at least. Is it really news that her dislike of Republicans extends to a former student at her school?

As silly as the whole thing is, the Times’ Elaina Plott and Danny Hakim debased themselves further by — and I’m in no way joking here — asking Hawley’s high school prom date for her thoughts. His prom date. HIS PROM DATE.

Shades of the media’s coordinated attack on Mitt Romney’s high school days in 2012 or life inside Brett Kavanaugh’s frat house six years later. Meanwhile, Democrats are free to construct mythical or highly embellished characters from the past like Cory Booker’s friend T-Bone and Biden’s buddy, Corn Pop. As Dominic Green wrote in 2019, “The Kavanaugh and Corn Pop stories must at all times be considered separately, for two reasons. First, if taken together, these stories show the extent to which pro-Democratic media, even the upmarket kind which advertises its fact-checking, will go in order to slander its enemies and support its team — and that the obvious cognitive decline of the Democratic frontrunner might not be as alarming as the obvious ethical decline in the press, because a party can find a better candidate, but the Times, it isn’t a-changin’. Second, there’s the risk that the two stories will merge into a single image in which Joe Biden’s friends push his penis into Corn Pop’s hand in order to prove his tolerance, while Brett Kavanaugh the Porn Cop stands pink and proud for family values. This composite is the true image of American politics today, so is best not considered at all, let along pushed into anyone’s face as part of a presidential nomination strategy.”

Heh, indeed.™