Civics: “During the Obama administration they tapped the AP bureau’s phones and the phones of AP bureau reporters. They tapped their phones!

Ann Althouse summary: Said Atlantic writer James Kirchick on Bill Maher’s show last night.

Maher chimed in: “Josh Earnest, he was in the Obama administration. He admitted it. He said: ‘The White House has demonstrated our willingness to exclude Fox News from news making interviews…. He said: ‘We’re going to treat them like we treat an opponent.’ This is exactly what I say about this country. Everybody’s like this is the worst thing in the world except when we do it. And then it’s always perfectly okay.”

New York Times reporter Jonathan Swan just got a stunning reality check from both Bill Maher and author James Kirchick.

Swan was spiraling over President Trump barring CNN and MS NOW from the White House, until Kirchick reminded him of some of the Obama-era media scandals.… pic.twitter.com/GopA8f61qD— Overton (@overton_news) September 26, 2026