U.S. Media outlets wonder why the average American is indifferent to their pearl-clutching anxiety over lost credibility. With that in mind, perhaps this example is apropos on many levels. There’s a few layers to this story.

The “reporter/journalist” is Julia Ioffe. A now fired writer for Politico, a frequent CNN guest and contributor, and a journalist recently hired by the Atlantic.

Yeah, suffice to say this representative exhibition of modern journalism does little to advance the cause of professional credibility. However, the layers of irony only begin with the vulgarity.

The actual point of Ioffe’s contention, as described within The Hill link as the basis for her point of reference, is a report from Sara Murray of CNN claiming Ivanka Trump was moving into a White House office traditionally used by the First Lady.

So, essentially, Julia Ioffe for Politico, was using vulgarity to opine on a report from The Hill, who were reporting on a report from CNN. Sounds like the concentric circles of media again.

However, the originating CNN report was completely false. ie. “Fake News“.

Politico, via Ioffe, was commenting on a fake news story from The Hill, which was based on a fake news story from Sara Murray at CNN.

Yeah, what was that about credibility again? And yet the White House Correspondents Association is fraught with angst about possible Trump Administration changes to the current status of media operations in/around the White House? Meanwhile, journalists tweeting “President Trump is fucking his daughter“, notwithstanding…. or something. I digress.

Julia Ioffe Fired Over Obscene Ivanka Trump Tweet https://t.co/yOTcZ1RaBQ — Kellyanne Conway (@KellyannePolls) December 15, 2016

Ms. Julia Ioffe was already leaving Politico, so when they said they fired her, it was no biggie. Ioffe is headed to The Atlantic for her new job in Journalism.

So here’s the way Ioffe’s new boss at The Atlantic looks at it, per Emily Lenzner (Senior Vice-President of Communications):

(link) – Oh, Ms. Ioffe “made a mistake” when she promoted a fake news story and said: “Trump is fucking his daughter“. A mistake, like putting on two of the wrong colored socks, or something. She made a “mistake“, and she “apologized“. Well, alrighty then.

I guess we, the media consuming public, are to believe the mistake didn’t actually outline the ideology, tone, perspective or internal sensibility of Ms. Ioffe, toward the President.

A person has to wonder what would happen to a reporter who publicly said President Obama was having sex with his daughters. Just wondering…

We have a president-elect who popularized "saying what everyone is thinking," but I guess my phrasing should've been more delicate. — Julia Ioffe (@juliaioffe) December 14, 2016

“What everyone is thinking“?… really?

People need to lay off @juliaioffe. She apologized, but of course Twiitter wants her burned at the stake. She's a great journo. Period. — Kirsten Powers (@KirstenPowers) December 15, 2016