The AP’s Matt Lee is a rare old-school journalist who practices journalism as it should be practiced instead of being a propaganda tool.  There are many examples of Lee being the only sane man in the room during press conferences.  Here is a recent post-Orwellian exchange between Lee and the State Department spokesman, John Kirby, that is stunning (and not in a good way).

LEE: Every time this happens, the line comes out from people in this administration, and other governments as well, is that: “We will not accept North Korea as a nuclear armed state.” And yet it is. You also say this about other things, too. You say you’ll never accept Crimea as a part of Russia. And yet it is. Is it a time to recognize these things for what they are and not live in this illusion or fantasy where you pretend that things that are, are not? (Near the end of his question, you can hear someone chuckling in the background.)

KIRBY: (spoken in an animated, cartoonish way) The short answer is, no, but I would challenge --

LEE: It’s preferable to live in the fantasy world?

KIRBY: I would challenge the this idea that it’s a fantasy world. Just because, uh (looks down and pauses). Let me put it this way. (continues looking down, stammers, long pause) You know (more stammering) at, at, at this level of foreign policy, you know, you, (pause) you have to make choices. And, uh, (pause and look down further), you don’t have to accept everything. (looks at Lee)

LEE: You have to accept reality.

KIRBY: Even at face value. No. (stammering) we are not going to accept North Korea as a nuclear armed state. Um. Um. We’re not going to recognize that. Um. (pauses and looks down) We are, however, going to deal with --

LEE: The fact that they are a nuclear armed state.

KIRBY: -- their efforts at developing that program.

No words.

Pull hair out of head.

Bang head against wall.

Cue Orwell turning over in his grave.

Hat tip: The Right Scoop