A tragic incident occurred when an OceanGate Expedition’s submersible carrying five individuals went missing while viewing the infamous wreckage of the Titanic. A frantic search began, an hour and forty-five minutes after the sub departed as it lacked GPS and operated on a PlayStation controller. While the vessel has yet to be found and oxygen levels are reaching critically low levels, The New Republic took the opportunity to throw some shade on the GOP by stating that the OceanGate CEO, Stockton Rush, had donated to GOP candidates in the past. Babylon Bee contributor, Ashley St. Clair, slammed The New Republic for lacking a moral compass, stating that whoever wrote this went to the FEC contribution search page with the express intention of having political ideology determine the level of empathy they have about someone’s horrific demise.
Journalist Matt Taibbi called the story a new low for The New Republic. The outlet received multiple criticisms on social media for its ‘insensitive’ and ‘unethical’ reporting. KTTH Radio’s Jason Rantz stated, these people are absolute monsters while calling The New Republic evil. It isn’t the first time that The New Republic was called out for its take on news events. Conservative podcaster Tim Pool stated that The New Republic is evil and that the bomb threats came from LGBTQ activists, not from the right.
The situation demands empathy and assistance for those affected by the incident instead of focusing on political affiliations. Many criticized The New Republic for insensitivity towards the incident and called for more ethical reporting. The incident shows that ethics and moral responsibility are essential for news reporting, especially in the digital era where their messaging and reporting can have an impact on the lives of those affected by tragedy.
