The Mirror

WaPo’s David Fahrenthold Reels In A Pulitzer And The Announcer Couldn’t Be More Boring

Screen shot/Pulitzer.org

Betsy Rothstein Gossip blogger
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The Washington Post newsroom stood still this afternoon as the news everyone was expecting was announced: Reporter David Fahrenthold won a Pulitzer for writing about President Trump‘s dirty charitable practices. The award was filed under “National Reporting for a distinguished example of reporting on national affairs, using any available journalistic tool.”

Fahrentold earned $15,000. He also received a standing ovation in his newsroom Monday afternoon accompanied by thunderous applause.

This came after an incredibly monotone readout of the winners by Pulitzer Prize administrator Mike Pride in the World Room at Columbia University.

WaPo political reporter Robert Costa remarked on Twitter, “Congrats to my terrific colleague @Fahrenthold on his Pulitzer Prize. Exciting day for him and The Post.”

CNN host Brooke Baldwin was ecstatic. “I just screamed for JOY for you @Fahrenthold during commercial break — Pulitzer Prize?! SO entirely deserving,” she beamed on Twitter.

The only thing worse than Pulitzer Twitter is bad Pulitzer Twitter jokes.

“BREAKING: I did not, inexplicably, win a #Pulitzer prize,” wrote Daily Mail columnist Piers Morgan.

Ben Smith, formerly of The Washington Examiner, remarked, “I’d like to thank the academy.”

WaPo‘s White House Bureau Chief Phillip Rucker‘s reaction was equally not funny. “Huge congrats to @Fahrenthold for his Pulitzer! Woooooot! As POTUS might say, Dave’s a winner!” he wrote.

Somehow WaPo‘s Dana Milbank made the whole thing seem gross.

“David @Fahrenthold grabs ’em by the Pulitzer,” he tweeted. “Well deserved.”

The worst Pulitzer Twitter award goes to CNN’s “Reliable Sources” host Brian Stelter, who wrote this seriously unfunny piece of trash commentary that focused on himself: “the irony of RACING to write and tweet about the kind of pain-staking work that wins big prizes!}”

WaPo congressional reporter Ed O’Keefe shared something useful about what went on in WaPo‘s newsroom after the award was announced: “@PostBaron [Executive Editor Marty Baron] says that @Fahrenthold embodied adage about checking if your mom loves you. In crowd, Dave’s mom confirms: ‘I do love him.'”]

If you want to read more about Fahrentold, WaPo has a boatload of info on him that explains everything from his year in Trump reportage to his “pioneering a new form of investigative” reporting — which involved asking his Twitter followers to help him with the details on Trump’s past giving. There are some 13 stories describing Fahrentold’s stories involving Trump.

The awards were officially revealed at 3 p.m. Monday.

WSJ columnist Peggy Noonan won a Pultizer for commentary.

The New York Times also received prizes — which they accidentally announced prematurely. The paper of record said it mistakenly published news of a Facebook Live event involving its Pulitzer winners. Oops!

But it’s nearly impossible to believe any of their boasting was accidental.

If you missed the Facebook Live announcement, there was also a notice on Page 2 in Monday’s print edition that reads: “How does it feel to get a Pulitzer Prize? Ask The Times’s recently announced 2017 winners yourself — they’ll be taking questions live today at 4:30 p.m. E.T.”