David Brooks' op-eds for the New York Times have raised eyebrows before, but it was a tweet about his recent airport meal, and an insinuation about the US economy under President Biden, that put the newspaper columnist on the radar this week. That post has since gone viral, and the New Republic says Brooks is "getting absolutely roasted over" it. More on the commotion surrounding Brooks' burger-based brouhaha:
- The tweet: The controversy kicked off with a photo Brooks put up on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Wednesday, showing his meal at a casual-looking eatery at New Jersey's Newark Liberty International Airport. In the pic: a half-eaten burger (with most of the toppings scraped off onto Brooks' plate), a bunch of crinkle-cut fries next to opened ketchup packets, and a glass holding an amber-colored drink with ice. "This meal just cost me $78 at Newark Airport," Brooks wrote, adding, "This is why Americans think the economy is terrible."
- Fact-check time: HuffPost notes that reaction to Brooks' super-high-priced meal was swift. X's Community Notes, which allows approved users to add their own explanations or context to tweets, soon identified the restaurant and questioned Brooks' math (though that note has since disappeared): "Based on the similar table, glass, chair, sheet and cut of fries, this is the Smokehouse Restaurant in Newark Airport Terminal A." The note then added that the burger and fries at that joint typically comes to $17—not close to $80.
- Pushback continues: Others speculated why Brooks' tab came to so much, with many noting that Brooks may have been drinking alcohol, which would've jacked up the tab. "This tweet is a good reminder never to tweet during or after libations," snarked fellow NYT contributor Wajahat Ali. "Just had coffee and bagel for $13.79 (including tip) at Dulles," noted Bulwark contributor Bill Kristol. "Possible that Bulwark per diem not quite as generous as NYTimes?"
- Famous faces: Even Joyce Carol Oates jumped into the fray, per Slate. "(bar bill: $66. food bill: $12. tip: $0 N Y Times expense account)," the author wrote.
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