Here are some of the worst examples that highlight the crisis in legacy media:
1. Misleading narratives about Biden's cognitive lapses
During the G-7 summit in 2024, President Joe Biden wandered off while a group photo was being taken, an incident that should have raised alarms about his mental acuity. However, leading media figures chose to dismiss these concerns rather than investigate them responsibly. CNN's Brian Stelter defended the President, calling the videos of his erratic behavior "cheap fakes" designed to manipulate public opinion. The Washington Post echoed this sentiment, labeling these videos as "deceptively edited" and a "staple of Republican attacks."
As Biden's cognitive issues became increasingly apparent during the presidential debates, the façade crumbled. The public, armed with undeniable evidence, saw through the disingenuous arguments. Biden's mental decline was no longer a contentious point, and the media's attempts to minimize it were seen as transparent attempts to protect a favored political figure.
2. Dismissal of Kamala Harris's policy flip-flops
Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate for vice president in 2024, underwent a series of drastic policy changes during her campaign to align with the party platform. These included her flip-flops on fracking, offshore drilling, and support for taxpayer-funded transgender procedures for incarcerated migrants. Despite her history of opposing these policies, the media downplayed these inconsistencies, arguing that they were secondary to the overarching goal of defeating President Trump.
This approach led to a disconnect between the public and the media's portrayal of Harris. As her support among Democratic voters plummeted, the media either ignored the shift or rationalized it away. This selective reporting not only undermined the public's confidence in Harris but also in the media's ability to report objectively.
3. Hysterical comparisons of Trump rallies to Nazi events
During Trump's October rally at Madison Square Garden in 2024, the media once again displayed their alarming propensity for exaggeration and sensationalism. In an absurd comparison, some outlets likened Trump's event to a rally held by Nazi supporters in 1939. MSNBC's Jonathan Capehart and the Washington Post led the charge in making this analogy, a comparison that was not only misguided but also deeply offensive to those who remember the horrors of the Holocaust.
This hyperbolic discourse served to discredit a legitimate political event and further polarized an already divided electorate. By drawing such extreme and baseless comparisons, the media not only distorted public perception but also fueled anti-Trump sentiment that bordered on irrational fear and hysteria.
4. Sexism and racism caused Kamala’s loss
Following Harris’s defeat in the 2024 election, media figures like David Axelrod and Sunny Hostin pointed to racial bias and sexism as the primary drivers of her loss. However, this argument falls flat given Harris’s previous struggles to gain traction within the Democratic Party. Her unpopularity within the party in 2019 suggests that these factors were not new or unique to the 2024 election.
The media’s dismissal of these historical facts highlights their tendency to dismiss inconvenient realities and focus instead on a convenient narrative that suits their ideological leanings. By blaming sexism and racism for Harris’s loss, the media downplayed her own shortcomings and the broader issues that contributed to her defeat.
As the public grows increasingly disillusioned with the media's handling of political news, it becomes imperative for journalists and publishers to reassess their practices. The future of journalism depends on a commitment to truth, fairness, and impartiality.
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