After nearly a decade of acting as Democratic operatives seeking to undermine former President Donald Trump, it appears at least one journalist is finally getting it.
By “getting it,” I mean understanding why nobody trusts the media farther than they can throw it.
In a recent op-ed in The Washington Post, columnist Matt Bai delves into the media’s persistent use of qualifiers when reporting on Trump, such as “without evidence” or “baselessly claimed,” which are applied to statements he makes.
Bai is firmly in the anti-Trump camp but makes the case that the press’ hyper-focus on trying to discredit every utterance that comes from the former president’s mouth is counterproductive. He rightly points out that this impulse to constantly fact-check the former president exposes their evident political motive.
At some point, we decided that the best way to handle Trump’s more dubious assertions was to take the unprecedented step of prominently labeling them as baseless or unproven. Problem solved. Except it hasn’t solved anything, other than to make a bunch of preening media critics feel good.
The author also highlights how the media’s approach essentially proves Trump right when he points out how biased the Fourth Estate has become.
“Rather than highlight Trump’s falsehoods for readers who might be inclined to believe him, our need to append qualifiers to everything he says is making us look like we’re out to discredit him,” he writes.
Bai also critiques the establishment media for constantly holding Trump to a different standard compared to other politicians – especially those on the left. He references Vice President Kamala Harris’ comments during the debate in which she peddled the lie that Trump promised a “bloodbath” if he is not reelected. The remark was a reference to car manufacturing economics, not actual violence. Yet, members of the press did not see fit to correct her.
“Wasn’t she speaking baselessly and without evidence?” Bai asks.
The author further illustrates the double standard by looking at the Biden administration’s signature Inflation Reduction Act, noting that it had nothing to do with reducing the impact of inflation on everyday Americans.
“Thousands of news stories have referenced that bill by name, and I’ve not seen one that cast doubt on its principal claim,” he pointed out.
Bai’s concerns about trust in the media are more than valid. Recent years have seen a drastic downturn in the number of Americans who believe the media is telling them the truth. A 2021 Pew Research study found that “In just five years, the percentage of Republicans with at least some trust in national news organizations has been cut in half – dropping from 70% in 2016 to 35%.”
Overall, about six-in-ten U.S. adults (58%) say they have at least some trust in the information that comes from national news organizations. While still a majority, this is the smallest share over the past five years this question was asked. When it was last asked in late 2019, 65% expressed at least some trust. And far fewer (12%) express that they have “a lot” of trust in the information that comes from national news organizations.
Of course, the solution to this problem is not exactly rocket science. All the press has to do is treat all politicians and government officials the same – regardless of party affiliation. They should be fact-checking Democrats and Republicans alike, subjecting them to the same level of scrutiny.
“Surely we can manage to call out blatant mistruths without abandoning all pretense of fairness and objectivity, which is essential to what we do,” Bai insists.
This brings us to the heart of the matter.
More consistency is clearly the answer – but not for members of the left-wing media establishment. Members of the press have acted less as an independent force and more like an arm of the Democratic Party. Our talking heads, reporters, and influencers have clearly taken a side, frequently letting Democrats off the hook while going so far as to spread false narratives about Trump and other Republican figures.
This tendency is harmful to the American public made up of people who simply want the facts so they can make up their minds for themselves without having propaganda shoved down their throats. Yet, what Democrats don’t seem to realize is that their bias also hurts their cause. If trust in the media continues to plummet, then it will be far harder for them to ensure Democrats win. If anything, Democrats should be calling on the media to take the bias out of their reporting even if it's only so they can win more elections.
Ultimately, an honest press is good for the nation. We already have more than enough propaganda to go around – especially on digital platforms. Some straightforward reporting would be quite welcome in this era.
