The following is commentary intended for discussion. Add your comments.
I keep hearing media pundits, whether left or right; and news reporters, bringing up Donald Trump in terms of negative impact on another politician's popularity.
Nearly always, the baked-in assumption seems to be that a Trump association is bad or harmful for the other political figure.
For example, in the recent Virginia governor's race, it was claimed that Democrat Terry McAuliffe was wisely making Trump an election issue to use against his opponent, Republican Glenn Youngkin, who pulled off an upset. Trump endorsed Youngkin.
Before the results of that race were in, the media and analysis were treating Trump as if his endorsement or link to Youngkin were a complete liability. They said things like: "Trump endorsing Youngkin is a big factor... people may see him as too in line with the former President" or "The question is: has Youngkin separated himself enough from Donald Trump."
When McAuliffe lost, it was said that he wasn't successful in making Trump a centerpiece of his campaign.
But who's to say he was not successful in making his criticism of Trump a centerpiece... and many people actually like Trump so they voted against McAuliffe?
Likewise, when Youngkin won, he was universally praised for having pulled off the upset by supposedly deftly distancing himself from Trump.
But who's to say his perceived link to Trump, or the Trump endorsement, didn't help put Youngkin over the top?
The record of Trump endorsements is pretty impressive from what I have seen.
Today, the news coverage and analysis about Trump feels much the same as it did in 2015 and 2016, when few seemed to have a realistic picture of the sentiment of so many Americans.
It's as if the pundits seem not to know that in 2020, Trump got more votes than he did the first time, and more votes than any sitting American president in history.
He still remains wildly popular among a large segment of the population. Arguably, he is far more popular today among Republicans and some Democrats and Independents than is President Biden among Democrats and Independents.
And it's outrageous that free speech and open information advocates aren't screaming every day that Trump remains censored by Big Tech, which has worked so hard to make him disappear from America's landscape.
Another thing that occurs to me after 10+ months of a Biden administration: Trump policies proved to be inarguably correct on numerous fronts. Some is a matter of opinion; but some of it is not. Yet there is little to no media analysis harkening back to Trump statements and policies in comparison to the Biden administration.
Trump was right to withhold judgement about the Rittenhouse case. Though Trump is widely portrayed as a character who shoots off at the mouth and puts no thought into reckless statements, it is Biden (a candidate at the time) who made harmful and uninformed comments about Kyle Rittenhouse.
Nearly all independent scientists seem to say that the lockdowns were harmful, since many knew at the time-- and Trump raised the question-- that nearly all infections take place indoors, not outdoors.
Trump wasn't correct about everything, and that's not the point. But the media at large cannot bring itself to report a two-sided or neutral analysis when it comes to Donald Trump, lest they say anything that would be perceived as positive about the former President.
In this way, we continue to get a slanted picture of what's happening in politics and in America.
Has the media learned anything from its past missteps and mistakes?
What do you think?
Ms. Attkisson,
A question: Why does Donald Trump keep mentioning “a bad call from the doctor” when asked about 2024?
Don’t deny it. Check the videos.
Up to this point, I have never heard him say this. He was always the healthiest, most energetic, most genetically superior, most brilliant human being ever.
Remember? “Person, woman, man, camera, TV”? “With a better diet, I’ll live to be 200”?
I have my own theory as to why Trump is saying “bad call” now: He is very ill and may not make it to 2024 as a result.
I could only find it once on Sept. 25 from Matzav.com/ Newsmax. He was asked what could prevent him from running and he said i can only think of one thing
.“I guess a bad call from a doctor or something,” Trump told host David Brody. “Things happen through God, they happen. But I feel so good, and I hate what’s happening to our country.”
Is Trump a liability? Quite possibly, because of his bluster, his Tweets, exaggerations, insults, and general lack of verbal discipline. Despite that - and unlike Biden - he put America first and did not divide America along racial, "intersectional," and geographical lines. He tried to improve the lives of all Americans rather than force radical change and strange ideologies on them. He did not try to create a two-tiered society of the vaccinated and unvaccinated. In short, he was not the "dictator: the left claimed him to be.
But if DeSantis or someone else gets the nomination, do not doubt that the left will label him a racist, a Nazi, a KKK supporter, a moron, a Neanderthal, a white-supremacist, and - probably - another Hitler in the long line of Republican "Hitlers" who exist in the left's fried brains.
Trump no doubt carries huge support. He likewise carries HUGE resistance, not the least of which is ALL of the mainstream media. I will certainly vote for him should be be the candidate. But I do so knowing it will be a full on media assassination attempt for the entire race and should he win, the duration of his presidency.
Not doubt Trump's policies made American lives better which is something, with all the handouts, Biden has failed to do. I wonder will Americans realize that and those outside the MAGA devotees support him.
And then there is the issue of voter fraud. We can debate all day whether or not it happened. But common sense tells me, with all the voting and tallying anomalies, Joe Biden did not legitimately receive 81 million votes. NFW! So will the systems that allowed 81 million votes for Joe Biden again be allowed to happen. If so, to quote my Irish Grandad, "Whale Oil Beef Hooked!"
Right on the money! Censoring Trump, made Trump more powerful.
President Trump "a liability" is wishful thinking. The MSM, social media, many billionaires, establishment Republicans and Democrats all have never liked him and will never like him. President Trump is not part of the establishment and they can't control him. He cares about America first and has the strength to successfully defeat them all. They will always try to take him down. Clearly, he was robbed of the last election by people that do not care about America. The voter fraud by the mafia/establishment won..... and America lost.
I live in Virginia and Governor elect Youngkin has the same values as President Trump and is also not a politician. His messaging was clearly caring for the people first, America first. In northern Virginia, Republicans, independents and some Democrats united against the children school indoctrination via critical race theory (happening in most states). Mr. McAuliffe does not believe parents should have a say in what their children are taught.
The people regardless of party MUST unite behind President Trump in 2024. This is not whether I like or not his unconventional character, strong behavior, unusual personality or whatever else. He cares about America, will fight for America first and has the resolve to save America. There have been many failures by Mr. Biden (most intentional). Lets just take one which is vital for the survival of America, the open borders policy. Yes, in the last 9 months over 2 million illegals (plus the "get aways") have entered the Country through the southern border.. How many terrorists that will strike us in the near future, criminals, drugs and others.. A country without borders will not survive.
I like much of what he did, legislatively. And I am going to point out something the media missed: When he made The Comment, he also said 'and they let you'. That is adult consent. Tasteful around a mic? No. But it wasn't S&M stuff, either, and I'm certain music celebrities and others have gotten away with it without consent. I hope he leads the media on the biggest wild goose chase of their lives and then announces someone else. The media would have the biggest meltdown ever! I would also love to meet Melania. The media couldn't wait to rip her apart, either. Contrast this with true journalism from the 80's about how awful Biden was, starting with his plagarism. Truthfully, I think President Trump should stand down the next time around. Take one for the team. But I do think his input should be valued behind the scenes, and I do appreciate his service. I just think most conservatives are ready for a fresh start. It's been a long few years.
Trump is irrelevant to my decisions on whom to vote for, or against. Who he endorses is irrelevant also.
After the Clinton-DNC-FBI-Russia conspiracy to tamper with the 2016 election, the election fraud of 2020, the 5 year insurrection against a sitting President by the Democrats (including 2 fake impeachments), the inciting the summer of 2020 terrorist attacks, the race baiting and CRT, the weaponizing of a virus, I don't need anyone, including Trump, to inform me that Democrats aren't good for this country.
Right now, and for a long time to come, all I need to know is that when a candidate has a D after their name, I won't vote for them. That doesn't mean I'll always vote Republican though.
Before 2016 I was an independent and moderate (actually I still am), voting for the candidate not the party, but preferring Democrats in state/local government, Republicans at a national level and a divided Congress/Legislature/Executive. If there was a Democrat as governor or President I'd vote for a Republican in one or both chambers of congress/legislature. and vice-versa.
Now, I view the Democrat party the same as any other terrorist organization.
This will get you surveilled again!