23 Comments

Why is it that one suspect poll should be worrying for Dems yet when it comes to DeSantis, “he has slipped in the polls. Those polls will bounce around and DeSantis has plenty of time to mount the kind of comeback that reporters love and will help fuel.”

Nice to have it stated so plainly how journalists put their thumbs on the scale for certain candidates. God knows they didn’t help fuel Biden’s comeback in 20. Then they were incredulous he was the candidate and were disappointed about both Dem unity and enthusiasm.

And it’s appalling to call this upcoming election--if it is a rematch--boring. Democracy remains at stake--listen to the things Trump says he will do. And even if he somehow isn’t the GOP nominee, his rivals are tripping over themselves to embrace the crazy. To say the GOP is leaving it up to weather to decide turnout is silly. Their voters come out no matter what. And they have cut maps so that most of their voters don’t have to wait in long lines. I know this last bit is nit picky, but the details matter.

Expand full comment
author

You make a fair point that I could have said Biden can also bounce back in the polls, but the idea that journalists are "putting their thumbs on the scales" for an asshole who treats them like shit--i.e. DeSantis--is ridiculous. They would, however, like to see him make it competitive against Trump, who is a mortal threat to democracy, as I've written 5,000 times. We just like a good story, and if Biden comes roaring back in the polls, that story will be told, too. Journalists weren't disappointed that Biden won--they were ecstatic that a criminal president who called us "the enemy of the people" was defeated. Re a rematch being "boring"--c'mon, rematches are always boring--though the only time we've had one in 100 years was in 1956 when Ike and Adlai ran against each other for the second time and the country snoozed.

Expand full comment

I hear what you are saying but after years of watching the political press pretty much act as a stenographer for the GOP (just look at who they quote in stories, whose viewpoint they take, their framing) and normalize their slide into crazy, it’s tough not to be cynical. I also don’t believe that most of them actually believe democracy is in peril. The minute Trump was gone they went to the SOP bothsides BS. And they liked what he did for their careers. (Too cynical?)

I remember watching the debates in 2000 and the press mocked Gore--they obviously didn’t like him and twisted his words just as they did with HRC in 2016--while giving W a pass for being able to put a sentence together. They were dishonest in covering the “spontaneous” Brooks Brothers riot and later carried the admin’s water in getting us into the Iraq war. They liked Obama, but who could forget the “crisis” of the fist bump and the “scandal” of the tan suit and French mustard. (I skipped over Kerry because that was just awful.)

For the past year every story about the jobs numbers or about the economy growing was framed in “yes but RECESSION.” Is it any wonder so many Americans wrongly believe we are in a recession when we are not? Finally, Look at the coverage of raising the debt ceiling--totally created by the GOP who all want to hold the economy hostage (and some who want to blow it up) to own the libs and break govt. Instead of explaining what is happening--and telling the truth as well as what is at stake--too many political journalists resort to “standoff” crap and “what’s Biden gonna do” (advising he needs to make concessions). While in Florida, DeSantis’ outrageous authoritarian moves are framed in “how is it going to play for his campaign” rather than what it actually means for people’s lives, freedom, and the education of children as more right wing radicals (God forbid the press would actually call them that; there is nothing conservative about them) push these measures in other communities and states as well. Not to mention the 2022 (non) “red wave” and the prediction that the loss of Roe wouldn’t move the needle with voters much. The press shapes our perceptions of events and the people behind them. I don’t expect or want them to be pollyannas about Biden, just fair.

Political journalism is failing us. There is great reporting being done for sure, and some great columnists and reporters out there. That’s the view from someone who is passionate about both politics and the news. My disappointment--and I know I am far from alone--is profound.

Expand full comment

What does anyone think about Biden showing up for the "debate" and just doing it himself if Trump doesn't show? Using Trump-likely answers to object? Help or hurt? Would that or could it happen?

Expand full comment
author

This has been done in the past and might be worth doing again but it's a stunt that won't likely lead to much. Jimmy Carter did it in a governor's race in 1970, to limited effect (though he did win).

Expand full comment

Thanks, Jon, as usual. The title has me feeling anxious but, all in all, this is a pretty upbeat piece. Although the focus of this essay is on election rigging, I'm a little surprised that you didn't mention the G.O.P.'s seeming suicide mission to double down again and again on ever more restrictive abortion legislation. Seems to me they're slitting their own throats. Trump in an interesting position in that respect. He's already shown a willingness to back away from the most extreme views (we all know that he actually doesn't care about the issue at all) but that may well cost him votes on the far right.

Expand full comment

I’m glad you mentioned the GOP seems to be on a suicide mission because it almost feels like a contest

among them to top the cruelty of the last republican who uttered a hard-right, abusive, unhinged, nasty, intolerant attitude toward whomever the pariah of the day is.

I’ve seen the polling that supposedly shows Biden

at a disadvantage popularity-wise. But here’s the thing about that--republicans (under the tutelage of

Putin & using the psychological manipulations he learned from the old KGB) have been effectively using psychological tactics here in America for over a decade...and they work, or they work until people begin to realize they’ve been masterfully manipulated to their detriment.

All kinds of new and/or fake websites pushing and publishing right wing extremism, pretending it’s

widely accepted and even popular, have popped up

in the last few years. New polling entities have also made sudden appearances and some of the older, familiar & trusted polling entities suddenly seemed

“off,” probably because they were bought by

someone with an agenda.

My point is, there’s a ton of money invested in trying

to convince the American people that “up is really

down,” and it seems to me a lot of that money is from foreign sources. It’s almost as if giant bullseyes have been superimposed over maps of the U.S. that are invisible to Americans, but easily seen by every wealthy, corrupt despot in the world.

America is one of the wealthiest countries in the world. We have an “open” society that is being

systematically used against us by foreign heads of state who would very much like to get their hands

on our wealth. One of them helped Trump “win”

the 2016 election.

The 2024 presidential election may well be a turning

point in the larger scheme and context of world history. Globalization has happened and it’s important to take that into consideration as we gear up for 2024.

Expand full comment
author

Quite right, Susan...They seem to be outdoing each other in cruelty.

Expand full comment
author

Hi, Tom...I agree completely that abortion will be a problem for Republicans, including Trump. I was not, in this column, assessing the general election, so I didn't include that and other factors that may affect the outcome, beyond looking at the chances of the election being stolen. This piece was mostly about the GOP primaries and the integrity of elections. I'll return to the general election down the road..

Expand full comment

👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

Expand full comment

Thank you Jo Anne. I just hope for an expansion of our “we”. Silence is not likely to help.

Expand full comment

As Jonathan usually does, he has produced a fine analytical piece on the dynamics of the upcoming, now with us, 2024 presidential election.

Yet, unwittingly, like most journalists/pundits across the spectrum, as they opine on Trump’s candidacy he omits any mention of January 6: the only time in our country’s history’s a president tried to use the threat of violence, then actual violence which he did act to stop, in an attempt to remain in power.

I know Jon strongly believes that this is a very bad thing. But echoing an excellent piece today by S.V. Date in the Huffington Post,

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/donald-trump-coup-media_n_64505256e4b039ec4e867f2d,

where Date points out that mentioning Trump without mentioning this stark, unprecedented fact is akin to mentioning Neil Armstrong without saying anything about the moon.

The acid of Trump and Trumpism appears to have succeeded in corrupting, at least in part, our political journalism. It’s the water we swim in, where coup attempts and lies about legitimate elections become normalized, oh BTW’s… now let’s discuss Trump like any other candidate.

Trump attempted to shoot our democracy in broad day light. And nobody seems to care or think it matters. Or, if they do, they aren’t saying it out loud and often enough.

Expand full comment
author

Hi, Scotty:

I do refer to Jan. 6 but in the context of Judge Luttig. As you know, I'm obsessed on the topic. But you make a good point. I believe ALL stories about Trump should include one of the following: "Mr, Trump, who incited a violent insurrection in an attempt to overturn a legitimate election, today said..." Or: "Mr. Trump, who promised in 2023 that he would "terminate" sections of the U.S. Constitution if reelected, today said...." Or: "Mr. Trump, who has pledged to use the presidency for "retribution" against his enemies, today said..."

Expand full comment

Yes Jon…I saw the Luttig reference. The timing of reading your piece just happened to be when I had just put down Day’s piece in Huff. His media critique touched a chord in such a blunt, obvious way: the normalization of public treason by a president of the United States. We are ALL so numbed by the constant cascade of Trump’s outrages that when reality checks like Mr. Day’s column come along they shake us up, like it did for me. Stay awake! Never forget!

Your concluding sentence gestured towards the array of citizens across the political spectrum “bracing for a fight”. It is one we cannot afford to lose. I share your obsession.

Expand full comment
May 8, 2023·edited May 8, 2023

Scotty, I'm sure you realize that we've all been paying attention to the news of the big lie and the J6 insurrection. When we hear the name Trump we understand that all that crap is already baked in and processed.

Expand full comment

The American presidential election process is a Rube Goldberg machine, crissake! - especially now that Republicans have gone rogue and ambushed the various secretaries of state offices and state legislatures. There are so many moving parts that it's impossible to stay current without an informative guide. Thanks, Jon.

Rest in peace, Newton Minow. You were right, in large part; American television was, and still is a vast wasteland (The Apprentice, FOX News, DWTS featuring Sean Spicer, Green Acres, Petticoat Junction, etc.).

Expand full comment
author

Thanks, JoAnne!

Expand full comment

The commission on presidential debates is too political. It's put together by the two parties and while the two party system is historical there's nothing in our constitution or otherwise it says it Hass to be that way. In fact there's been many situations where the two parties do not dominate, shouldn't we foster more parties or more candidates as opposed to sticking with just two parties and I'm a loyal Democrat, who work for Jimmy Carter in the White House. Maybe we should go back to something like the league of women voters sponsoring the debates.

Expand full comment
author

Hi, Bruce...The League did a good job for many years but eventually got overrun by the parties in the Eighties. Figuring out how much support a third party candidate needs to take part in debates is tricky, but the CPD did include Ross Perot. It doesn't seem sensible to include one polling in single digits....

Expand full comment

The other hopeful possibility is that the next generation is becoming more politically involved. That young people turn out and vote. It’s their country. I read somewhere that abortion and guns is driving younger voters to become engaged. We will find out.

Expand full comment
author

God I hope so, Billy!

Expand full comment

You nailed it on this one, Jon. The big question in my mind is whether Jack Smith turns out like Bob Mueller and whiffs on federal prosecution for stealing classified docs and inciting the Jan. 6 insurrection, the only cases that I think pose a real danger for Trump.

Expand full comment
author

Thanks, Bob.....Call me Pollyannish, but I don't think Smith will whiff....

Expand full comment