If you thought the backlash over President Trump losing the 2020 election could not get more intense - stay tuned!
Personally and professionally on the air, I have been bombarded with baseless information about widespread voter fraud as well as becoming a convenient target for blaming the media for failing to even cover those allegations. Professionally, it’s part of my job. Personally, I’m disappointed that the obsession of some loyal Trump supporters has led to strained relationships.
Last night, while reading posts on my social media sites and watching part of the programming on Newsmax TV, I recognized the theme of blaming the MSM for not covering the voter fraud cases. Here we go again - blaming the media.
As a member of the media, I do not totally support or excuse the business that I am a part of, but there are times when blaming the media is a convenient target. Let’s set the record straight AGAIN!
The news media is NOT a branch of government - it does NOT make laws or judge laws. The news media covers the news. The tendency from right-wingers to blame the media exposes a deep flaw in their reasoning. It is fair to acknowledge that no media is free from bias. CNN and MSNBC are biased, and so are Fox News and Newsmax TV. Every media outlet plays to their audience since the goal of the news media is to attract an audience.
Consider this analogy: If the news media suddenly started reporting that a citizen had committed a crime - I’m sure there would be an investigation - but if there was no evidence supporting the allegation of a crime - charges would not be filed by the authorities; and the story would no longer be a valid news story. No matter how much a news outlet continued to insist there was a crime committed and how much it blamed other media outlets for not covering that story - that does not mean a crime was committed.
And that’s where we are today. The conservative media and its followers insist that the crime of widespread voter fraud has been committed, and fingers are pointed at the media that is not covering the alleged crime. So what? Even if ALL of the cable news networks covered baseless allegations of widespread voter fraud, wall-to-wall, that would not automatically presume wrongdoing.
To ensure unrest, President Trump heavily promoted the idea that the only way he could lose was if the election were “rigged.” As soon as it appeared President Trump was losing, he reinforced this made-up idea that the election was fixed with zero evidence to support the claim. Trump and his minions ramped up the rhetoric that there was widespread voter fraud, yet there is no evidence that the charge is true. But that has not stopped many Americans from believing that one side stole the election from President Trump - with no proof.
President Trump is asking Georgia Governor Brian Kemp to use his power to overturn the election results in Georgia. First of all, that is not a function of the governor’s powers; but most importantly, the President of the United States is asking a governor he endorsed to do him a favor and cancel the votes of the Americans who voted against him. That sounds very similar to the tactics of a fascist government.
Trump cases have been thrown out of over 30 courtrooms because there is no evidence supporting the claim that the election was stolen. On social media and during my talk show, I am hearing a growing frustration as the reality that Trump lost comes closer into focus. There are many Americans who voted for Trump who have accepted the obvious results of the election and have moved on. But there is no doubt that many Americans are desperately clinging to the hope that President Trump and his people are right. The big question is - if they are right - where is the evidence?
And even though the news media is biased, the news media is NOT a branch of government and does not act as law enforcement. The news media is made up of fallible humans who sometimes make mistakes, but whether the news media covers a story of an alleged crime is never the determining factor as to whether or not a crime was actually committed.
