With all the hype and mounting hysteria about Joe Biden’s age and supposed ‘mental decline,’ it’s easy to overlook the outrageous gaffes, deliberate misinformation, and outright lies unleashed by Donald Trump.
Dangerously, our U.S. media are falling down on the job, big-time, and are failing the American people by pushing the ‘Biden’s mental decline’ story line hard — but simultaneously, they’re ignoring or minimizing the much bigger story about Trump’s deranged, diminishing mental capacities and the horrific, often delusional beliefs/attitudes he keeps promoting.
Biden is an ‘elder statesman’; Trump is a vicious, dangerous demagogue
Let’s be fair and also realistic here: In any debate ‘showdown’ or head-to-head competition, Biden would win hands-down over Trump, in any subject area we’d care to mention.
Whether the focus is international relations, domestic policy, the rule of law, the economy, climate change, immigration, NATO, or America’s future, Biden would undoubtedly provide better and far more accurate information than Trump. He’d also be much more coherent.
However, Trump would certainly win in some areas. The areas where he would excel are not exactly positive or uplifting: he’d beat the pants off Biden when it comes to incomprehension, delusional thinking, lying, deflecting, insulting people, whining, proclaiming his eternal ‘victimhood,’ and being the best (worst) rage-inciting demagogue.
It’s truly amazing, even bizarre, that the presidential race is this close. And I blame the corporate media for much of the current insanity — especially Fox ‘News’ and other right-wing ‘news’ outlets.
What’s the real, essential story here?
Let’s get real: Both of these candidates are ‘old,’ both make stupid comments and gaffes at times, and both have occasional lapses of memory (like most people) — but only ONE of them lies constantly, insults and demonizes entire minority groups, incites violence, and incidentally tried to mount a coup, overturn a valid election, and illegally remain in power. I mean … WTF?!
American media, we desperately need you to get it together and do … your … job!
Clearly, there’s a lot of ageism ‘in the air,’ and a lot of ageist anti-Biden nonsense circulating — so it’s high time for Americans to protest and demand that we get fairer, more accurate information and opinion pieces from our media.
It’s very concerning that right-wing media keep blaring the totally false idea that ‘liberal-leaning’ media are always pushing liberal or ‘socialist’ ideas while constantly canceling right-wing voices — when the real truth, as far as I can tell, is much more the opposite.
Our American media, with a few exceptions, lean far to the right. In most European nations, our supposed ‘progressives’ would be called ‘centrists’ or ’moderates’ — and supposedly ‘liberal’ journalists would be seen as … fair-minded moderates just doing their job.
Thus, in our right-leaning nation, Trump unfairly keeps getting a pass for his abysmal, abnormal mental state, and his gaffes and mental lapses — but every time Biden slips up or makes a mistake (sometimes due to his long-term struggles with overcoming stuttering), it’s a huge story that’s blasted out over all media and the Internet.
Truly ‘fair and balanced’ reporting is crucial now
In this situation, the media needs to be much fairer and practice ‘both-sides-ism’ — meaning that here it would be a good thing for the media to give equal time, space, and criticism to both candidates. (That’s not the case when it comes to reasoned, ‘normal’ political discourse vs. violence-inciting, racist, and/or seditious far-right extremism.)
Once again, the current media’s irresponsibility and feckless, inconsistent approach to ‘fairness’ usually end up favoring and protecting Trump. I’m not sure if bolstering Trump is their intention — but it’s certainly the exact, widespread effect they’re creating. And that’s deeply horrific — because at this rate, they may end up helping to propel a devious, vengeful pathological liar to the highest office (again!) in the land.
Maybe they’re just following the ‘path of least resistance,’ since Biden tends NOT to hit back hard at his media critics, while Trump both hits back hard and verbally shreds or threatens his ‘enemies.’
Maybe the media are actually a bunch of gutless cowards who ‘go with the flow’ and are happy to passively support a horrible man and candidate like Trump … or maybe they’re scared into virtual silence by threats and actual attacks performed by Trump’s MAGA goons.
Our media need to grow a spine
Whatever the cause, our media need to ‘man up’ (sorry about the sexist term), grow some cojones, and start dealing with this election and the likely candidates as if the truth really matters, and the information and opinions they spread are very consequential.
Because guess what, they do matter — a lot! If our semi-democracy is to survive, our media need to take a good, hard look at their own reporting practices, and alter/improve them to accurately and professionally deal with our current (wacko) American reality.
As Biden and many other politicians and commentators have warned, our nation and our system of governance truly are under severe threat, and the upcoming election may be our last, best chance to avert catastrophe and ‘save our country.’
Despite Trump always boasting that only HE can ‘save America,’ his actual record — his words, actions, and stated goals — proves conclusively that Trump and his minions are the ones who would undermine and destroy America, not Biden or the Democrats.
Wake up, U.S. media!
Based purely on Trump’s own demented, rageful words, actions, and vengeful promises, it’s clear that Trump himself (along with his rabid followers) is THE major danger and destructive force facing our nation. Far from saving our nation, Trump would do the exact opposite … all the while claiming that he’s ‘saving us’ from Biden and the evil ‘libtards’!
Come ON, U.S. media — wake up, and smell the coffee! This election really IS the most consequential election of our lifetime, and the information you put out (along with the vital stories you suppress or ignore) will play a crucial, critical role.
Come on, U.S. media — get it together, and do your damn job, fully and impartially. Just tell the truth to the American people — and then get out of the way. Stop with the ageist nonsense, and stop your inexplicable, inexcusable ‘protection by omission’ of Donald Trump and his demagogic ranting and incitement.
The U.S. absolutely can’t afford to elect a raving, amoral, lying, and ignorant nut job as president. Come ON, U.S. media — we need you to do your job! Tell the whole truth, and expose what needs to be exposed!
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This post was previously published on MEDIUM.COM.
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