Megan McArdle of the Washington Post criticized mainstream media bias, claiming it’s hurting Democrats this election cycle. She noted that left-wing critics accused the media of mishandling Trump’s coverage and failing to address key issues, like Biden’s decline, as if media bias could affect the election’s outcome.
McArdle pointed to a Gallup poll showing that 54% of Democrats trust the media, while only 12% of Republicans do. She argued that while media bias may have helped Democrats, it also weakened their credibility, causing harm to the party in the long run.
She explained that Democrats relied on media support to downplay Biden’s decline, with many outlets avoiding coverage of his health issues out of fear of backlash. McArdle criticized the “kid-glove” treatment that allowed his decline to be underreported.
McArdle also pointed out that in 2020, Democrats relied on media to promote left-wing policies, but this time, the focus shifted to protecting Biden’s image. This gave rise to negative ads, especially against Kamala Harris, who benefited from the media’s cautious approach.
Finally, McArdle argued that in today’s internet era, media manipulation is less effective in elections. Voters are increasingly aware of bias, which risks shrinking the Democratic base. The Washington Post editorial board echoed her concerns, saying Biden’s mental health cover-up hurt the party’s credibility.