In desperation, the conservative media “spokes outlets” — from Fox News to Newsmax to Breitbart — have switched their inflammatory lies and disinformation to cultural issues.
The latest from primetime Fox News host Jesse Watters, whose own mother often airs her disappointment on Twitter, defended the Ron Desantis Florida Department of Education’s remarkable policy of teaching grade schoolers that slavery had an upside. That enslaved humans learned skills while being beaten, raped, and tortured. Skills that allowed them to earn when finally freed.
In Florida, high schoolers will now be taught that both the slave owners and the enslaved were responsible for the violent uprisings protesting the right of one human to own another.
Why does the GOP continue to cut its own throat with culture war policies amplified to its shrinking base by right-wing media? Because its substantive issues of crime, inflation, and immigration are melting away. The Hunter Biden narrative still lacks proof of a direct connection to his father, leaving the Oversight Hearings in Congress a punchline in the national debate.
The facts now diffuse the Republicans’ most effective fear campaign about big city crime. The Council on Criminal Justice just released a study of 37 major U.S. cities showing violent crime down nearly 10% over this time last year.
Under Biden’s new strict asylum application measures, illegal border crossings dropped to their lowest level in over 2 years in June. The much-anticipated spike in illegal crossings did not happen, much to the dismay of GOP House members anxious to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
Instead, Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s cruelty has stolen the headlines at the border. He has installed razor wire and floating barriers in the Rio Grande which threaten to drown immigrants cruelly. And his Texas State Police are accused by a whistleblower of denying water to the dehydrated and pushing desperate souls back into the river.
Actions that have turned the GOP border policy offense into one of defense.
Perhaps the most serious threat of substance to Democrats in 2024 is the economy. Post-pandemic inflation and the war in Ukraine put Americans in a tough spot. Inflation rose to double digits with gas prices leading the way.
But the latest numbers show inflation at 4% and consumer confidence rebounded to the highest levels in 2 years. With unemployment down, wages and corporate profits up, Republicans are left with little but base-stirring cultural issues that play well on the Fox News echo chamber but alienate the moderates and independents who decide elections.
Right-wing media will survive since 30 percent is plenty of audience to flourish in a divided media landscape. But in the political world where there are practically only two choices, 30% leads to landslides for your opponent.
Two postscripts this week with our readers’ indulgence
First, in a world of dim predictions of news media demise, I was thoroughly heartened by the actions of two student newspapers from hallowed universities this past week.
At the Stanford Daily, student investigative journalists wrote a series of stories about researchers at the highly esteemed institution fudging study results, altering data, and publishing false conclusions under the supervision of the university president. He resigned in disgrace.
While at Northwestern University, student journalists exposed racial and sexual hazing in the locker room of the powerful football team. Those stories led to widespread coverage nationally and the dismissal of the heretofore praised head coach.
And finally, in last week’s column, I listed some of my favorite choices in today’s television news. Readers were mostly supportive. But an old friend I worked with at WLS Chicago in the early 80s where he produced the highly rated 4:00 PM news and went on to executive produce the PBS Newshour reminded me I had totally ignored public television.
I do watch and recommend Newshour. It is straight, dependable, and perhaps a little dull at times, but it often goes in-depth on a subject or covers stories ignored by the big 3.
However, my even bigger omission was Frontline, the PBS news documentary series that is appointment viewing.
Turn off Fox News and enjoy these instead.
Jim Avila previously served as a weekly columnist for Barrett News Media. An Award-winning journalist with four decades of reporting and anchoring experience, Jim worked as Senior National Correspondent, 20/20 Correspondent, and White House Correspondent for ABC News. Prior to his time with ABC, he spent a decade with NBC News, and worked locally in Los Angeles and Chicago for KNBC, and WBBM. He can be found on Twitter @JimAvilaABC.
