If you’ve ever engaged with a political communications staffer, whether in an office setting, on a campaign, or through media appearances, you might have noticed a tendency for them to make statements that appear questionable in terms of accuracy. The prevalence of seemingly dubious claims prompts reflection on how these individuals, often seen defending their positions with unwavering certainty, avoid succumbing to embarrassment. The explanation is quite straightforward: it is their professional duty to champion their bosses, even if it means disregarding reality.
Working in the media offers a distinct advantage – there is no professional obligation to indulge in such delusions. However, not everyone takes full advantage of this privilege. In the aftermath of Robert Hur’s report detailing President Joe Biden’s mishandling of classified information and cognitive decline, Morning Joe, a prominent news program, embarked on an extensive public relations campaign to shield Biden from criticism.
The day after the report’s release, the Morning Joe team expressed their discontent. Host Joe Scarborough went so far as to label Hur, who had taken care to compare Biden’s cooperation with the investigation favorably to Donald Trump’s refusal to cooperate, as a “Trumper.” Scarborough deemed Hur’s explanation, which highlighted Biden’s struggles to recall his vice-presidential years, as “bad-faith” and “gratuitous.”
Adding to the defense, Vanity Fair’s Molly Jong-Fast joined the program on Monday to question Hur’s qualifications, asserting, “He’s not a neurologist, right?” The continuous borderline propagandistic defenses of Biden persisted on Tuesday, with John Heilemann taking the lead. Heilemann offered a peculiar justification for Biden’s memory lapses by suggesting that many people, including himself, have difficulty recalling details like the day of the week.
Heilemann’s argument, while seemingly implausible, indicated a departure from a commitment to enriching viewers’ understanding of the world towards influencing them in favor of the powerful. The show’s ideologically homogenous cast, all in agreement on Biden’s superiority over Trump, was now making arguments that appeared disconnected from reality.
The consequences of prioritizing the objective of promoting Biden over truth became evident in the arguments presented on MSNBC’s Morning Joe. Scarborough’s accusation that Hur is a “Trumper” lacked evidence, exposing the show’s deviation from factual accuracy. The assertion that one doesn’t need to be a doctor to identify signs of cognitive decline or a broken leg underscores the attempt to simplify complex issues for the sake of persuasion.
Furthermore, the plea to John Heilemann to consider retirement if he struggles to remember details like Super Bowl winners underscores the questionable lengths to which the media might go in protecting their favored candidate. The realization that insulting voters’ intelligence may be the Democrats’ media vanguard’s response to poll-induced panic over Biden’s chances highlights a concerning approach that risks alienating the very audience they seek to influence. If this is the chosen path, then it appears that, in the battle for public opinion, they may have already lost.
Biden is confused again: "…and the Crown Prince Hussein. Where— is the prince out here? I thought he was coming out. Anyway." pic.twitter.com/Hsbp0mB4cW
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) February 12, 2024
