Why Trump and Biden are Covered Differently
Whether it’s dining with anti-semites; inviting Russian President Vladmir Putin to do "whatever the hell he wants with NATO countries;" or pledging to pursue retribution against his enemies, Donald Trump does things and makes statements that would normally doom any other politician. Despite this, he is currently tied or slightly ahead in most national polls and has a 50-50 chance of returning to the White House next year.
Many Americans, including Democrats and political pundits, are asking why. The answer most likely lies in how Trump and his Democratic rival, President Joe Biden, are being covered by the mass media.
"It is definitely true that President Biden and former President Trump are treated differently by many in the news media," says John Dempsey, retired news director of Chicago's iconic WLS-AM, the Big 89. "Biden does seem to be held to a higher standard while many Trump critics say the media are ignoring or downplaying many of his outrageous statements or divisive rhetoric."
Dempsey maintains that while this is true, it is a reality that may be very hard to change for a number of reasons. Chief among them is the sheer power of celebrity.
He cites a recent article in the New York Times by Republican pollster Kirsten Solis Anderson which talks about "The Trump-Oprah" voter.
According to Anderson, the reason many voters are not turned off by Trump's behavior or his many scandals is because they judge him not as a politician, but as a celebrity. She further states, “Trump retains the sort of shield that only celebrity can provide and with it a number of benefits that traditional politicians don't enjoy."
Picking up on her argument, Dempsey notes that Americans have long been fascinated with celebrities and Trump spent years building his brand and cultivating his image as a successful businessman and media personality.
"In my opinion, this is one of the many reasons Trump has an advantage over President Biden in this race," he says. "Biden is simply held to a higher standard."
Dempsey points out that for example, it would be a monumental scandal if Biden cheated on his wife with a porn star and then committed crimes to cover it up. Or if Biden said any of the many outrageous things Trump says in public or online.
"That is not the kind of behavior most Americans want in their politicians but again, many people see Trump as more of a celebrity than a politician," he says. "His flaws and aberrant behavior are already baked in among many people who feel "Oh, that is just Trump being Trump. That's not newsworthy." Dempsy believes that Unfortunately for Biden, he is always going to be judged as a politician and will face harsher media coverage for any behavior or words that are deemed "non-presidential."
Veteran journalist Richard Greb who has reported for the Associated Press, Reuters, and other outlets agrees and adds that Biden has another disadvantage when it comes to media coverage.
"Trump supporters by and large get their news from sources like FOX, Newsmax, or Sinclair which are decidedly anti-Biden in their coverage," Greb states.
He points to a video from the recently concluded G7 summit airing on FOX that seems to show Biden wandering off when in reality the president was distracted by a couple of paratroopers. "The video was deliberately taken out of context to imply to viewers that Biden is confused and by extension, too old to hold office."
Greb emphasizes, however, that there is still time for Biden to get his message out to independents and other voters who currently aren't engaged with politics. "The president has to run hard.
"The president has to run hard on his record and point to achievements like the infrastructure bill that is helping Americans," he maintains. "At the same time, he has to constantly remind voters that Trump's actions on things like abortion rights pose a threat to their freedoms."
Greb stresses that to overcome the advantages that Trump enjoys as a celebrity, Biden and the Democrats must focus less on personality and more on the key issues of the campaign: the economy, abortion rights, climate change, Ukraine, immigration, and the stability of Europe in the face of Russian aggression.
Still in a 24/7 news cycle and the omnipresence of social media, it is hard to minimize the pull of celebrity.
"Politics is all about performance these days," notes Ernest Wiggins, professor emeritus at the University of South Carolina School of Journalism. Wiggins points out that as the first president without any previous governmental or military service who has often been unconventional, covering Trump has been a challenge.
"News media had to learn how to cover Trump on the run. Because he broke the mold, they had to fashion new approaches almost daily to cover his actions. They still are."
