On Monday's Morning Joe, New Republic editor Michael Tomasky, as per his current New Republic column, said that the "real reason" for Kamala Harris' defeat is that the right-wing media is more influential than the liberal media!
No doubt the conservative media is considerably stronger and more prevalent than it was in the pre-National Review days. But more influential than the liberal media? If only!
Perhaps unwittingly, Tomasky gave the game away when he described the growth of conservative media as a "problem":
TOMASKY: But what I was trying to draw readers' attention to with this column is a longer historical problem that I've watched develop over the last 30 years. Which is the growth, tremendous growth, in size and influence of the right-wing media in this country. When we talk about the media, usually in shorthand, we say "the media this, the media that," as if it's one thing. But actually in this country, we have two medias. And I think it's very important for people to understand this. There's a mainstream media, which is the networks and The New York Times and so forth. And then there's a right-wing media. And when we all think of right-wing media, we think first of Fox News. But it's much larger and vaster than that. There are other cable networks. There are — there's talk radio, right-wing talk radio, which is everywhere across this country. There's right-wing Christian radio. Right-wing networks have bought up local television, local radio, some local newspapers. And then, there's this whole world of social media and podcasters that is just absolutely vast.
BRZEZINSKI: Yeah.
TOMASKY: Add it all up, it's tremendously influential. And it really does, more than the mainstream media these days, I think, Mika —
BRZEZINSKI: Yeah.
TOMASKY: — set the terms of our political conversation.
Tomasky claimed that "another thing that gives this right-wing media network such power is that it speaks with one voice." Ironic that Tomasky would say that during an appearance on MSNBC, where all hosts and guests parrot the same lib talking points o' the day. And on those rare occasions when a Republican voice is heard, it is only of the tame, Never Trumper variety.
For some time now, Tomasky has been propounding his notion that the conservative media is more influential than the MSM. Over a year ago, our Tim Graham caught Tomasky claiming that that our media culture "has been shaped and defined by the political right, and it works almost entirely to their advantage."
Despite admitting the economy has been a struggle for many Americans, Tomasky couldn't leave it there and instead insisted "our debate about the economy is set in large part by this right-wing media and — and you know, they pick the facts that will support their interpretation of the world."
There was an amusing moment at the end of the segment, with Joe Scarborough mentioning that over the weekend, wife and co-host Mika Brzezinski expressed the belief that Biden might have "done better" than Kamala.
Here's the transcript.
MSNBC's Morning Joe
11/11/24
7:17 a.m.MIKA BRZEZINSKI: I've been following a lot of the different aspects of what happened here. And I think a major part of it, and as we talk about the Democrats, I sometimes feel like we overtalk about that, and then it leaves out other reasons why this election was lost by the Democrats. And that would be disinformation. And Michael, you are writing about, you know, why doesn't anyone talk about the real reason Trump won, and you're talking about right-wing media in part. Can you explain?
MICHAEL TOMASKY: Sure. Look, there were immediate reasons that had to do with inflation and the economy and so worth. But what I was trying to draw readers' attention to with this column is a longer historical problem that I've watched develop over the last 30 years. Which is the growth, tremendous growth, in size and influence of the right-wing media in this country. When we talk about the media, usually in shorthand, we say "the media this, the media that," as if it's one thing. But actually in this country, we have two medias. And I think it's very important for people to understand this. There's a mainstream media, which is the networks and The New York Times and so forth. And then there's a right-wing media. And when we all think of right-wing media, we think first of Fox News. But it's much larger and vaster than that. There are other cable networks. There are — there's talk radio, right-wing talk radio, which is everywhere across this country. There's right-wing Christian radio. Right-wing networks have bought up local television, local radio, some local newspapers. And then, there's this whole world of social media and podcasters that is just absolutely vast.
BRZEZINSKI: Yeah.
TOMASKY: Add it all up, it's tremendously influential. And it really does, more than the mainstream media these days, I think, Mika —
BRZEZINSKI: Yeah.
TOMASKY: — set the terms of our political conversation.
BRZEZINSKI: And do you think that — is — are we also talking about disinformation, or just a lean to the right in terms of how they — the point of view that is presented?
TOMASKY: Well sure, there's both. You know, another thing that gives this right-wing media network such power is that it speaks with one voice.
BRZEZINSKI: Right.
TOMASKY: And that voice says to regular people that the Democrats hate you, and the Democrats want to turn your son into your daughter, and Donald Trump is your last line of defense against this madness.
(....)
7:21 a.m.
SCARBOROUGH: I do want to ask this question, and I — I found your — I found your piece fascinating. We do look at the misinformation all of the time — the disinformation that's coming from a lot of these sources, just deliberate disinformation that's coming from the sources. That said, that doesn't explain black voters not coming out in Detroit, black voters not coming out in Milwaukee, black voters not coming out in Philadelphia in the numbers they came out —
BRZEZINSKI: Mmhmm.
SCARBOROUGH: — in back in 2020. Reverend Al had told us earlier, about a month earlier, that he went to Detroit, and there just wasn't the interest there among a lot of black voters. They — they were not excited about this campaign. They were not excited about voting and he saw trouble coming a month ahead of time. So that's not because they've been watching Newsmax and are upset, right?
TOMASKY: No, it's not. It's not. I would still say, Joe, that, you know, look, People go to the grocery store and they experience what they experience. And the basket of groceries that used to be $80 is $115.
SCARBOROUGH: Yes.
BRZEZINSKI: Yeah.
TOMASKY: I experience that myself. I'm not a rich guy, you know. I see it. I go to the grocery store. So all that is true. At the same time, I think our debate about the economy is set in large part by this right-wing media. And — and you know, they pick the facts that will support their interpretation of the world. And you just watch, come noon on January 20, these outlets? They're going to start picking the great facts about the economy. And within about two weeks, we're going to have a booming Trump economy, according to them.
JOE SCARBOROUGH: [Laughs uproariously] Yes, exactly, exactly! It's going to be turned around, and I'm sure on the other side, there will be people talking about the Great Depression that is coming from the far left. I mean, our economy — our economy is the envy of the world. There are people, though, right now who are struggling with housing prices. As we said on Friday, with the gas and grocery prices and that is a really big issue.
(....)
7:24 a.m.
SCARBOROUGH: Now, Mika and I have been having this debate over the weekend. Mika thinks that Joe Biden may have done better. I don't think so. I think that this was a Democratic party problem, and whoever was in that slot was going to have problems over peace, prosperity, and, yes, I will say it, with wokeness and the extreme stuff from the far left.
