The Media Research Center’s Tim Graham appeared on the Fox Business Channel, Wednesday, to slam outlets like the Washington Post and the New York Times for “doubling down on their biases.” After the Bell’s Melissa Francis wondered if the relentless attacks from these liberal newspapers was “working.”
The MRC director of media analysis retorted, “I think that their reputation in the press continues to suffer. They're doubling down on their biases.” He singled out the Washington Post, saying the paper is “suggesting [Trump] is sort of a dictatorial or Hitlarian figure or just the most dangerously stupid man who has ever been president.”
Graham and Francis discussed a Post op-ed from a woman who said that Trump’s election “stole” her desire to find love.
A transcript of the segment is below:
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After the Bell
12/7/16
4:52pm ETMELISSA FRANCIS: Blame it all on Donald Trump. The Washington Post is joining the mainstream media in slamming the President-elect. The paper out with five consecutive headlines bashing Donald including, quote, “Trump is All Madness and No Method.” Even taking a jab at Trump's voters thanking them for this, quote, “wonderful joke.” Here now is Graham — is Tim Graham, NewsBusters executive editor and director of media analysis at MRC. What do you make of this? There’s even an op-ed, “Trump's Election Stole My Desire to Look for a Partner.” He is even ruining love lives, according to these papers. What do you make of it?
TIM GRAHAM: Yeah. I mean, I walk up the driveway every day with the Washington Post and it is always a head-shaker. In some sense, it’s the same we get with most Republican presidents. We certainly found at the end of the Reagan presidency that everything from sexual harassment in public housing to flammable PJs was blamed on, you know, Reagan deregulation. So, that part is the normal part. Obviously there is whole added element with Trump, where the Post is suggesting he is sort of a dictatorial or Hitlarian figure or just the most dangerously stupid man who has ever been president.
FRANCIS: Yeah.
GRAHAM: So, it is way over the top.
FRANCIS: Is it working for them though? I mean, you mentioned you walk up the driveway with that paper every day, which makes me think you're still paying to it and subscribing to it. Is it working for these media outlets? I mean, they care more about money than anything else, don't they?
GRAHAM: I think what we've shown is that there is a surge right now in subscribers, but that is sort of liberal protest vote. They figure that is the one way they can show their power right now is by subscribing to the Washington Post or the New York Times. Obviously, I subscribe to "The Washington Post for a different reason than the average person. To expose it.
FRANCIS: Yes. I love that.
GRAHAM: I think that their reputation in the press continues to suffer. They're doubling down on their biases. So —
FRANCIS: Meanwhile, there are people out there that do blame Trump for absolutely everything. New York magazine wrote article about the Trump haircut. That women are cutting their hair short. Making it blonde, red, whatever. Anything not to be like Melania because they're so upset. There is the Trump ten. People are blaming Donald Trump for post-election weight gain, saying they're so depressed I guess they're binging on doughnuts. This seems like a thing, Tim.
GRAHAM: Yeah. There was even a discussion on The View the other day that women were withholding from their husbands who voted for Trump. I mean, Trump loves this kind of thing though.
FRANCIS: Yeah.
GRAHAM: The other funny thing about this. Unlike other presidents or presidents-elect I think he loves attention, including the negative attention.
FRANCIS: Yeah.
GRAHAM: They're all obsessed.
FRANCIS: Yeah. And he loves it that way. You’re right. That’s how he won the election, I think. Tim, thanks for coming on.
