No one likes putting gas in their car right now, but the networks talk about “soaring” or "skyrocketing" gas prices even as prices at the pump stay the same, or decline a bit. Four years ago, under Biden, they touted "relief" on gas prices when the price went down a few cents. The framing of inflation depends entirely on which party is in power.
MRC Senior Research Analyst Bill D'Agostino and MRC Video Senior Director Eric Scheiner analyze it all. Eric noticed that on Wednesday’s Good Morning America on ABC, the screen read “NEW RECORD FOR GAS PRICES.” Was it a new high? No, the “record” was how many days the average price had stayed above $4 a gallon.
Over the last seven months, the inflation rate under Trump was 3.6 percent. Over a similar seven months under Biden in 2022, it was 8.5. Four years ago under Biden, when gas went over $5 a gallon, if the gas price dropped by six cents, these same “news” people told you happy days were here again. The New York Times carried the headline in May 2022: "For Tens of Millions of Americans, the Good Times Are Right Now.” On Thursday, this headline topped the front page:
Rising Energy Costs Push Inflation at a Rapid Pace
Wage Growth Muted, Complicating Effort by Trump to Sell Voters on Economy
The overall tone of network news on the midterms is spreading doom for Republicans, with a focus on Trump's unpopularity. At last, the networks have started covering individual candidates a little bit, but they suggest it's so bad out there that Trump’s campaigning in red states! Does anyone recall them saying Democrats are in trouble because Obama’s campaigning in blue states?? Can’t really recall any of this about Biden, since he wasn’t out there in 2022 like Trump is. Maybe the trend is bad for Republicans right now. But we all know these elitist media polls overplay how Democrats are doing.
Speaking of faked news, MS NOW’s justice and intelligence reporter, Ken Dilanian, might want to check up on the “intelligence” part of his job title after a Wednesday scoop about FBI Director Kash Patel blew up in his face. Twice, Dilanian went on the air to report that Patel had landed in Russia, when he was in Virginia doing an event at Liberty University.
Enjoy the podcast on video below. The audio is here.
