When Ted Cruz announced his bid for the presidency, the New York Times derided him as a "demagogue" and a "flamethrower" in an online article. The print edition deemed the Republican "an ambitious conservative with sharp elbows." In contrast, the Times on Monday failed to identify Hillary Clinton as a liberal while recounting her 2016 launch. The headline for the 1,550 word story by Amy Chozick promoted, "Hillary Clinton Starts to Detail Rationale for Run as Campaign Begins."
By paragraph four, Chozick noted the potential historic nature of Clinton's bid: "If successful, she would become the first female nominee from either party, with a serious chance to become the first woman to be elected president." She noted, "Mrs. Clinton ended two years of public demurrals and private maneuvering and instantly put herself in a strong position to become the Democratic standard-bearer."
The journalist parroted, "Mrs. Clinton is expected to offer herself as best equipped to reverse the sense among many voters that the middle class is already out of reach."
The only reference to ideology came when Chozick highlighted a clause in Clinton's video announcement:
Mrs. Clinton’s reference to the “stacked deck” confronting most Americans could mollify those in the party’s left wing who have pined for potential alternatives like Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, who has led a fiery, populist attack on Wall Street opulence and big banks.
The Times writer managed some slight criticism when she recounted Clinton's 2008 bid:
Despite that experience, however, Mrs. Clinton’s entry into the Democratic primary field in January 2007 showed that she still faced difficulty in reconciling her outsize public image with the need to dispel any air of entitlement.
In March, Chozick played the role of human shield for Mrs. Clinton and defended the Democrat against attacks from GOP rival Carly Fiorina.
In contrast, on March 24, NYT writers Nick Corasaniti and Patrick Healy said of Ted Cruz:
He sometimes deploys the soaring diction of a preacher while staking out uncompromising and rigid conservative positions, often playing the role of political flamethrower."... Mr. Cruz’s tenure in Washington has been marked by accusations of demagogy.
Healy described Clinton's April 12 launch video as " hopeful" and "optimistic." He also touted her "populist message" and added, "She is portraying herself as a fighter — not against a Democratic rival or a Republican opponent... But against greater forces that a lot of Americans feel are keeping them down."
