Media Bias On Display with Chris Christie Coverage

The duplicity and hypocrisy of the mainstream media coverage of politicians, based on party affiliation, could not have been more in evidence than it was this past week. New Jersey’s Governor Chris Christie’s scandal was trumpeted across the headlines this week as if it were a five alarm fire, while much more serious scandals with national implications, are often hardly reported at all.

It was revealed this week that members of Christie’s staff had intentionally closed four lanes of George Washington Bridge, connecting Manhattan to Fort Lee, New Jersey. Christie’s staff closed the lanes for four days to create a traffic quagmire to punish Fort Lee’s mayor, Mark Sokolich, for not endorsing Christie in his bid for reelection as New Jersey’s governor.

In a two hour, nationally televised press conference, Christie admitted he was “blind sided” by the revelation, and had no prior knowledge of the scheme. Ensuring that someone was held accountable, Christie fired his two aids complicit in the plan.

There are two aspects of this narrative that are immensely disturbing. The first is the media reaction to the story. According to Media Research Center, “In less than 24 hours, the three networks have devoted 17 times more coverage to a traffic scandal involving Chris Christie than they allowed on Barack Obama’s Internal Revenue Service controversy.” MRC documented 34 minutes and 28 seconds of coverage by ABC, CBS, and NBC dedicated to the Christie scandal, versus a scant, “two minutes and eight seconds for the IRS targeting of Tea Party groups,” over the past six months.

To a reasonable person, the story of potential political bullying by a governor, closing lanes on a bridge, can in nowise be 17 times more significant than a president that uses the most onerous agency of the federal government to do his bullying against his political enemies. To a reasonable and rational electorate, the obvious bias in reporting would cause a mass exodus from the mainstream media until they started reporting accurately and with equitability, without regard for party affiliation.

XH9j5Z0The media have been raising the question whether Christie can be believed when he claims he knew nothing about it. Yet they are unsurprisingly reticent when it comes to Obama’s inexorable “I didn’t know about it until I read it in the paper,” soliloquies he employs to excuse his and his administration’s irresponsibility.

In fact the mainstream media have been AWOL in reporting just the few foibles and lies listed here: “I will have the most transparent administration in history;” “The stimulus will fund shovel-ready jobs;” “I am focused like a laser on creating jobs;” “The IRS is not targeting anyone;” “It was a spontaneous riot about a movie;” “The public will have five days to look at every bill that lands on my desk;” “It’s the previous president’s fault;” “Whistle blowers will be protected in my administration;” “I am not spying on American citizens;” “It’s just like shopping at Amazon;” “I knew nothing about ‘Fast and Furious’”; “I knew nothing about what happened in Benghazi;” and perhaps the best of all, “I will restore trust in government.” If any of these claims had been uttered by our previous president, the press would still be harping on them.

After the copious media coverage of this event, the second most disturbing element is the public reaction. A resident of Fort Lee and one of Christie’s constituents, Robert Tessaro, raised a valid point. He said, “I hope this continues to haunt him. No matter what he knew and didn’t know, these were his people and the culture he created in the state, and it’s not right.”

If that principle applies to Christie, a state executive, shouldn’t it apply even more aptly with the executive leader of our nation? Why are so few of Obama’s constituents raising the same question? Why is Obama exempted from culpability in the creation of a culture of corruption and incompetence in the executive branch?

It was refreshing to actually see someone held accountable for something in government, as Christie dismissed those involved with what is now being dubbed “Bridgegate.” We have witnessed so many faux pas, blunders, mistakes, incompetence, and outright lies over the past five years at the national level, and there has been little accountability. When people are hired, especially for the public good, and they, by their actions, tarnish the people’s trust in their integrity and competence, they should be held accountable.

dc-septic-cartoonHere are just a few of those who have contributed to the culture of corruption at the national level, by deceit and obfuscation, and have not been held accountable: Eric Holder, Timothy Geithner, Van Jones, Susan Rise, Lois Lerner, Hillary Clinton, and Kathleen Sibelius. In fact, books have been written, documenting the culture of corruption in the White House. If Christie is to be responsible for the culture in his administration, shouldn’t Obama be held accountable for his, especially considering the gravity, breadth, and impact of the latter?

Holding a position of public trust requires responsibility and accountability. Not only has very little been shouldered by this administration, but also the media have done little to hold them accountable. It shouldn’t be too much to ask for the media to be equitable and fair in their coverage of elected officials, irrespective of party affiliation. And we, the people, should demand it of them!

Associated Press award winning columnist Richard Larsen is President of Larsen Financial, a brokerage and financial planning firm in Pocatello, Idaho and is a graduate of Idaho State University with degrees in Political Science and History and coursework completed toward a Master’s in Public Administration.  He can be reached at rlarsenen@cableone.net.

 

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Richard Larsen

AP award winning columnist Richard Larsen is President of Larsen Financial, a brokerage and financial planning firm in Pocatello, Idaho, and is a graduate of Idaho State University with a BA in Political Science and History and former member of the Idaho State Journal Editorial Board. He can be reached at rlarsenen@cableone.net.

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3 Comments

  1. You and I agree Richard. My article is right above yours. I’m from N.J. and have met Christie in person. Any rush hour in the morning or night at the GW bridge is just as bad if not worse than was reported. The media is so intent on having Hillary in power that they will destroy anyone who opposes her. Christie was ahead of Hillary in the polls and Gates’ book came out blasting Obama and Hillary so they attacked Christie. Christie won 70% of the vote over Bono’s 30% so this is their revenge.

  2. I am completely in agreement with both you and Jim Clayton in the sense that the Mainstream Media and the Leftist Communist in control of our government are collaborating to manipulate the masses. I have no doubt that your assessment of revenge and slander is at the heart of this news blitz!

    At its heart this ploy demonstrated the utter contempt the MsM has for the American People. There is no doubt that many of our citizens are Lost Brains who can do no better than to swallow their lies. But this is an opportunity! You and Jim are both on the right track. Pointing out the disparaging performance of the MsM and how the Leftist Communists (Socialist Democrats) operate will not return void to those who truly desire the truth! Which I believe is the majority of the American people – we are not as stupid as they assume!!

    Making a big deal out of their outlandish BIAS can turn this around into one more major blow against their Empire. They throw stone from their glass fortress!

    Christie, what ever his political stance, has demonstrated proper protocol and leadership. The Republican Party HAS NOT! That does NOT mean that I am a supporter – there are any number of good Grassroots Conservatives out there that would have done AT LEAST the same. We taut his performance in this situation because he happens to be the man on point – and this could actually catapult his political goals into a more solid lead (and I believe he knows this).

    The MsM is what it is. We cannot change that (we do not have the money nor the backing of the likes of Globalists like the Council on Foreign Relations, who’s members own EVERY major media outlet (including FOX)). Our responsibly is to counter their onslaught of lies with the truth. We have never been relieved of the responsibility to seek and know the truth and we are in this situation today BECAUSE we have not kept that responsibility. They will be liars until we TURN THEM OFF and defeat them with the Truth.

    Thanks to both you and Jim for great insight into this matter. You speak the truth!

  3. The provocative, salacious, with hints of conspiracy are sizzle….and sizzle sells ! And can hide the truth….While, as Jim said in his post, Distract from other issues…while often cast negative shadows over bright lights.

    Christie has accepted responsibility for his staff’s actions…that, alone, is refreshing in politics ..additionally, he ‘acted’ to correct & punish…Then he did the absolute unheard of…he answered the media questions to the point they were running out of anything to ask. I figured he was on the verge of ‘giving them’ the questions. When was the last time that happened in the (current) administration?

    Parents can raise their children in a very close family atmosphere teaching strong moral values. They are involved with their activities….yet, more than one has ‘strayed’ & shop lifted or tried drugs…And difficult as it to admit, if they don’t take responsibility and take steps to see it doesn’t happen again…it will…

    I’m not super sold on Christie as a President, but I admire (most) of his style…He’s so far above what is presently in ‘the’ office, it causes a nosebleed. No question in my or most minds I’d rather have this man than (what) is now ‘bullying’ the Americans with self serving mandates

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