SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
In Corporate Media, Democratic Populism Always a Danger
Apr 30, 2014
One of the most consistent rules in corporate media's political coverage: If you're talking about Democrats, you should point out that those who drift too far to the left could find themselves in trouble (Extra!, 7/06).
With Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren out promoting a new book, you can expect to hear this line. "The left is looking for a fighter and a fiery populist," ABC's Jeff Zeleny explained on This Week (4/27/14).
He went on:
Some moderate Democrats fear her economic populism is a dead end for the party. But to her admirers, she is a political celebrity. And even if her name is not on the ballot, her ideas may still drive the race.
All right-so some people think she'd lead the party into a dead end, but people who like her say she's a celebrity.
It's worth asking: What exactly are the policies that Warren is proposing that could be so dangerous? If it's banking regulation and consumer protection, it's hard to imagine issues that could be more popular with the public.
If Zeleny's critics are really saying that Warren's criticism of Wall Street would hurt the party with industry donors, then perhaps there's something to it. A graphic ABC flashes on the screen is from a Wall Street Journal op-ed by two professional Democratic centrists, who think the smart move is to start talking about the funding crisis in Social Security and Medicare.
But here's a bigger question: Do you ever hear reporters arguing that these center-right Democrats are a "dead end" for the party's electoral chances? There's a good case to be made that Democrats who don't take forceful populist positions are more likely to pose serious risks to the Democrats' success. But a reporter who made that case would be attacked for being "biased"; when you say it about the party's left wing, though, it's just media conventional wisdom.
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
© 2023 Fairness and Accuracy In Reporting (FAIR)
Peter Hart
Peter Hart is the Domestic Communications Director at the Center for Economic and Policy Research.
One of the most consistent rules in corporate media's political coverage: If you're talking about Democrats, you should point out that those who drift too far to the left could find themselves in trouble (Extra!, 7/06).
With Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren out promoting a new book, you can expect to hear this line. "The left is looking for a fighter and a fiery populist," ABC's Jeff Zeleny explained on This Week (4/27/14).
He went on:
Some moderate Democrats fear her economic populism is a dead end for the party. But to her admirers, she is a political celebrity. And even if her name is not on the ballot, her ideas may still drive the race.
All right-so some people think she'd lead the party into a dead end, but people who like her say she's a celebrity.
It's worth asking: What exactly are the policies that Warren is proposing that could be so dangerous? If it's banking regulation and consumer protection, it's hard to imagine issues that could be more popular with the public.
If Zeleny's critics are really saying that Warren's criticism of Wall Street would hurt the party with industry donors, then perhaps there's something to it. A graphic ABC flashes on the screen is from a Wall Street Journal op-ed by two professional Democratic centrists, who think the smart move is to start talking about the funding crisis in Social Security and Medicare.
But here's a bigger question: Do you ever hear reporters arguing that these center-right Democrats are a "dead end" for the party's electoral chances? There's a good case to be made that Democrats who don't take forceful populist positions are more likely to pose serious risks to the Democrats' success. But a reporter who made that case would be attacked for being "biased"; when you say it about the party's left wing, though, it's just media conventional wisdom.
Peter Hart
Peter Hart is the Domestic Communications Director at the Center for Economic and Policy Research.
One of the most consistent rules in corporate media's political coverage: If you're talking about Democrats, you should point out that those who drift too far to the left could find themselves in trouble (Extra!, 7/06).
With Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren out promoting a new book, you can expect to hear this line. "The left is looking for a fighter and a fiery populist," ABC's Jeff Zeleny explained on This Week (4/27/14).
He went on:
Some moderate Democrats fear her economic populism is a dead end for the party. But to her admirers, she is a political celebrity. And even if her name is not on the ballot, her ideas may still drive the race.
All right-so some people think she'd lead the party into a dead end, but people who like her say she's a celebrity.
It's worth asking: What exactly are the policies that Warren is proposing that could be so dangerous? If it's banking regulation and consumer protection, it's hard to imagine issues that could be more popular with the public.
If Zeleny's critics are really saying that Warren's criticism of Wall Street would hurt the party with industry donors, then perhaps there's something to it. A graphic ABC flashes on the screen is from a Wall Street Journal op-ed by two professional Democratic centrists, who think the smart move is to start talking about the funding crisis in Social Security and Medicare.
But here's a bigger question: Do you ever hear reporters arguing that these center-right Democrats are a "dead end" for the party's electoral chances? There's a good case to be made that Democrats who don't take forceful populist positions are more likely to pose serious risks to the Democrats' success. But a reporter who made that case would be attacked for being "biased"; when you say it about the party's left wing, though, it's just media conventional wisdom.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.