Congratulations to Anne Meurer who submitted this week’s winning example of local media bias and what an example it is. Keith Ellison was “interviewed” by WCCO’s Esme Murphy in a Facebook, not live on the air, format. You’d be forgiven for thinking if it was just a couple of fellow traveler chums shooting the breeze rather than a discredited, bigoted, extremist politician being grilled by a tough journalist. I almost expected each of them to quaff an adult beverage of their choice during the 13:44 lovefest.
The interview found our Esme practically shouting “Amen” as Ellison waxed enthusiastic about the virtues of a single payer health care system. As Meurer notes “Esme Murphy is not reporting when she jumps on the Keith Ellison bandwagon for a single-payer healthcare system.” Yes indeed but most local media are but arms of the DFL and progressives nationally.
Bias in the form of softballs and warm fuzzies permeate the faux interview. This is really an in kind donation by way of propaganda piece. Meurer further observes, after Esme brings up our divided nation by noting that “Esme slams the Trump administration with her polarization comment.” This is especially galling given the Jew hatred Ellison has spewed for most of his adult life and about which the feeble Esme asks him nothing.
But wait! There’s more: this seems to be a feature and not a bug because, again as Meurer points out “She doesn’t question him on anything.” Indeed she doesn’t. View the interview yourself and see for yourself. What’s that word when you’re embarrassed for others because they don’t possess the self-awareness to be embarrassed for themselves?
Finally, Meurer is dead on when, after the topic of the midterms is raised along with the laughable idea of a blue wave, Esme “encourages the blue wave itself by interjecting ‘and vote!’”
That’s our local media, dear readers. Thanks to everyone who submitted this week. There was some tough competition but frankly, I can’t award ties every week. Keep those submissions coming, especially from local television, which I don’t watch, and Facebook, which I loathe.
The deadline for every Friday’s winner is midnight the Wednesday before.