Are Democrats (Finally) Breaking Up With The Mainstream Media?

Years of frustration have begun to boil over, but with few alternative journalism institutions to turn to, Democrats have turned instead to celebrity interviewers.

(Photo by Biden for President)

I want to zoom in on something President Biden said during his remarks at the White House Correspondents Dinner on Saturday, which for reasons that will be obvious, represents a departure from the normal timbre of the event. 

[T]he most urgent question of our time is whether democracy is still the sacred cause of America. That is the question the American people must answer this year. And you, the free press, play a critical role in making sure the American people have the information they need to make an informed decision. 

The defeated former President has made no secret of his attack on our democracy. He has said he wants to be a “dictator on day one,” and so much more.

He tells supporters he is their “revenge” and “retribution.” When in God’s name have you heard another president say something like that?  And he promised a “bloodbath” when he loses again. We have to take this seriously.

Eight years ago, you could have written it off as just Trump talk. But no longer. Not after January 6th. 

I’m sincerely not asking of you to take sides but asking you to rise up to the seriousness of the moment; move past the horse-race numbers and the gotcha moments and the distractions, the sideshows that have come to dominate and sensationalize our politics; and focus on what’s actually at stake…. Every single one of us has…a serious role to play in making sure democracy endures—American democracy.  I have my role, but, with all due respect, so do you. 

Emphasis added. No punchline omitted. Just raw and well-earned frustration with the assembled journalists partying it up in the long shadow of fascism with their remaining colleagues—the ones whose jobs haven’t been lost to a long right-wing war on journalism.

We’ve come a long way since Trump’s pull on Washington stemmed from something quaint like his reality TV show and leadership of the birther movement, both easily diminished through mockery. 

But that’s not really what struck me reading over these comments.