Last updated on July 17th, 2023 at 09:13 pm
For the first time in the 2016 general election, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump held competing rallies and all three cable networks chose to cover Clinton over Trump.
Jamie Dupree of Cox Radio noted:
Clinton in Orlando, Trump in Toledo – all 3 nets as I type carrying Clinton live pic.twitter.com/dMaYw3B5C1
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— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) September 21, 2016
CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News all took Clinton’s remarks about the recent police shooting in Tulsa, OK and Charlotte, NC live. The networks had a chance to cover a Trump rally from Toledo, OH, and passed.
It is impossible to call this decision a coincidence after Donald Trump suckered the press to his new hotel in Washington, D.C. with the promise of a press conference, and then refused to take any questions.
Since Donald Trump isn’t spending money on ads or building an actual presidential campaign, free media is the lifeblood of his presidential bid. If the press stops covering every Trump rally, the Republican candidate for president is going to have a major problem.
The press is starting to treat Hillary Clinton like a person who may actually win the White House, and not just that other person to talk about when Donald Trump isn’t doing something.
The coverage and approach towards Trump changed. The media has gotten serious. They have stopped viewing Trump as a ratings pumping sideshow. Much to the determent of the Republican Party, Donald Trump is being treated as a man who could be the next president.
Equally important is the fact that Hillary Clinton is beginning to be treated like the woman who is on track to be the next president. As the country gets closer to Election Day, the tone is getting more serious, which should benefit Hillary Clinton and deliver more horrible news to Donald Trump.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
