The aftermath of Donald Trump’s decisive victory in the Iowa caucuses revealed a predictable reaction from the leftist media, reminiscent of their response to his 2016 win. The memory of that historic night, where CNN anchors were visibly upset on air, still lingers. The liberal media, in an attempt to grapple with Trump’s popularity, blamed itself for providing him extensive media coverage during the 2016 campaign, a trend that continued even after he left office.
Monday night’s Iowa caucuses were no exception to the media’s aversion to Trump’s speeches. Despite clear indications in the polls that Trump would emerge victorious, both CNN and MSNBC opted not to air his victory speech. CNN briefly covered the speech, but when Trump delved into addressing Joe Biden’s border crisis, Jake Tapper abruptly cut away, emphasizing Trump’s “anti-immigrant rhetoric.”
MSNBC took an even more drastic approach, refusing to air Trump’s speech at all. Rachel Maddow, the host, vaguely alluded to the decision, asserting that there was a reason for news organizations to avoid giving an “unfiltered, live platform” to Trump. Maddow justified this choice by claiming there was a cost to broadcasting “knowingly untrue things,” attempting to portray the decision as principled.
The irony of Maddow’s statement, considering the media’s track record, was not lost on observers. Critics pointed out the inconsistency of MSNBC’s claim to avoid airing “untrue things,” given past instances of biased reporting. The incident underscored the ongoing reluctance of certain media outlets to provide unfiltered coverage of Trump, revealing a persistent bias that shapes their editorial decisions.