Drumpf is doing worse than it seems -- but reporters are afraid to say so

[BlueWavePsych]

Any previous campaign in Trump’s circumstances — bad polls nationally, behind in multiple must-win states, coming after four years of low favorability ratings and steady off-year and midterm losses for the party he leads — would be facing coverage that would be the political equivalent of a hospital vigil for a very sick patient.

Veterans of past losing campaigns say that such coverage often creates its own hopeless reality. Everything an underdog candidate tries to do to change his or her circumstances is described through an interpretive filter that amounts to “check out the latest from this loser.”

In Trump’s case, however, many journalists (including the two of us on this story) emerged from the 2016 race wondering if Trump is the political equivalent of Hannibal Lecter. Sure, he’s in captivity now, but an escape may be imminent — in which case he’ll be eating pundit predictions with fava beans and a nice Chianti.

Generally, Trump has avoided this phenomenon. While there is lots of coverage illuminating the reasons he is in trouble, or even forecasting that defeat is significantly more probable than victory, the dominant storyline is far from, “Why even bother waiting for Election Day — let’s just admit this thing is over.”

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/10/21/trump-coverage-media-430982

[Statistical]

1. Yup. Always grading Trump on a curve.

Also they got to have the horsie race. Lets be honest no major candidate has done as badly as Trump is doing this election cycle while everyone pretends this is normal and he has a "strategy.

Even Obama in 2004 was only polling up 5 just prior to election day (he ended up winning by 7) and that was the most one sided election in recent history. If Romney had been down 10 nobody would be pretending it was a close race. They would be asking the Romney campaign hard questions about why their candidate is not connecting with voters and do they fear a GOP bloodbath.

[Sherman A1]

7. It is all about the horse race narrative

If the race is over, then no one watches the filler they present between ads for drugs we never knew we needed.

[dalton99a]

2. "By historical standards, Trump's coverage is actually favorable"

They always bend over backwards and sideways to give him the benefit of the doubt

[edhopper]

3. Because they cheat

and will try to wreck the vote counting. That is why it is still up for grabs.

[Mossfern]

4. Heh -

I thought the OP was about his health.

[underpants]

5. I think the media realizes how much of a role they played in 2016 by calling it OVER

which clearly suppressed turnout. They have reported on it but I think internally (including the industry) they know how much impact they had and the disastrous results.

[Sherman A1]

8. You are being far too generous in aligning any feelings

such as guilt to corporate media. They are only there for the ratings and nothing more.

[Drunken Irishman]

11. If it's plenty possible, can you please explain how?

And I don't want to hear about how he'll rig the votes unless you have an explanation for how he'll do it undetected in states with Democratic SoS.

[Drunken Irishman]

16. The lower courts have decimated almost every Trump election case.

But pushing the idea that it's plenty possible, if not likely, he'll cheat and win anyway is a great way to keep people from voting.

Way to try to depress turnout.

[Turin_C3PO]

13. Nah. You give him way too much credit.

He and his team are the biggest idiots this country has ever seen. He won't steal the election.

[yardwork]

9. Nothing demonstrates the existence of white male privilege than the way Trump is treated.

As a middle-aged White woman the hypocrisy makes me sick. I can only imagine how Black and other minority women and men feel.

[Drunken Irishman]

10. A few replies here miss the point entirely. 2016 changed things.

Most everyone four years ago grave danced and discounted his chances to win and he won. Now he's president, which makes him an even bigger threat, and it's no wonder they don't come out and call the race like four years ago.

I remember an SNL debat skit where they ssid Hillary was president already. It's on YT and really painful to watch in retrospect.

I don't blame the media for being cautious after getting burned four years ago.

[stopdiggin]

14. what also changed

is that a lot of people (media included) had to wake up to the fact that -- yes, large numbers of Americans would vote for a creature such as Donald Trump. And, prior to 2016, that just wasn't possible (except in small pockets of the country). Wrong!

[RobinA]

12. If That's What

is happening, I'm just as glad. The last thing we want is tales of his imminent loss to bring supporters out of the woodwork, or keep our people home because Biden is a walk.