BROADCAST BIAS: Networks suddenly love Marjorie Taylor Greene because she fights Trump
The quickest way to become a darling of the broadcast networks is to get on the wrong side of President Donald Trump. The most dramatic recent example is the defection of Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who Trump tagged as "Marjorie Traitor Greene."
There are varying degrees of opposing Trump, from a single-issue stand to going full Liz Cheney. Greene looked like she was moving dramatically toward the Democrats and away from her fire-breathing image. Then on Friday night, Nov. 21, she pulled the plug on her congressional career and resigned effectively at the start of the new House year in January.
In October, when Greene supported extending Obamacare tax credits during the shutdown, ABC late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel, who frequently tagged her as "Klan Mom," proclaimed: "I know this sounds crazy, but I will say it for the second time in a month: Marjorie Taylor Greene is right. ... I need something to wash out my mouth." Then Greene was welcomed onto "The View" on ABC on Nov. 4, Election Day. This leftist habitat hadn’t welcomed a Republican guest in more than a year. Co-host Joy Behar gushed: "Trump is reportedly calling his MAGA cronies because they say that you're slamming Republicans too much. You're taking my job." She added: "Maybe you should become a Democrat, Marjorie."
Sunny Hostin proclaimed she was advancing beyond strange conspiracy theories about "Jewish space lasers" and the like: "But you seem to have grown past that, and I feel like I'm sitting next to a completely different Marjorie Taylor Greene. Why the change? Why the evolution?"
MARJORIE GREENE SAYS TRUMP'S 'TRAITOR' LABEL COULD PUT HER LIFE IN DANGER
The news shows followed. On Nov. 14, Greene was hailed on "CBS Mornings" for demanding the release of the Epstein files. Co-host Tony Dokoupil asked: "You are on that side despite President Trump saying that only a very bad or a stupid Republican would be standing where you are. Why is this so important to you?" She said she’s "for the victims."
Gayle King asked Greene about the badly named "Affordable Care Act" subsidies. "You seemed to be siding with the Democrats on this. At one point, Hakeem Jeffries called Marjorie Taylor Greene an ally," she underlined, "so, I am wondering how you feel about this. Are you surprised yourself, that you are aligned with the Democrats on some of these issues? And President Trump says you seem to have lost your way. Can you respond to both about you?" Greene said "I haven’t lost my way. I’m for the American people only."
On Nov. 16, CBS’s "Weekend News" touted Greene’s feud with Trump, that Trump had called her a "traitor," and that Greene felt that endangered her safety. Reporter Willie James Inman added a clip of her on CNN: "And now an about-face from the MAGA firebrand, the Georgia Republican says she wants to end toxic politics." Greene said, "I would like to say, humbly, Im sorry for taking part in the toxic politics. It’s very bad for our country."
Even after Trump reversed himself on releasing the Epstein files, broadcast reporters were asking Greene for skeptical words about Trump. On ABC, congressional reporter Rachel Scott asked her: "Do you take the president at his word when he says he's going to sign the bill? And do you have confidence that these files will be actually released?" Greene replied: "I only take people's actions seriously. No longer words."
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The broadcast networks will downplay and hide internal squabbles among Democrats, until they can’t – like with former President Joe Biden’s disastrous debate performance in 2024. But they reliably pounce on any fights between Republicans, playing up their disputes as a sign they’re losing ground. Republicans are always losing in their narratives.
"PBS NewsHour" co-host Amna Nawaz touted Greene’s "rift" with Trump on Nov. 19. Her guest, NPR political analyst Domenico Montanaro, looked forward to Trump’s dwindling support among Republicans: "I think that this is a huge reason why maybe there's an opening for other Republicans to show some independence. I think they're going to be watching what happens with Marjorie Taylor Greene to see if she suffers any political consequences, as Trump says that she will. If she doesn't, I wonder what that's going to mean as Trump continues to look further and further like a lame-duck and is on the wrong side of these issues."
Greene came up again after Trump slammed congressional Democrats for making a video asking military personnel to disobey Trump’s orders, suggesting sedition could get you the death penalty. CBS reporter Nancy Cordes relayed on Nov. 20: "Trump's comments come at a time when threats against lawmakers are already at record highs. Just a few weeks ago, a man was arrested for threatening to kill Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries. And Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene says even her son got death threats after Trump recently called her a traitor."
All this demonstrates that the broadcast networks have very situational ethics about covering Republicans. Their level of coverage often corresponds to how "helpful" your statements are to their deeply held Democrat beliefs. The "Klan Mom" can transform overnight into "Cool Mom" if the opposition to Trump hits the right note.