Dear National Media,
Hello. You may not know me personally, but you know who I am. I am one of the unfeigned majority that does not want either of the two most recent presidents to be president again. As you know, I am not alone.
Let me clear. As our blogging community will attest, I mean absolutely no disrespect. Truly. I realize it’s become the all too convenient trend to ridicule or rage over Presidents Biden or Trump, but that’s simply not my jam. No slights nor sneers here. My base belief is that one of them breeds chaos and the other incompetence — for different reasons. There is no question neither is the best our country has to offer. We can do better.
Still, no less, I have a concern that prompts today’s writing. But since other persons may or may not also be reading this, let me again be clear: I am not a fan of either a Pres. Biden or a Pres. Trump. I have no desire to vote for either, and I am attracted to other options for 2024.
In fact, as I informally survey the increasing others wading in the same proverbial boat, I find multitudes who share a similar yearning, albeit they are resigned to voting for one of the two. Notably, however, the primary motivation is not a pro-Biden or pro-Trump vote; it’s an anti-Biden or anti-Trump vote. Indeed, we can do better.
Neither Biden or Trump are all that popular. You know that already, too. Biden’s latest presidential numbers as surveyed by a recent ABC News/Ipsos poll, give him a whopping 33% approval rating, a record low not just for him but for any president in the last 15 years. Asking similar questions about Trump in retrospect, Trump’s approval numbers land at a mere 41%. Neither candidate, therefore, reflects the ability or credibility that should unquestionably accompany the occupier of the highest office in the land.
They are not popular. For solid reasons.
Herein lies my concern. Remember: with no popular candidate, as noted, there are seemingly more voting vehemently against a candidate rather than enthusiastically for a candidate. And yet, many of you are covering the candidates in such a way that is aiding and abetting Donald Trump.
Allow me a bit of political pondering indulgence…
Your portrayal of Biden is fairly plain to see. When he doesn’t make sense, says he won’t debate, changes his verbiage again (and again) on Hunter, contradicts himself on Taiwan, or wanders off to shake the Easter Bunny’s hand, be honest; we can handle it. But when excuses are made to make him look more lucid than he actually is, we notice. And I’ll speak only for me, but if you’re dishonest about the obvious, it is logical to question where else dishonesty exists. Where are you manipulating his portrayal?
You’ve also taken a seemingly specific tack with Trump… We can’t show him on TV. We can’t let his words be heard. We can’t even air his primary victory speech. Why? Because he lies.
I’ll remind you once more that I am not a fan. But it is clear that there are lies told by far more than Trump… even by some of each network’s chosen pundits. As a watching public, we notice the inconsistency.
Some would even aver that Trump’s such a bad guy, we must ban him from the ballot.
“Ugh,” said the non-fan.
Again, I am not alone. It is zero rocket science that the clear majority of this country is not a fan of either president. But there seems an increased wondering as to whether those who are anti-Trump are going too far and thereby unintentionally creating a sympathy (or something) where it doesn’t exist.
Note the observations of former Obama advisor David Axelrod or current California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who even as supporters of Biden (or in Newsom’s case, a purported supporter of self), agree with said sentiment. The blatant effort to silence, shun or remove Trump is creating the appearance — rightly or wrongly — of an attempt to rig the election. It is creating the appearance of unfairness.
And if there’s one thing people rally around in this country, it’s a sense of unfairness.
Hence, as a fan of neither, it’s my desire that your partisanship would take a backseat to your reporting — and that you would aid and abet none of the above.
Sincerely,
AR