News media protects Biden once again

NEWS AND OPINION:

When then-President Trump launched the “Remain in Mexico” policy in 2019, the big three broadcast networks — ABC, CBS and NBC — immediately denounced it as a cruel and inhumane blow to asylum seekers waiting to enter the U.S. while their immigration court hearings went forward.

Mr. Trump was vilified for his “immigration crackdown” according to CBS at the time, which also noted that the wait in Mexico would be “long and dangerous.”

Then an unusual thing happened. President Biden initially suspended the “Remain in Mexico” policy on Inauguration Day but then reinstated it just last week — on Oct. 14, to be exact. The rebooted policy is set to take effect in mid-November. And now the big question: How have those very same networks covered this phenomenon?

They’ve done nothing. The networks have gone silent, according to an analysis released Tuesday by Scott Whitlock, research director of the Media Research Center, a conservative press watchdog.

“The reinstatement news came late Thursday night. But according to an analysis by the Media Research Center, the network evening and morning newscasts from Friday to Tuesday have hidden the reversal of a policy that ABC, CBS and NBC once described as cruel and fear-inducing,” Mr. Whitlock wrote.

“Question: When is a policy no longer cruel? The answer: When Joe Biden adopts it from Donald Trump,” he advised.

“Somehow, what the liberal media saw as cruel and inhumane treatment during Trump’s time in office no longer matters now that Biden is president,” he said.

HOLA, REPUBLICANOS

Rep. Tony Gonzales has some very sound advice for Republicans who hope to appeal to Hispanic voters — a potential 32-million member voting bloc that includes 13.3% of all eligible voters, according to the Pew Research Center.

The Texas Republican offers some basic, down-to-earth advice as both the 2022 and 2024 elections loom on the horizon. The Grand Old Party’s message and beliefs already hold plenty of appeal for Hispanic people, he says.

“As Republicans we don’t have to change the message. The message is there. I think too often we’ve always thought, ‘Oh if you talk to this demographic you’ve got to say this or say that and try to, you know, finagle them,’” Mr. Gonzales told Republican Party chair Ronna McDaniel, in a podcast Tuesday.

Then came his sage advice.

“Just be who we are,” the lawmaker advised.

“But we have to show up. And not just once. Early and often. The other thing too, though, is that the messenger does matter,” he continued.

“I mean, me being Mexican American, having six kids, being a 20-year combat veteran, being from both a big city and a small town — I show up. And even if they don’t agree with my politics, I’m already at the 50-yard line,” the lawmaker said.

Mr. Gonzales, incidentally, serves the Lone Star State’s vast 23rd Congressional District — which covers 58,000 square miles, spans from San Antonio to El Paso and hugs hundreds of miles of the U.S.-Mexico border, according to U.S. Census figures.

ANCHORS NOT AWEIGH

Here’s a few pertinent numbers about the current state of the shipping industry during President Biden’s time in office. And yes, these revelations could put a dismal damper on the normally ready supply of holiday gifts when the time comes.

“According to data from the Marine Exchange, there were a total of 157 ships recorded in and around the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach on Monday,” reports Business Insider.

The news organization went on to add that “97 of these ships are container ships, bobbing around at sea outside these ports, and carrying cargo that will likely miss holiday shopping season. Due to the backlog, the cargo ships often wait multiple weeks before they are unloaded, adding time to a transportation turnaround for goods coming from Asia that is about 75 days on average from their origin to final destination, according to data from Freightos.”

Freightos, by the way, is an online international freight marketplace and industry source based in Hong Kong.

To date, some container ships have been waiting at anchor since the beginning of September, according to the Marine Exchange of Southern California. Before the pandemic, the ports’ highest record had been 17 ships waiting, according to Kip Louttit, executive director of the Marine Exchange — and a 30-year veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard.

FOXIFIED

Fox News Channel continues to dominate its cable news competition. During the week of Oct. 11-17, Fox News drew 2.3 million prime-time viewers, compared to MSNBC with 1.2 million and CNN with 661,000. Fox News also aired 13 of the top 15 cable news programs last week as well, with “Tucker Carlson Tonight” still the top dog, with 3.1 million viewers.

Fox News Digital closed out the third quarter of the year online with the most website visitors of any competitive news site, drawing 5.2 billion views during the three-month period, according to Comscore. Those visitors also spent 3.6 billion minutes at the site in the process.

For the 75th consecutive month, Fox News also attracted more to its social media sites in September than all other comparable and competitive news sites, drawing 22.4 million users to its Facebook and 29.2 million to Instagram, according to Socialbakers. In addition, the network earned 307.2 million views on YouTube during the month.

POLL DU JOUR

• 26% of U.S. adults say the COVID-19 pandemic is now getting “much less serious”; 36% of Republicans, 33% of independents and 13% of Democrats agree.

• 37% of U.S. adults say it is becoming “less serious”; 35% of Republicans, 40% of independents and 36% of Democrats agree.

• 18% overall say the pandemic is now getting “more serious”; 14% of Republicans, 11% of independents and 25% of Democrats agree.

• 8% overall say the pandemic is “much more serious”; 4% of Republicans, 6% of independents and 14% of Democrats agree.

• 11% overall are not sure about the issue; 10% of Republicans, 9% of independents, and 12% of Democrats agree.

SOURCE: A Convention of States/Trafalgar Group poll of 1,083 likely U.S. voters conducted Oct. 7-10.

• Follow Jennifer Harper on Twitter @HarperBulletin.