Hosts of "The View" and MSNBC's Rachel Maddow assert that the media has been more lenient towards former President Donald Trump than President Joe Biden, claiming that Trump is being "graded on a curve."
Co-host Joy Behar of "The View" and MSNBC host Rachel Maddow have ignited a debate, accusing the media of being more lenient towards former President Donald Trump than President Joe Biden, particularly regarding their speech and age.
Behar initiated the discussion, stating, "I think that the press has been a little easier on him [Trump] than they were on Biden regarding his erratic talking and age. He’s not that much younger. He’s going to be 80 in the middle of his next term, so what’s up with that?"
Media Accused of Favoring Trump Over Biden, Giving Him a "Curve
Maddow concurred, agreeing that "He gets graded on a curve." She further elucidated that Trump's past provocative statements have raised the threshold for what is considered newsworthy.
"When you say ‘I’m going to jail my political opponents, when you say ‘it’s going to be a bloodbath if I lose,' when you say all these things that are completely off the chart in terms of radicalism and bizarreness, then every new bizarre thing needs to hit this high bar to count as news," Maddow explained.
Media Accused of Favoring Trump Over Biden, Giving Him a "Curve
Behar echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the media's normalization of Trump's unconventional behavior. "That needs to stop, right now!" she declared.
Maddow also commented on the upcoming debate between former Vice President Kamala Harris and Trump, expressing concerns about the former president's coherence and stamina.
Media Accused of Favoring Trump Over Biden, Giving Him a "Curve
"It was a little incoherent now, so it'll be interesting to see if he can hold it together and whether that falls apart after the first few minutes, which is kind of his performance level right now," Maddow said.
Regarding Harris's performance, Behar expressed confidence that she would excel. "With Kamala Harris, she’s a very good debater, but she hasn’t debated anybody in four years," Maddow added.
Maddow also criticized her own network, MSNBC, for broadcasting Trump's victory speeches earlier in the year. She acknowledged the challenge of balancing the public's need to be informed with the responsibility to prevent the spread of misinformation.
"I will say that it is a decision that we revisit constantly in terms of the balance between allowing somebody to knowingly lie on your air about things they’ve lied about before and you can predict they are going to lie about. And so, therefore, it is irresponsible to allow them to do that," Maddow explained.
She emphasized that the decision to cut away from Trump's victory speech on Super Tuesday was not made out of spite but rather a recognition of the potential harm his unfiltered remarks could cause.
"It is not out of spite; it is not a decision that we relish; it is a decision that we regularly revisit," Maddow said. "And honestly, earnestly, it is not an easy decision."
