There’s no denying that the mainstream media can significantly impact the trajectory of candidates’ political campaigns. Time and time again, Americans have witnessed this take place. During the 2016 election, then-candidate Trump prevailed against all odds as the media continuously smeared him, did all they could to boost Clinton, and released polls claiming that Trump didn’t stand a chance of winning the general election.
“Tulsi Gabbard” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Gage Skidmore
In the 2020 election, Americans are once again bearing witness to the machine that is the mainstream media. Of all Democrats running for office, Tulsi Gabbard (and formerly Andrew Yang before he dropped out) has received a shockingly low amount of coverage. Now, some folks might chalk this up to merely a consequence of low poll numbers; however, candidates polling lower than Gabbard were invited to a CNN town hall, a town hall to which Gabbard was snubbed and not invited to attend.
During an interview with Varney & Co. Gabbard censured the “corporate media blackout” as a thorn in the side of her presidential campaign, as documented by Fox News.
Tulsi Gabbard on the Media’s “Blackout” of Her Campaign
During her Varney & Co interview, the war veteran declared that a significant amount of voters have been deprived of the opportunity to “hear [her] message” and learn about the “background and experience” which Gabbard believes qualifies her for the presidency. The 2020 Democrat also stated that since the inception of her campaign for office, “an almost total corporate media blackout” has ensued.
In spite of the aforementioned circumstances, Gabbard maintains her commitment to keep campaigning. The war veteran pointed out that she’s focused on sharing “the message of the change that [she] [seeks] to bring” to South Carolina voters. The time spent in South Carolina notably comes in preparation for the state’s February 29 primary election.
Finally, Gabbard explained that her candidacy is centered around “love of country” rather than “hate of Trump,” Republicans, or any other group in America.
Purposeful Blackout from the Media
As previously stated, Tulsi Gabbard is not the only 2020 Democrat to take aim at the media for intentional lack of coverage. During his time as a presidential candidate, Andrew Yang also criticized the media for ignoring his campaign. The tech entrepreneur took aim at various outlets for asking him minimal questions on the debate stages and leaving him out of polls tracking candidates’ progress.
“Andrew Yang” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Gage Skidmore
Despite the “corporate media blackout,” Tulsi Gabbard confirms that she’ll continue running for president. The war veteran also stated on air that support for her campaign grows when she’s able to directly speak to Americans, whether in person or on television.
Do you believe that Tulsi Gabbard’s campaign is being hurt by a media blackout? Let us know in the comments section below!
