Morning Jolt: The Media Have Forgotten Why They Exist

TODAY'S JOLT IS SPONSORED BY

WITH JIM GERAGHTY

August 12 2024

The Media Have Forgotten Why They Exist

On the menu today: Large swaths of the national media believe that their job, at this moment, is to tell you how awesome the presidential and vice-presidential candidates are, instead of pointing out their records and policies. (In the case of Kamala Harris, all we have are her policy stances from her 2020 campaign and the current Biden administration policies, even though her campaign staff insists those positions from 2019 are no longer operative.) But as the going has gotten tough, Republican nominee Donald Trump has fallen to pieces, ranting about the media using AI to alter photos of Harris's campaign events, misremembering a story about helicopter turbulence with a California politician who wasn't Willie Brown, and offering meandering, blathering word salad when the moment calls for sharp, clear, specific critiques of his rivals. Oh, and by every useful measure, the race is tied, but Trump keeps insisting he's winning "by a lot."

The Media Think Their Job Is to Sell Democratic Candidates, Not Hold Them Accountable

Between now and Election Day, count the number of "news" stories you read that have a subtext of: Isn't ...

READ MORE >

The Visiting Scholar in Conservative Thought and Policy

The College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder invites applications for the position of Visiting Scholar in Conservative Thought and Policy for academic year 2025-26.

We seek a highly visible individual who is deeply engaged in either the analytical scholarship or practice of conservative thinking and policymaking, or both. Thus, applications are welcome from the academic, policy, military and media communities, among others. The Visiting Scholar will continue a tradition of fostering intellectual diversity on the Boulder campus through the Center for Western Civilization, Thought & Policy.

Learn more