Okay. Now that my holiday weekend is done, let's do this.
Moonlit,
You often bring this talking point up.
Where do you get your news? TV/websites/radio?
I get my news from local and state newspapers, as well as
USA Today and Associated Press articles I see online. I've also occasionally caught CBS and ABC's evening news broadcasts before the local news at six. And sometimes if I'm in the car or the radio's on where I'm working, I'll hear news updates on the hour there. I also sometimes read Time and Newsweek, as well as various other news-related magazines (I know I've read a bit of
National Review on occasion, too).
I don't watch any of the major three news networks with any sort of regularity. I've caught bits and pieces of them from time to time, sure, but usually that only happens if one of those networks is on when I'm out at a restaurant or in a waiting area for some kind of appointment of some kind. I don't watch them regularly not so much because of bias one way or another, but because I'm just not big on the way they try and fill airtime between big news stories, or CNN's weird fascination with all their graphics, or the "Let's go to Twitter to see what you have to say!" stuff (I don't know if they still do that with the Twitter thing now, but I've seen it in the past and it bugs me. If I want to know what people on Twitter think, I'll go on Twitter myself, thanks).
Also, in my area, I'm most likely to encounter Fox News when I'm in some public place. CNN would be second in that list. Honestly, though, I really don't even need to go look at conservative-leaning media to hear what people on that side of the aisle think. I can just go to my own relatives or people in this area to hear that.
In this day and age people can pick their media like going through a Chinese Restaurant Menu. This from column A, this from column B, and this from column C.
My sister did this on the extreme liberal side, and Trump became an absolute monster in her mind. It was magnified to the nth degree
Yes, you're right that many people cater their media to their specific worldview. Something which I feel is a problem on many levels.
But Trump himself did a hell of a lot to shape people's negative view of him. All he has to do is open his mouth or post something on Twitter and that's enough to let people get an idea of what he's like. I don't need to hear the outrage of some pundit on a media outlet to know that a guy who has no problem mocking and insulting women's looks on social media and in public speeches, for example, is probably going to be an asshole across the board.
I will say this, though, I think the media didn't quite figure out how to handle talking about Trump's BS in a proper and professional way sometimes. To Trump, there was no such thing as bad press, and he reveled in the attention the media gave him, no matter how negative it was. I think they had every right to call him out on his crap, especially the longer his campaign ran and the harder it was to treat it like the joke it should've been from the get-go. But I don't know that they really figured out how to make that balance work.
Course, even if they had done their job and reported on his lies and insults and nasty rhetoric the way a responsible journalist should, I really don't know that it would've mattered, unfortunately, because, as you said, people pick and choose their media outlets nowadays. Most of the people who liked and supported Trump probably wouldn't have listened to anything the more critical journalists said anyway (I've seen comments from Trump supporters online who've turned on Megyn Kelly due to her criticism of him). Trump supporters were in their own little bubble just as much as non-Trump supporters were, so sadly, any attempts to warn people of just how crappy a candidate Trump was would've been nothing more than preaching to the choir.
I chose to watch FNC, used an app called "63red" that ingested Historical Conservative Outlets, from time to time read articles outside of my Trump-Comfort zone. Just to see the opposition viewpoint. Watched a bit of CNN and Morning Joe clips.
The best thing was to watch the rallies-debates of Trump and Clinton unfiltered.
That is how I chose my information. I tried not to have full tunnelvision. Not accusing you of that.
If you want to understand what you might be missing, I'd recommend watching Fox News from 5-7 pm on a weeknight. 5-6 pm is The Five. 6-7 is Special Report with Brett Baier. It is not full on Trump worship. In fact you have several prominent Trump skeptics . . . George Will, Charles Krauthammer, Juan Williams
I'm familiar with the criticism George Will and Charles Krauthammer have made, both of Trump and of some aspects of the conservative worldview in general in recent years. I appreciate their attempts to call out some of the nonsense in their party-from what I've read, I think sometimes their reasons for being opposed to him run counter to my reasons, but still, any attempt to not be in lockstep, to allow for some criticism within a party, is always a good and necessary thing.
I may also check out the time periods of Fox News that you note sometime, see what they have to say. I believe Shepherd Smith has been known to be among the more critical set, too, sometimes, has he not? I too definitely try to look at other viewpoints-it's one of the many reasons I've never blocked anyone on here.
I also appreciate your respectful tone in your post here. That said, I'd still like to hear your thoughts on the questions I raised in my post:
-Why is Obama seen as an elitist among conservatives, but Trump, who has multiple properties and mansions, actual gold-plated items, and the like, is not considered an elitist?
-Do you agree there are some issues with racism, sexism, and homophobia within the Republican Party? If so, how do you think those issues should be addressed, both by politicians who are looking to gain voters and by people who use those issues to decide who to vote for or not vote for? If not, why do you not believe those are issues (or rather, why do you think those issues aren't as big of a concern to people as many on the left claim)?
-Do you agree that people like Bill Ayers and Reverend Wright were detrimental to Obama back when he ran in 2008 due to whatever association they had with him, regardless of how big or small that association was? If so, why shouldn't the same concern be afforded to David Duke and the KKK's support of Trump, or people who are in Trump's cabinet, such as Bannon, or Pence, who, let's remember, supports conversion therapy for gay people?
If and when you have a moment, I'd really like to hear your answers.