Americans who rely on Fox News Channel (and other sources that comprise the conservative media universe) have views – including beliefs about matters of fact that can be judged true or false based on observable evidence – that differ from folks who rely on outfits that are not wedded to the GOP and movement conservatism.
Fox, of course, is willing to lie to advance a partisan agenda (as demonstrated by the $787 million settlement with Dominion). Selective coverage (or none at all) of issues that would threaten GOP talking points is another hallmark of Fox and of conservative media. Both strategies are, of course, effective at shielding faithful viewers (and loyal MAGA voters) from unwanted points of view.
Unsurprising examples of the divergence of beliefs by folks relying on FNC vs. CNN/MSNBC:
After his fraud conviction last week in New York, Donald Trump and the leadership of the Republican Party furiously advanced a conspiracy theory (which Trump has pumped for many months): that the Trump prosecution and conviction were directed by President Biden and his justice department. Anyone with passing familiarity with federalism, including most Republican members of Congress and the starring cast on Fox, understands that this is another lie. But for anyone relying on FNC (et al.) repetition of the lie over and over and over again serves to convince, even in the absence of evidence or logic. Eighty percent of Republicans profess to believe this conspiracy theory.
From Trump's big lie – that Joe Biden lost the 2020 presidential election, to denial that Trump tried to overturn that election, Republican views are often out of step with well-established factual matters. In a poll taken last summer only 49 percent of Republicans agreed that Trump (never mind his guilt or innocence in the classified documents case) possessed even a single sensitive document at Mar-a-Lago.
And just today we learned that, when asked whether or not Donald Trump should have immunity from criminal prosecution for actions taken while president, 67 percent of Republicans agree. When asked whether U.S. presidents (without mention of Trump) should have immunity for actions taken while in office, only 45 percent of Republicans agree. This is hardly surprising, is it? After all, the Republican base who would stick with Trump even if he shot someone on Fifth Avenue would probably not (in general, without mention of their leader) approve of murder.
Aaron Blake summarizes, "Voters often come to believe wacky things that excuse their allies and implicate their foes. But the degree to which these things have become articles of faith on the right — literally — bears no modern precedent." Although Blake offers an exoneration of sorts to Republican lawmakers (who may only "seed suspicion," rather than tell a straight up lie), I believe GOP Congressional behavior is indecent, equally contemptuous of truth and of voters. These men and women are choosing to advance their careers and their leader – and his authoritarian aspirations. Dodging, weaving, implying lies that are unspoken as a way to maintain power is despicable.
And, as much power as Fox has, and Sinclair, and the whole conservative media universe – the lies stick with the base only because the leadership is on board with the lies, the misdirection, the gaslighting, and the con man at the head of the party.
Moreover, as time passes, as memories are buried, as gaslighting replaces actual history, and as the November 2024 election approaches, GOP lawmakers are increasingly willing to deceive – the same men and women who fled for their lives on January 6, 2021. House and Senate Republicans, even members of Congress who denounced Trump in 2016 and 2021 as unfit to govern, gleefully celebrated his triumphant return to Capitol Hill.
- “He saw me in there and he was, like, ‘Hello, Marjorie.’ He is always so sweet.” – Marjorie Taylor Greene
- “He said very complimentary things about all of us. We had sustained applause.” – Speaker Mike Johnson
- “He was the team captain. And we were glad he was leading.” – Lindsay Graham
Buddy Carter, who represents CD 1 in Georgia, summed up the Trump/Congressional confab succinctly: “It was about winning.”
Yeah. That's exactly what it's about. These guys will do or say anything to stay in the good graces of Donald J. Trump, their leader. It protects them in Republican primaries, it aids their fund raising, it helps keep them in power.
It's up to the rest of us to deny them that last calculation.