OPINION:
Nothing has captured the imagination of the elite news media more than voters who cast their ballot for Donald Trump.
Who are these mythical creatures? Why on earth would they vote for a misogynist? Don’t they realize he’s unqualified? Something must really be going on with the Trump voter, these editorial rooms think, but where can we find them?
Last week, The Washington Post invited Trump voters to explain why they chose the businessman.
“I voted for Donald Trump because the media was so incredibly biased,” Lori Myers, 51, from Houston responded.
Ha.
The Atlantic, openly questioned whether Mr. Trump’s voters and Hillary Clinton’s voters could ever relate to each other — and it especially wanted to hear from Mr. Trump’s voters.
“Readers across the bitter partisan divide in the U.S. discuss the results of the 2016 presidential election and what it means for the country. (The Atlantic’s overall stance on Donald Trump remains firm remains firm.) To join in, especially if you’re a Trump voter, please send us a note: hello@theatlantic.com,” the news magazine wrote.
In its note, it linked to its editorial against Mr. Trump which said “[Trump’s] affect is that of an infomercial huckster; he traffics in conspiracy theories and racist invective; he is appallingly sexist; he is erratic, secretive, and xenophobic; he expresses admiration for authoritarian rulers, and evinces authoritarian tendencies himself.”
And they’re not backing down from that. Yet, they want Mr. Trump’s voters to share.
Sounds like a trap to me.
The Palm Beach Post requested on its Facebook page Tuesday: “Did you vote for Donald J. Trump to become President of the United States? Are you willing to sit down with the The Palm Beach Post Editorial Board and tell us why? Please, email Editorial Page Editor Rick Christie at rchristie@pbpost.com.”
Apparently, the Florida newspaper couldn’t find a single Trump voter in their entire area — let alone their newsroom.
Wall Street Journal columnist Daniel Henninger mused over the media disconnect, writing: “In the past week, Trump voters have become the biggest archaeological dig in journalism, with the New York Times last weekend outputting three reports on lost tribes in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan.”
His suggestion?
Maybe this year at Thanksgiving, instead of progressive websites advising devotees on how to talk to their uncle about politics, they just shut up and listen.
That, indeed, would be some good advice.
