Editors at Issues and Insights ponder mainstream media outlets’ sudden interest in the Biden administration’s problems at the southern border.
After spending three years largely ignoring the border, the mainstream press is suddenly all over it, with headlines blaring about a “surge,” “crisis” and “call for action.” Why now?
Last week CNN reported that a “December migrant surge” at the southern border was the “largest in more than two decades.” Several other news outlets used similar language. The New York Times warned that “surging” Mexico border crossings “push U.S. resources to the brink.” In another story, CNN even described the situation as a “crisis.”
Weirdly, the press is even exaggerating the current “surge.” Consider that CNN story, which says:
“Border authorities encountered more than 225,000 migrants along the U.S.-Mexico border this month, marking the highest monthly total recorded since 2000, according to preliminary Homeland Security statistics shared with CNN.”
Except that’s not true. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data, illegal crossings exceeded 225,000 in August, September, October, and November of this year, and in six previous months since President Joe Biden took office.
As a matter of fact, illegal crossings have averaged more than 200,000 since Biden moved into the White House. …
… So again, we ask, why now? This is a crisis that began the moment Biden took the keys to the White House. …
… Unless there’s something else going on.
Is it part of an effort to later claim that Biden took action to address this “surge,” giving the press another opportunity to claim victory on the border?
Or is it that elites in the Democratic party – looking at Biden’s cratering poll numbers – have decided that he has to go and that playing up the border crisis could provide additional leverage to force him to step aside?
The fact that the corporate media has finally decided to report on the border crisis is good news. Just don’t mistake it for honest journalism.
