Joe,

I suspect Ted Vaden is not trying to be disingenuous. Perhaps the statement you quote might have turned out better if Ted had rested his typing fingers after “themselves.”

If there is a bias at newspapers, it’s in favor of the disadvantaged and those less able to advocate for themselves.

Had he taken a brief rest at that point, he might have considered that newspapers generally advocate “in favor of the disadvantaged” by urging the government to “do something” about the perceived problem. Urging government action is inconsistent with the notion of having a bias against government action.

What he might have meant to say is that newspapers have a natural bias against the particular people holding government office. While it’s not always apparent, good reporters are always skeptical about what politicians tell them.

Still, that skepticism does not constitute a bias against government. I’ll believe newspapers have a bias against government when newspaper editorial pages urge the elimination of unnecessary government agencies.