by WorldTribune Staff, March 20, 2017
The media can’t be considered “mainstream” when it “doesn’t represent a majority of the American people,” a Texas congressman said.
“The media and Democrats are so close in association and so close in their philosophical views that we might as well use one word to describe both, and that’s ‘Mediacrats,’ ” said Rep. Lamar Smith, Texas Republican and founder of the House Media Fairness Caucus.
Smith said the liberal media’s constant barrage of attacks on Trump have contributed largely to a drop in the president’s approval ratings.
“Maybe the media is having an impact on the public’s view of the president. That’s not a surprise. Even if most of America thinks the media is biased, they still can be influenced by that bias, and I think that helps explain some of the public opinion polls of the president,” Smith said.
Smith, who also chairs the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, told the Washington Examiner that media attacks on President Donald Trump have led him to urge colleagues to stop referring to the “mainstream” media.
“It’s more accurate to use the term ‘liberal,’ ” he said. “It’s the most biased media I’ve seen in my lifetime.”
The Texas Republican urged the president to continue to call out media bias on Twitter.
“He can connect directly with the American people, and that’s why the media doesn’t like it. They want themselves to be the oracle. They themselves want to be the only conduit. They themselves want to tell the American people what to think,” Smith said.
Trump’s feud with those who push what he often refers to as “fake news” could eventually push the “mainstream media” over the cliff, Smith said.
“I am concerned that it is hurting our republic, I’m afraid they are hurting themselves, I’m afraid they are hurting the country, and they’re clearly so intent on hurting the president that they are taking themselves down at the same time.”