BROADCAST BIAS: Networks mock Musk but dodge DOGE and ‘Government Efficiency’

As overmuch arsenic ABC, CBS and NBC person tried to embarrass Republicans implicit the years for immoderate effort to question oregon curtail laws with noble names similar the "Clean Air Act" oregon the "Civil Rights Act," it mightiness beryllium clip to inquire them wherefore they are truthful opposed to President Donald Trump and Elon Musk moving connected the extremity of "Government Efficiency." 

This week, the lone Elon Musk communicative these networks cared astir was his engagement successful the Wisconsin Supreme Court election, the astir costly tribunal predetermination ever, owed to billionaire backers connected some sides. Musk’s campaigner mislaid by 10 points, which is wherefore they loved talking astir it truthful much. 

Leftist activism against Musk’s institution Tesla inactive made the newscasts. ABC Saturday anchor Mary Bruce touted: "Demonstrators gathering astir the satellite and from seashore to seashore successful the U.S. for alleged Tesla takedowns, outraged by Elon Musk and DOGE's monolithic cuts to the national workforce. It comes arsenic the electrical carmaker is facing acts of vandalism and different crimes." 

FACT-CHECKING DIRECTOR WARNS OF 'CRISIS' AS META, TRUMP'S DOGE CUTS THREATEN THEIR 'HONORABLE, PATRIOTIC' WORK

CBS newsman Jessi Mitchell highlighted the atrocious news: "Tesla's trajectory continues to tumble. The automaker reported a 13% slump successful income for the archetypal quarter. Tesla cars, showrooms and repair centers person go targets for protesters aggravated implicit Musk`s actions with the Department of Government Efficiency. Tesla's banal has dropped astir 50% since December." 

Billionaire businessman Elon Musk arrives for a municipality hallway wearing a cheesehead chapeau astatine the KI Convention Center connected March 30, 2025, successful Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

DOGE quality was buried. On March 27, Musk and immoderate colleagues from his Department of Government Efficiency granted an interrogation to Bret Baier of Fox News, describing each the enactment they are doing to betterment government, which the different networks studiously ignored. 

At a rally successful Green Bay connected March 30, Musk claimed astir 2.1 cardinal amerciable immigrants person received Social Security numbers, and 1.3 cardinal of them are connected Medicaid. Some of them voted. The networks skipped that, too. 

The broadcast networks don’t really attraction astir authorities waste, fraud, and abuse. They attraction astir power, and who gets to wield it. 

On Monday’s "Good Morning America," co-host George Stephanopoulos led disconnected the programme this way: "Overnight, Elon Musk handed retired million-dollar checks successful Wisconsin with the equilibrium of powerfulness connected the authorities Supreme Court up for grabs. What it could impact." 

NBC’s Gabe Gutierrez concisely summarized: "Democrats are accusing Musk of trying to bargain the seat. The billionaire has offered wealth to voters determination who are consenting to motion a petition against ‘activist judges.’ Musk handing retired million-dollar checks past night." 

With polls showing wide campaigner Susan Crawford successful the lead, ABC newsman Rachel Scott summarized the ascendant spin. The results volition beryllium "a trial of the governmental powerfulness of Musk and a barometer astir however voters are feeling astir President Trump’s 2nd term." 

Only CBS newsman Ed O’Keefe concisely mentioned determination were billionaires connected the Democrat broadside of the contention – including George Soros and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker. 

CBS and O’Keefe were the astir aggressive, pushing greeting and evening segments connected Musk successful the Badger State. "CBS Mornings Plus" brought connected Jay Heck, the person of the leftist radical Common Cause successful Wisconsin, arsenic Adriana Diaz announced, "Your enactment is simply a pro-democracy, bipartisan watchdog group." There is thing bipartisan astir Common Cause. Search for "Common Cause" arsenic an leader successful a campaign-finance database, and it’s each Democrat donations. 

Five Tesla vehicles were acceptable connected occurrence and changeable astatine successful what constabulary are investigating arsenic a "targeted attack" astatine a section repair halfway successful Las Vegas, Nevada, connected March 18. (Hal Sparks via Storyful)

Heck claimed, "this has turned into a nationalist referendum connected Elon Musk and truly the opening of the Trump medication with each of this ridiculous magnitude of wealth that’s been poured into the race." The blimpish broadside donated $58 million, and the wide broadside gave $48 million. A "bipartisan" radical would item some sides, not conscionable the Musk side. 

When the predetermination was over, the networks did a triumph dance, adding the rotation that their triumph meant Musk’s clip was astir up astatine the White House. 

NBC’s Lester Holt proclaimed: "We person caller reporting contiguous astir erstwhile Elon Musk whitethorn beryllium leaving the Trump administration. It comes aft helium played a cardinal relation successful an predetermination past night." 

ABC’s Mary Bruce sounded the aforesaid blessed notes: "Overnight, voters successful Wisconsin delivered Musk a steadfast rebuke, rejecting his prime for a authorities Supreme Court spot aft the billionaire campaigned aggressively successful the authorities and poured millions into the race. And now, the president himself has been indicating Musk's clip whitethorn beryllium up." 

But Musk is classified arsenic a peculiar authorities worker with a word lasting 130 days. Last week, Musk told Baier that helium expected to beryllium done with astir of his DOGE enactment wrong the 130-day timeframe. That wasn’t affected astatine each by the election. 

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On NPR’s "Morning Edition," governmental expert Domenico Montanaro claimed, "Musk's favorability ratings person been a net-negative nationally — and were successful Wisconsin too. Musk represented thing of a vigor shield for Trump connected an unpopular mode of making sweeping cuts to the government, but, aft Tuesday's results, however agelong tin helium stay successful the nationalist oculus and not commencement to impact Trump's governmental standing? ... Wisconsin's result mightiness assistance determination Musk and his blunt, unpopular docket retired of the spotlight." 

Politico’s Jonathan Martin added connected NPR that Musk "just turbocharges the backlash to Trump." 

When the predetermination was over, the networks did a triumph dance, adding the rotation that their triumph meant Musk’s clip was astir up astatine the White House. 

It's fascinating that the pollsters decided they were going to trial "approval ratings" for Musk astatine the aforesaid clip they complained helium was unelected. Trump intelligibly campaigned connected the thought that Musk would beryllium successful complaint of a government-reform effort for him, truthful helium was portion of a run promise. 

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In 1993, unelected Hillary Clinton was handed the task of nationalizing the healthcare system, but the broadcast networks were firmly down her backmost then. She was lauded arsenic energetically arsenic Musk has been trashed. 

The broadcast networks are emphatically opposed to cutting the national workforce and taking isolated powerfulness structures that person helped enrich and entrench the near done agencies similar USAID. They not lone privation Musk to locomotion away. They privation to crumble up the DOGE enactment into pulverization and spell backmost to authorities arsenic usual.   

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