Liberal Media Should Be Ashamed of Afghanistan Coverage (Or Lack Thereof)

Did you know that the Afghanistan debacle is still going on? That the situation is only getting worse, not better?

If you consume the mainstream news cycle, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Afghanistan is all done and dusted, as far as Americans are concerned. But it ain’t so: Hundreds of Americans are stuck in the war-torn country, fearing for their lives and desperate for any chance to return to the United States. Only dozens have managed to leave in recent weeks—weeks after 13 U.S. service members tragically lost their lives during America’s botched withdrawal.

Then there’s the Afghan perspective, which is ugly. According to the United Nations, 1 million children in Afghanistan face starvation and death. More than 10 million Afghan girls and women live in fear under Taliban rule, which was reasserted even sooner than expected.

Yet the Afghanistan story has been relegated to the proverbial back burner. What should be front-page news on a daily basis has been overshadowed by a wide range of nonsensical coverage, as if the ripple-effects of our botched withdrawal are no longer felt. CNN, which has essentially devolved into a clickbait tabloid, now devotes an entire section of its homepage to “Fighting the Big Lie,” scapegoating President Trump and his supporters for dividing America. More pressing CNN headlines include an all-women baseball broadcast and Chipotle’s latest menu addition.

The New York Times, meanwhile, is dedicated to puff pieces about First Lady Jill Bidenand  White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, highlighting the former’s morning workout routine and praising the latter’s “‘yas queen’ praise from liberals.” The same newspaper—once renowned for actual journalism—rarely mentions Afghanistan on its front page, focusing instead on “the middle-aged sadness behind the cancel culture panic” and female anatomy.

Of course, there is always time to note President Biden’s “call for unity”—the same President Biden who recently imposed a vaccine mandate on 100 million Americans and continues to promote gun control as a top priority.

Unfortunately for the hundreds of millions of Americans who deserve objective journalism, the left-leaning mainstream media is obsessed with echoing Biden administration talking points. Reporters and editors now prefer to parrot Psaki tropes over reporting the cold, hard news. When President Biden shifts his focus from Afghanistan, ignoring the hundreds of Americans held hostage by the Taliban, the liberal media is all too eager to change the subject. Constructive criticism loses out to Democratic propaganda.

What is fortunate, however, remains American skepticism. People know that the liberal media is biased, and they are tuning out. Barely 10 percent of Americans claim to have “a lot” of trust in the mainstream press. Yes, 10 percent.

Similarly, people know that the Biden presidency has been an utter failure. They know about the botched Afghanistan withdrawal. They know that 13 Americans tragically lost their lives in late August. And they know that hundreds of Americans remain trapped in the Middle East now, hopelessly waiting for President Biden to act.

Americans are not stupid. There is a reason for President Biden’s lowest approval rating to date. In states like Iowa, nearly two-thirds of voters now disapprove of the president’s job performance. And they don’t fall for the Biden administration’s “unity” talk: Most voters believe America is less unified under the current administration.

Even with the liberal media on his side, President Biden can’t sell lies forever. He can’t avoid scandals indefinitely.

In 2022 and beyond, President Biden and his media allies will be punished. In politics, failure has its consequences.

Ted Harvey serves as chairman of the anti-Biden Committee to Defeat the President.