Fox guest points to the coverage of GOP voter suppression as evidence of media bias against conservatives

David Harsanyi: Voter suppression “doesn't even exist”

From the October 31 edition of Fox and Friends:

Video file

STEVE DOOCY (CO-HOST): Well, you know by now we are in the final stretch before the highly anticipated midterm elections on Tuesday and the mainstream media continues a lot of negative spin regarding Republicans and President Trump. 

...

DOOCY: Well, a new study by the Media Research Center looking at evening network newscast from September 1st through October 26th found that midterm coverage of the Republicans has been 88 percent negative compared to just 53 percent negative coverage for the Democrats. 

EARHARDT: What's the reason for this? 88 percent negative?

DAVID HARSANYI (SENIOR EDITOR, THE FEDERALIST): Well, I think it's a reflection of the Trump era and the media's ability and active way of becoming a part of the Democratic Party infrastructure and pushing candidates. I mean I know more about Beto O'Rourke than I know about some of my own family members. So that kind of glowing coverage is just now -- they feel more open and able to do it because of their reaction to Donald Trump. 

DOOCY: Right, but David, you say that oftentimes skewed coverage has essentially the opposite effect. 

HARSANYI: I think so. I think most voters now view the media through the prism of a partisan because they realize that most of the mainstream media is just an activist wing of the Democratic party. So, they react negatively towards that sort of coverage rather than positively. I think that happens quite often. 

EARHARDT: What are you seeing as far as what are the biggest concerns for Democrats and Republicans? We have heard healthcare for Democrats, immigration for Republicans. 

HARSANYI: Well, I think immigration is a bigger deal than Democrats realize. So, when you're talking about the caravan or you're just talking about the 14th amendment, Democrats seem very sure and the mainstream media seems very sure that that is something that's going to work in their favor. But I'm not sure that people are as open about that in polling as they really feel. I think that that's an issue they should be worried about. And obviously healthcare is an issue for Democrats. But I think the overall and biggest issue for them is always Donald Trump. 

DOOCY: Yeah. So, according to MRC, I'm looking at the big screen once again, Democrats' coverage is 35 percent more positive than Republicans and Republican's coverage is 35 percent more negative. Is -- why is that? 

HARSANYI: Why is the coverage more negative? You know, because they feel comfortable campaigning for people like Beto O'Rourke. I mean, they talk, about for instance, voter suppression or things of that nature, which negatively reflect Republicans where that doesn't even exist at all.   

EARHARDT: We'll see if it works, on Tuesday.

Related:

The New Yorker: Voter-Suppression Tactics in the Age of Trump

PBS: Georgia election fight shows that black voter suppression, a southern tradition, still flourishes

Previously:

Voter suppression stories aren't just about which party wins or loses in November -- they're about racist disenfranchisement in the long term

Fox News segment on Georgia gubernatorial race erases GOP candidate's voter suppression efforts

Fox News segment on Georgia gubernatorial race erases GOP candidate's voter suppression efforts