How Corporate Media Failed the Democratic Debate Again

Sonali Kolhatkar speaks with Jeff Cohen, a media critic, writer and retired journalism professor at Ithaca College. He founded the media watch group FAIR, as well as the group Roots Action.

Tuesday night’s Democratic debate with six of the top candidates vying for voters hearts and minds, was the last one before the Iowa caucuses. As Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders surged ahead in polls in spite of corporate media’s negative coverage or lack of coverage, he continued to be targeted on Tuesday night – not as much by his fellow candidates but by the hosts from CNN and the Des Moines Register.

Among the issues that came up was Senator Elizabeth Warren’s assertion that Sanders privately told her in 2018 a woman couldn’t win the White House. Although there was some tension between the two candidates neither appeared to take CNN’s bait directly. CNN continued to echo right-wing talking points on the other issues that were raised including on foreign policy, trade, and healthcare.

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