While watching MSNBC’s coverage of the Nevada primary, a noticeable and frustrating pattern became clear. In every previous primary, MSNBC has displayed the top three candidates’ percentages for both the Democratic and Republican races. However, during today’s broadcast, when Ron Paul was in a very close third place with 12%, the network made a sudden change in its graphics—only displaying the top two Republican candidates.
At 3:43 EST, when Romney was called the winner over John McCain, MSNBC showcased the Democratic results for Obama, Clinton, and Edwards, even though Edwards was 36 points behind Clinton. Yet for the Republican race, they only showed Romney and McCain, excluding Ron Paul, who was just 1% behind McCain.
This move was particularly glaring, given that in every other primary, MSNBC had consistently shown the top three candidates. But today, as Ron Paul inched close to second place, the network altered its approach to conveniently display only the top two. The selective coverage is difficult to interpret as anything other than intentional.
Ongoing Media Bias
This isn’t the first time Ron Paul has been unfairly sidelined by mainstream media. In a previous primary, CNN used a pie chart graphic to display the top four Democratic candidates, even including Bill Richardson, who had a significantly lower percentage of votes. Yet, when it came to the Republican race, they only showed the top three, once again leaving Ron Paul out of the picture despite his higher polling position.
This pattern of neglect extends beyond just graphics. After nearly three hours of watching Nevada primary coverage on MSNBC today, Ron Paul’s name has not been mentioned once, while John McCain has been referenced 17 times. Even more telling, Ron Paul’s face hasn’t appeared on the screen for a single second.
Conclusion
The exclusion of Ron Paul from MSNBC’s Nevada primary coverage is a blatant example of biased and unfair reporting. By selectively ignoring a legitimate candidate with substantial support, MSNBC demonstrates a clear disregard for balanced coverage. The mainstream media’s treatment of Ron Paul has been disgraceful and continues to reflect the corruption and anti-Paul sentiment prevalent in political reporting.
