A "Cruz" missile exploded at last week's Republican debate on CNBC's most-watched program in 30 years. While maintaining a right spirit, may all of us follow the example of Senator Ted Cruz who reached the tipping point and decided to speak out regarding ongoing and escalating media bias towards conservatives and traditional values.
In case you missed it, let me replay what occurred as incompetent and mean-spirited moderators displayed their arrogance and received the pushback and humiliation they richly deserved. May this episode be a "first shot over the bow" in exposing what is so obvious to many of us and yet masses remain ignorant of how pervasive this unfairness is in the media today.
Our unashamedly born-again brother said the following: "The questions that have been asked so far in this debate illustrate why the American people don't trust the media. This is not a cage match. And if you look at the questions—'Donald Trump are you a comic book villain?' 'Ben Carson, can you do math?' 'John Kasich, will you insult two people over here?' 'Marco Rubio, why don't you resign?' 'Jeb Bush, why have your numbers fallen?' How about talking about the substantive issues that people care about? The contrast is with the Democratic debate, where every fawning question from the media was, 'Which of you is more handsome and wise?' Let me be clear: The men and women on the stage have more ideas, more experience, more common sense than every participant in the Democratic debate!"
His words emboldened the other candidates who also spoke up when they had their turn.
Rubio addressed ever-present media bias. Governor Christie called out the moderators for raising a stupid question about fantasy football ... "Wait a second, we have $19 trillion in debt, people out of work, we have ISIS and al Qaida attacking us and we're talking about fantasy football? Can we stop?!"
A reporter for USA TODAY, Rem Rieder, stated afterwords GOP accusations that "the media is deeply infected with liberal bias" and "often the attacks on the media are nonsense." Yet this time things were so blatant even he admitted there's truth to the claim.
May God use this experience to awaken scores to mainstream media's meanness and manipulation today. Last week's debate simply validated this fact as the clever moderators fired questions which were condescending, cruel and contentious. With a few exceptions, we no longer have historic, objective journalism in America. It's gone!
Journalism's icon, Ted Koppel, who was anchor of Nightline for decades stated recently in TIME Magazine we've entered a different era. In the interview he expressed that we are seeing "the end of neutral news."
He was asked, "Could a show like the old Nightline exist today?" "Apparently not" he responded.
CBS legendary anchorman, Dan Rather, has a movie in theaters presently titled Truth dealing with an episode in his past journalistic career. Let's face the fact that we are now living in a time prophesied in Isaiah 59:14, "So justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance; truth has stumbled in the streets, and honesty cannot enter."
Understanding How We Arrived Here
The Bible teaches us in 1 John 5:19 that Satan illegally controls this present world and rules this kingdom of darkness. For hundreds of years, our beloved nation enjoyed a blessed reprieve from many aspects of Satan's reign because of the prevailing influence of the gospel and our Judeo-Christian foundations.
In the past few decades America has drifted rapidly away from our heritage as a predominantly Christian nation. While millions of us authentic Christians do our best to be salt and light and serve as a bulwark against the flood tide of evil, we are unfortunately losing ground. We pray and fast and believe for another spiritual awakening that can turn the tide but the meltdown continues.
The "prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience" (Eph. 2:1-2), exerts real diabolical power through the airways. Since Jesus labeled Satan a "liar and the father of lies" (John 8:44), those who are not under the loving Lordship of Jesus Christ are being influenced to do his bidding. Therefore, lies and deception permeate our culture in alarming ways with political leaders and personnel in media advancing his diabolical schemes.
Liberal ideas and anti-biblical values are increasingly dominant in our society. Why? Those who carry strong influence in our culture are those in academia, Hollywood and the media (Taylor Swift alone has over 50 million followers on Instagram!) Studies prove that these three spheres of influence are dominated by liberals.
- Voting records reveal those in the media are overwhelmingly liberal.
- Research concerning those in newspapers and print media reveals almost 9000 donors identify as "liberal" while 1750 donors "conservative."
- Over 80 percent of educators in our top colleges and universities identify themselves as liberals or progressives. This is what it means to be "cool" or "hip" as a modern-day, politically correct professor.
- The vast overwhelming number of celebrities in Hollywood and pop culture are clearly not conservative Bible-believing Christians. It's considered a "kiss of death" to come out as a conservative Christian living for Jesus Christ in Hollywood (although we thank God for those few who do!).
The primary reason behind the explosion of conservative talk radio is people became increasingly frustrated and fed up with the liberal bias in the media and an alternative was found. Thirty years ago there were approximately 125 talk radio programs, almost all of them conservative-based. Currently there are over 2000 talk radio programs in America and the overwhelming majority are conservative in content.
Current Examples of Blatant Media Bias
Here's the deal: We cannot live in denial regarding the critical condition of American journalism today. Fairness and objectivity are basically gone. There is a pretense of journalism presented amidst the liberal monopoly on the media. The vast majority of the media today contorts, conceals and counterfeits the truth. Partisan politics rules the day and we have to be discerning while looking for alternatives that bring forth a measure of truth.
Besides the recent Republican debate, how many of us have lamented the fact that President Obama and Hillary Clinton seem to get a pass or positive spin from the media no matter what they do?
Watching the recent Senate hearings on Benghazi with Hillary Clinton left many people's heads spinning after reading news reports the next day. Actual evidence exposing lies, gross negligence and incompetence was twisted by the majority of the media to convey a triumphant performance by Mrs. Clinton!
Likewise, her recent debate performance was hailed as "brilliant!"
Imagine what would have happened if they'd asked her tough questions:
- Mrs. Clinton you told your family and the Libyan president that this was a terrorist attack and yet you conveyed to everyone else that it was some type of spontaneous video protest. Four patriotic Americans lost their lives even as they begged repeatedly for help. Are you lying about this?
- How about the Clinton foundation and your megamillion book advance and all the money you raked in, yet you told people you left the White House almost broke?
- When you repeatedly speak of a "war on women," what about the multiple women with whom your husband was sexually immoral and you led the charge to destroy them and their reputations? How about the lives of unborn women and recent Planned Parenthood harvesting of their body parts?"
Ain't gonna' happen!
My favorite columnist, Peggy Noonan of the Wall Street Journal said, "A generation ago, a person so encrusted in a reputation for scandal would not be considered a possible presidential contender. She would be ineligible ... Now she is inevitable!"
The other female running for president is conservative Carly Fiorina who basically gets a hit job in TIME Magazine. Next to a very unflattering picture is an article beginning with someone angrily yelling, "Stop spreading falsehoods!" two times. When referring to her expose' of Planned Parenthood, the article talks of regulars at her events carrying banners saying "CarLIE FIBorina!"
Additional quotes are: "She's not running on the truth" and "In the face of overwhelming evidence that her public statements are not accurate ..."
Fair and balanced, huh?
Where is the media coverage when Senator Harry Reid lied unashamedly stating that Mitt Romney didn't pay taxes for 10 years. Later he dismissed it nonchalantly as no big deal. Or how about last week when a CNN commentator, Sally Kohn, tried to push gun control by saying that "10,000 kids are killed by guns every year." The truth is that in 2014, 1,085 under 18 lost their lives (many were crime-related).
The mainstream media's meanness and manipulation has tried in the past to destroy the reputations of patriotic Americans like Ronald Reagan, Sarah Palin, Mitt Romney and others.
Now it targets primarily the current crop of Republican contenders for the presidency. Did you read USA TODAY this past Saturday and its three-quarter page expose' of Republican candidates Ben Carson, Donald Trump, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, Chris Christie and others in a strained attempt to find something erroneous in what they supposedly said?
Why is it that so many people today are looking to "outsider" candidates like Donald Trump and Ben Carson?
I am persuaded that individuals are desperate for the truth and these individuals are viewed as giving it to us unvarnished and straight from the hip. Whether it's the economy or immigration or ISIS or whatever the issue, scores of Americans are sick and tired of political correctness and manipulation by politicians and the press.
May patriotic Americans in increasing numbers follow the bold action of Senator Ted Cruz in refusing manipulation and capitulation to the biased media in our generation. Thank God for those faithful, conservative talk show hosts; the men and women of integrity behind the editorial pages of the Wall Street Journal; and, many of the brave Fox news commentators living morally and heralding the truth.
Harvard University, founded in 1692 to train ministers to proclaim the truth of God's Word, had this motto on its original seal, "Truth for Christ and the Church." May God help us to reclaim this motto in our day as His ambassadors as we pray and work towards another spiritual awakening to transform our land.
Larry Tomczak is a best-selling author of eight books with 43 years of trusted ministry experience. He is a cultural commentator whose weekly articles appear on sites reaching 26 million monthly. He is a public policy advisor with Liberty Counsel. Connect and view short video commentaries at larrytomczak.com.
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