The Washington Post’s Megan McArdle can normally be counted on for relatively reasonable takes.
This take on the Mollie Tibbetts murder is not one of them:
"Why is the media not paying attention to a single murder in Iowa rather than testimony that the president of the United States personally ordered his lawyer to commit election fraud?" is the stupidest take in human history.
— Megan McArdle (@asymmetricinfo) August 22, 2018
The Mollie Tibbett case is a human tragedy, and I grieve for her family and community. But it is not more politically or nationally important than potential election fraud by the president.
— Megan McArdle (@asymmetricinfo) August 22, 2018
And if you honestly believe that, you don’t really understand the current political climate at all.
That's not what the take is, let me explain it to you:
Immigration is the #1 (or #2 depending on which poll) issue for voters right now. Stories of illegal immigrants taking innocent lives of US Citizens cuts deep.
Shady DC lawyers involved in bribery/tax fraud does NOT. https://t.co/8mk8Lp5uwO
— Meech (@michi83) August 22, 2018
Good luck convincing the public that a bunch of crooks in Washington are more of a threat to someone's family than some dude who could abduct and kill your daughter. https://t.co/KfyXAf9qCI
— RBe (@RBPundit) August 22, 2018
Recommended
The corruption and illegality in the Trump administration is and should be a huge issue.
But if the media doesn't understand why, for the average person, concern about the threat to their child being abducted and murdered is more relevant…I don't know how to help you.
— Pradheep J. Shanker, M.D., M.S. (@Neoavatara) August 22, 2018
100% this. I'm on Twitter all day for work and every Tibbetts update that hit my feed for the past few weeks made me feel sick thinking about it. That story in Colorado, too, with the scumbag dad. https://t.co/me6nmuzO8I
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) August 22, 2018
This is the only thing people I know are talking about.
They know about the Cohen stuff, but that isn't moving them.
— Pradheep J. Shanker, M.D., M.S. (@Neoavatara) August 22, 2018
As a society, we tend to do way too much fear mongering about horrifically scary, yet rare events, while ignoring the everyday risks that are actually more likely to harm us.
— (((Jeremy Posner))) (@jmp_nyc) August 22, 2018
True. We are very bad at evaluating probability.
But lets admit: the chance that something related to the Cohen story will lead to anyone's death? Virtually zero.
So, on this issue…this is a wholly logical response.
— Pradheep J. Shanker, M.D., M.S. (@Neoavatara) August 22, 2018
Right, but the idea that turning a horrific abduction story into a cautionary tale for all parents is more than a bit extreme. Many parents will respond to that perceived risk by driving their kids to school rather than letting them walk, even though that’s higher risk.
— (((Jeremy Posner))) (@jmp_nyc) August 22, 2018
Of course. We actually do too much helicoptering as it is.
But on a policy front: which is more relevant to the daily lives of average Americans: campaign finance violation by the President and his staff…or a murder of a young woman jogging on a normal day?
— Pradheep J. Shanker, M.D., M.S. (@Neoavatara) August 22, 2018
Moreover, despite what many in the media seem to believe, a lot of Americans are perfectly capable of paying attention to and caring about more than one issue simultaneously.
Having said that, it doesn't mean you cover one or the other… but if you're deliberately NOT covering one of them, then you're being disingenuous to the issues that matter to the country. THEY BOTH DO. https://t.co/VBhlmfOuEE
— Meech (@michi83) August 22, 2018
Most of us are capable of paying attention to more than one issue at a time.
— Roooxaaanne (@colormescience) August 22, 2018
If the media want to maintain any semblance of credibility, they’re gonna need to cut out the condescension and make an effort to understand what regular Americans care about. Otherwise, they might as well pull the plug on themselves right now.
They. Just. Don't. Get. It.
— RBe (@RBPundit) August 22, 2018
"Mr. Person on the Street, why do you hate the media?"
"Well you see, they keep telling me that the stuff I care about is not as important as the stuff they care about."
"Oh."
— RBe (@RBPundit) August 22, 2018
Me: "Hey Media, do you want to win your credibility back? Here's how."
Them: "Shut up."
Me: "ok, then"
— RBe (@RBPundit) August 22, 2018
Yep. The left and their media downplays this at their own peril. https://t.co/KbDrg5ETT9
— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) August 22, 2018