At this point, it’s really no secret that the Washington Post is all in — mind, body, and soul — for Elizabeth Warren. But you’d think that maybe, just maybe, at least someone over there would have the good sense to dial it back a little.
Nope. Margaret Sullivan — who loves her some Elizabeth Warren — put together a list of “Five ways the debate could have — and should have — been much, much better,” and this was number two:
2. Framing the (apparently unavoidable) question about universal health care and how to fund it in a non-gotcha way. Journalists are kindly doing President Trump’s work for him when they insist on trying to pin down Sen. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), the new front-runner, to declare she’d raise taxes to fund Medicare-for-all. Of course, it’s legitimate to dig into the costs, but not in a way that creates a nice GOP campaign ad, and misses the larger lens of overall costs. (Warren, notably, refused to take the bait.)
So … Elizabeth Warren’s advocating a plan that would require a buttload of money, and she doesn’t really want to get into where that money’s going to come from … and asking her about it is baiting her? That’s really where we’re at?
Asking Warren how she's going to pay for her healthcare plan is a "gotcha" question?! My gosh.
She's standing next to Bernie (who wrote the bill she supports) who openly ADMITS it will raise taxes, but pressing Warren to admit that is "bait." https://t.co/6B4svjdi5m pic.twitter.com/BatQhlda3Z
— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) October 16, 2019
A journalist suggesting a candidate should avoid one of the simplest questions about her cornerstone issue.. because they're worried about the GOP campaign ads.. might be the most egregious "protect Warren" effort yet. https://t.co/6B4svjdi5m
— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) October 16, 2019
It’s not really surprising at this point from a WaPo journalist … but it’s still pretty jaw-dropping in its brazenness.
Thought this was an internal DNC memo…..nope it’s WaPo. Although in fairness to me, that basically the same thing.
— Freddy Kitchens’ Gut (@VanillaJordan) October 16, 2019
WaPo's well on it's way to becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of the Warren campaign.
— Beau Geste (@BeauGeste11) October 16, 2019
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