Horserace political journalism needs to die

Turning political journalism into sports reporting was the industry’s gravest mistake and we will all pay for it in the end

Modern Beltway reporters often see themselves as non-partisan observers of the political process. In a recent Washington Post profile, New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman stressed this point, going to great lengths to say that it’s not her job to stand up in a press conference and say “how dare you, sir!”

I actually agree with that Haberman quote, but not in the same way she meant it. Political journalists these days style themselves as sports beat reporters. They say what happened in the big game and try to determine who won and lost. They don’t as much analyze what went right or wrong in the game itself, but gather quotes to tell the story of the game itself.

For modern political reporters, the appearance of non-partisanship seems to be most key, unless it comes to openly lusting for forever wars. But this approach has led to some serious gaps in their coverage, and too easily allow well-meaning journalists to fall to stenography.

In an age when mis and disinformation seemingly reign supreme, the old sports journalism approach doesn’t work anymore, if it ever did. Trust of mainstream journalism is at an all time low at least in part because most journalists have stopped seeking to determine the truth, and instead regurgitate what they are told, and letting the readers decide.

Modern political journalism too often cares more about how words may play with the party base, or who may “win the news cycle.” But this benefits no one, at the end of the day, and gives false equivalency between falsehoods and truth.

So any partisans reading these stories will always see their view reflected back to them, and have an enemy that they can hate. This formula may make for consistent pageviews, but it won’t serve as the check on power the founding fathers hoped the press would ever serve as.

Instead, the journalism has molded the audience not into interested and informed citizens, but instead mindless political fans. We saw this in the last Democratic primary, as candidate “stans” ran rampant across social media, burning and pillaging anyone who dare criticize their favored candidate.

This is the end product of the politics as sports style reporting. Candidates and elected officials are never challenged if they lie. In fact, the lies get reprinted, alongside the truth, but no one ever tells the reader which is which. It’s no wonder we’re left with a nation where one side has taken every precaution not to die of a deadly pandemic, while the other is ingesting horse deworming medication.

No one is expecting the Haberman’s of the world to stand up and personally challenge politicians to their faces, but political journalists should be more like referees, not afraid to call a foul when one happens. But beyond balls and strikes, journalists above all else need to seek the truth in every situation.

But doing so also risks the power and prestige of these DC insiders. If they discover a politician has lied, or they write too harshly about a certain party or other, they may find themselves cut off from the spigot of access. And therein lies the main problem.

Beltway reporters thrive on access. No one in DC is lonelier than a reporter whom no one will speak to. It’s the fear of losing access to quotes that keeps this milquetoast brand of pseudo-stenography in a stranglehold on Capitol Hill.

It would be good, however, if reporters realize that politicians need the press more than the press needs politicians. There are now legislators who openly state that they are in congress to get press attention rather than move legislation or solve political problems. At its base level, this is true of all modern politicians.

Without attention, it’s harder for politicians to fundraise, without a ttention, campaigns go nowhere. Hardline veterans of the DC press would do well to remember that they are the gatekeepers of their own work, not the other way around.

It’s long since time for political reporters to determine the truth, rather than reprint quotes. Some still may have the stomach to take this on. Most are too afraid of an empty rolodex.