This Election Is Too Darn Important To Be Left To Merciful Salad Eaters | Defector

"Among a certain class of politics reporters and pundits, the single most legitimizing thing a Democratic politician can be is 'loathed by everyone younger than, browner than, or to the ideological left of James Carville.' Safer by far than engaging with a politician's policies, ideology, or track record is to simply take an index of how liberal and progressive types feel about him."

"The other deranging impulse, closely related, is the legacy press's addiction to horserace-style political analysis. The Detested Center-Right Ghoul is both a fellow adherent to and the physical embodiment of the idea that all that matters, in an election, is who is winning or losing, rather than the implications of policies or the integrity of candidates."

Legitimacy for Democratic politicians often hinges on their unpopularity among younger and more progressive demographics. This trend indicates a preference in political reporting for sensationalism over substantive policy analysis. The political press is influenced by a meritocratic class that resists significant change in power dynamics. Additionally, the media's focus on horserace-style analysis detracts from meaningful discussions about policies and ideologies, favoring superficial judgments based on public sentiment rather than a politician's actual track record or principles.

Read at Defector