Be Wary of the News Media’s Election-Year Economic Lessons
politics, elections, economics, news media, bias
August 11, 2000
As with all presidential campaigns, the state of the economy will be a key issue in November. Vice President Al Gore and Texas Governor George W. Bush disagree on most of the fundamental questions: when did the current expansion begin; what government policies, if any, have provided a positive contribution; and which candidate’s proposals provide the best opportunity for continued economic growth.
At least in theory, the news media are supposed to help voters sort through the various claims and counter-claims. But most reporters seem to be spending little time on economic policy debates, instead debating the question of which candidate is most helped or hurt by the economy (the perennial "horse race" bias). Additionally, when they do stray into policy areas, many political correspondents seem to have an uncertain grasp of basic economic facts.