What a difference 4 years makes

Here's how the media covered the story of the Obama administration allowing the import of black rhino trophies from Nambia in 2015

U.S. Will Allow Hunters to Bring Home Rhino Trophies

Here's how it covered the story of the Trump administration doing the same thing now

Trophy hunter who paid $400G to kill rhino allowed to import remains by Trump admin

When the Obama administration did something the media opposed, it was the U.S. doing it. Now it's some sort of implied Trump conspiracy with the headline collapsing two separate events, the $400K paid to Nambia with the permission of the US government.

The average media skimmer is meant to assume that this guy paid $400K to Trump. And that will generate some perfect clickbait.

For decades federal regulators issued no import permits for black rhinos, but as populations rebounded in Africa the Obama administration issued three starting in 2013. The Trump administration has issued another two.

So there's nothing new here. It's an existing policy.

But the AP didn't think there was a story here without some Trump bashing.

Here are some more rhino headlines from the Obama era

Hunter Allowed to Import Rhino Trophy into U.S. for First Time Rhino Hunt Permit Auction Sets Off Conservation Debate Black rhino hunting permit auction stirs controversy

Notice, no mention of Obama in the headline. No clickbait headline. The media can write neutral headlines. As long as its own ox or rhino are being gored. The moment there's the opportunity to go after one of their political enemies, we're off to the clickbait races.



