Not content with pushing the pants-on-fire falsehood of widespread voter fraud, Donald Trump has a new explanation for his sinking poll numbers: “Media rigging election!”



Election is being rigged by the media, in a coordinated effort with the Clinton campaign, by putting stories that never happened into news! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 16, 2016

The election is absolutely being rigged by the dishonest and distorted media pushing Crooked Hillary - but also at many polling places - SAD — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 16, 2016

Crooked Hillary colluded w/FBI and DOJ and media is covering up to protect her. It's a #RiggedSystem! Our country deserves better! pic.twitter.com/n2NpH3zmcy — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 17, 2016

Setting aside “stories that never happened”—the allegations against Trump are numerous, newsworthy, and appear quite credible in light of Trump’s bragging about his ability to commit sexual assault—there appears to have been an all-staff memo at the Trump campaign about this media-rigged election. It’s now the message of his running mate and surrogates across the country.



“I have no doubt the national media is trying to rig this election with their biased coverage in Hillary Clinton’s favor,” Mike Pence said Monday in Ohio. On ABC News on Sunday, Newt Gingrich—who actually contradicted Trump by saying it’s “not about election officials at the precinct level”—nevertheless said that “without the unending one-sided assault of the news media, Trump would be beating Hillary by 15 points.”

First, some clarification of terms. Unlike fraudulent voting—which, again, is incredibly uncommon—the media can’t rig an election. They don’t have it in their power. They’re not involved at polling places. They’re not infiltrating secretary of state offices. Megyn Kelly and Anderson Cooper aren’t secretly stuffing ballot boxes for the Clinton campaign.

If Trump wants to argue that the press is biased against him, a trope Republicans return to every election cycle, then fine. The media does lean left, and it’s certainly true Trump is getting more critical coverage than Clinton. Of course, in this case, it may be because he’s asked for it. He flunks every conceivable character test, flouts the norms of American democracy, and seems eager to transform America into an ethno-nationalist, quasi-fascist state.