Opinion | How to cover an abnormal presidential race

The United States has never had an election in which: a felon runs for president on a major party ticket; a presidential candidate lays out a detailed plan for authoritarian rule; an entire party gaslights the public (e.g., claiming the president was behind their candidate’s state prosecution; pretending they won the last election); and, prominent leaders of one party signal they will not accept an adverse outcome in the next election. Yet, the coverage of the 2024 campaign is remarkably anodyne, if not oblivious, to the unprecedented nature of this election and its implications.

It’s not just felon and former president Donald Trump and his MAGA cult followers who get treated with kid gloves by the media. Very few reports in print, online or on TV (other than Jordan Klepper on “The Daily Show”) confront MAGA voters about their inane, illogical conspiracy theories. (This is not to mock them but rather to explore how millions came to believe absurd things and to demonstrate the impossibility of persuading people living on Earth 2.) Coverage of hyped polls maintains the pretext that millions of voters in the MAGA base care about Trump’s policies. (Asking a MAGA adherent whose policies on health care they prefer is absurd.) Political media bent on not offending the GOP or its voters wind up covering an election that bears little resemblance to the real one.

How could the coverage stick more closely to reality? Obsession with early polling that inevitably becomes meaningless after big events such as Trump’s conviction (stuff happens!) and that cannot yet gauge who is likely to vote should go by the wayside — or at least come with caveats and not drive coverage.

What would be informative: A minute or two of unedited video showing Trump’s rambling, incoherent and deranged rants. Rather than merely “fact check” the nonsense blizzard, reports can explore the unprecedented nature of his rhetoric, illustrate the deterioration in his thinking and speech, and discuss how an obviously irrational and unhinged leader casts a spell over his devoted following.

The media also can refuse to entertain laughable MAGA spin, such as claiming that Trump’s conviction will help him win the election. Polling has never reflected such baseless and illogical claptrap, and — no surprise! — the opposite was true. When such incidents pop up, informative journalism would examine what else MAGA forces lie about (e.g., crowd size) and how authoritarians depend on creating a false aura of invincibility.

When supposedly normal Republican officials parrot Trump’s obvious falsehoods and baseless accusations, interviewers must come prepared to debunk them. Republicans cannot be allowed to slide past hard questions about their election denial, false data points, baseless attacks on the courts and hypocrisy (the law and order party?). Treating Republicans as innocent bystanders in the democracy train wreck distorts reality.

And instead of endless harping on President Biden’s age, some honest comparison between the disjointed, frightful interview responses from Trump and the detailed, policy-laden answers from Biden in Time magazine’s two interviews might illuminate the obvious disparity in acuity. Strained comparisons between the two become farcical as Trump unravels further. (Really, what is the news value of former House speaker Kevin McCarthy bad-mouthing the president, whom he previously praised?) There is simply no comparison between Biden, who talks in detail about policy, and Trump, who cannot get through a Newsmax(!) interview without sounding nuts.

Likewise, treating Hunter Biden’s case (having nothing to do with the president) as though it were as significant as Trump’s criminal conviction betrays a lack of perspective and a hunger for clicks. Insisting this poses a problem or embarrassment for Biden amounts to amplifying MAGA spin.

Finally, given voters’ misunderstanding of the economy, news outlets should focus on the results of Biden’s policies and the likely effect of his opponent’s shockingly inflationary plan. Focusing on the gap between public opinion and economic reality (to which coverage contributes) unwittingly reveals the media’s own shortcomings in educating voters.

Distinguished person of the week

Mexico held “a groundbreaking contest in a country long known for a culture of machismo and rampant violence against women,” as the New York Times put it. President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum is the first female president and first Jewish president of Mexico, and she holds a PhD in energy engineering. (Unfortunately, too much coverage peddles in sexist tropes — Tough boss! Not warm and fuzzy! — that a male candidate would never face.)

Sheinbaum promises to adhere to the economic center-left policies of her mentor, outgoing president Andrés Manuel López Obrador. AMLO, as he is known, won praise for measures to reduce poverty and inequality. However, he has been widely criticized for weakness in stemming cartel violence, which has soared in recent years. (More than 30,000 homicides were recorded in 2023 for the sixth-straight year.) With a record of cutting Mexico City’s murder rate in half while serving as mayor, Sheinbaum vows to do better.

She likely would not have come to power absent Mexico’s commitment to gender inclusion and equality. The Post reported last year: “After decades of domination by the Institutional Revolutionary Party, politicians rewrote laws in the 1990s to make elections more fair — and women’s rights activists seized the moment.” Gender quotas first introduced for Mexico’s Congress “were gradually expanded, and in 2019, Mexico passed a constitutional amendment setting a goal of gender parity ‘in everything’ — in all races for elected office, and in appointments to senior jobs in the judicial and executive branches of government.”

Women have made a difference. “Female lawmakers pushed for a law in 2022 that mandated social security for domestic workers,” The Post noted. “Abortion has been decriminalized in 12 of the 32 states,” thanks to more women in local and regional offices. That said,women’s increased participation in government has not made progress in tackling the epidemic of violence against women.

In sum, Sheinbaum’s victory represents both a personal triumph and a victory for a national movement to increase women’s participation in government. Ultimately, her tenure will be evaluated by her success in tackling crime and cartels, maintaining relations with the United States and achieving climate change objectives. Meanwhile, one has to ask: If Mexico can elect a female president, why can’t the United States?

I grew up with the adage that ice cream isn’t really dessert because it contains milk (protein!). In any event, ice cream, gelato and sorbets form one of my essential food groups. With the onset of summer, here are a few of my favorite D.C. ice cream spots:

Malai: The new D.C. branch of the Indian ice cream brand that started a sensation in Brooklyn will not disappoint. A stunning array of flavors — ranging from Cardomon Pistacho Crumble to Mango & Cream to Apricot Mace — await. You’ll find dairy and nondairy choices, all creamy. But bring a book or friends because you’ll have to wait in line!

Mt. Desert Island Ice Cream: This favorite spot in the Mt. Pleasant neighborhood has plenty of creative flavors (e.g., Blueberry Sour Cream Crumble, Thai Chili Coconut). You’ll even find a doggy ice cream option for your furry companion.

Italian Bar: This authentically Italian hangout has my favorite flavor in all D.C.: sour cherry gelato. Rich hazelnut and very fruity sorbet are also top notch. On a hot D.C. summer day, nothing beats sitting on the patio with an Aperol spritz and gelato.

Honeys & Friends: This newcomer opened a few doors down from the Politics and Prose Bookstore on Connecticut Avenue NW. Their fruit flavors (e.g., black currant, blueberry, mango sorbet) are particularly strong.

Thomas Sweet: The Georgetown institution offers an extensive assortment of ice creams, yogurts and fudge. I go vowing to try something new but invariably wind up with my favorite: the delicious peanut butter yogurt.

Every other Wednesday at noon, I host a Q&A with readers. Submit a question for the next one.