Corporate media networks have embarked on a significant campaign to label the Trump-Vance ticket as “weird,” with CNN and MSNBC using the term over 160 times each on Monday. This messaging effort follows President Joe Biden’s announcement that he will not seek reelection, endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris instead.
The term “weird” gained popularity among Democrats and media outlets after Democratic Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota used it on “Morning Joe” on July 23. This clearly orchestrated trend has continued since former President Donald Trump chose Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) as his running mate on July 15 during the Republican National Convention.
Old comments and speeches by Vance have resurfaced, including instances where he questioned why prominent Democrats such as Harris, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg do not have children. These remarks led to the “weird” label being applied to Vance. Trump’s references to Hannibal Lecter and sharks during rallies have also contributed to Democrats’ portrayal of him as “weird.”
According to the Daily Caller News Foundation (DCNF), MSNBC used the term “weird” 179 times in segments about Trump or Vance on Monday. “Inside with Jen Psaki,” hosted by the former Biden administration press secretary, used the term 35 times. “Morning Joe” repeated it 32 times, with Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan also using the term.
CNN was nearly as prolific, using the term 170 times on Monday. Democratic Reps. Eric Swalwell and Barbara Lee of California both described Trump and Vance as “weird.” On “CNN This Morning,” Swalwell said Harris would never choose someone “as weird and creepy as J.D. Vance.” Lee, on “CNN News Central,” argued that selecting Vance revealed Trump’s true beliefs, calling Vance “weird” and “pretty unprepared.”
Tom Elliot, founder of Grabien News, noted that CNN and MSNBC used the term over 150 times during the weekend. He explained that hosts often set up segments to reinforce the “weird” label in viewers’ minds by prompting guests to agree with the characterization of Vance as “weird.”
