New York Times Taken to Task for Misrepresenting Trump Supporters as ‘Swing Voters’
The New York Times has bee criticized for an article about impeaching President Donald Trump where it presented the President’s supporters as swing voters or independents. One of the authors of the story, Sabrina Tavernise, tweeted that she had interviewed ‘six swing voters’ but was quickly called out.
Pollster Matt McDermott launched into a Twitter thread explaining that the NYT piece had misrepresented some of the voters they interviewed. Rather than being independents and swing voters, many of those in the article were dyed in the wool Trump fans.
“No, the New York Times did not talk to six “swing voters” about impeachment. The article quotes a handful of devout GOP voters who the NYT has repeatedly interviewed multiple times,” McDermott said, linking to Tavernise’s tweet. She has since deleted the tweet, however.
As McDermott explained, the journalists don’t seem to have done due diligence on their interviewees. In at least one case, a Trump supporter had already been interviewed by the newspaper.
The NYT article includes an interview with Donna, presented as a swing voters who doesn’t favor impeachment.
The problem? NYT interviewed the same woman last year. She voted for Trump and the Republicans again in the Midterm.
This isn’t a swing voter. pic.twitter.com/l2TN7lISgO
— Matt McDermott (@mattmfm) September 26, 2019
“The NYT article also includes an interview with Trisha, who admits she’s been to 23 Trump campaign rallies. 23!” McDermott says. “She wrote a book about Trump! NYT has interviewed her at least twice in the past two years. She’s a Trump fanatic, not a swing voter.”
Another Trump supporter cited in the article was previously interviewed by the AP about ‘Trump country’. He also had a picture of Confederate General Robert E. Lee on his wall.
The NYT article also includes an interview with Reggie. Reggie was highlighted in an AP story last year entitled ‘In the heart of Trump country, his base remains unshaken.’ Reggie has a portrait of Robert E. Lee hanging in his living room.
No, Reggie is not a swing voter. pic.twitter.com/3TD6OJw9oO
— Matt McDermott (@mattmfm) September 26, 2019
McDermott criticized the New York Times for what he sees as repeating the mistakes of the 2016 election, presenting a misleading narrative about swing voters and politics generally.
“The NYT is repeating its exact same 2016 reporting antics, presenting devout Trump supporters as some sort of forgotten swing constituency,” McDermott said. “Why does this keep happening, and why do they keep going back to the same individuals for interviews?”
The article is still live and does not appear to have been corrected or updated. It still calls some voters ‘independent’ who are clearly strong supporters of the President.
