In the life sciences, they call it a symbiotic relationship. In political terms, think Donald Trump and the sensationalist left-wing media. Plenty has been written about how the same left-wing journalist class that worked overtime to destroy the Trump presidency was ironically perhaps the most responsible for him winning the presidency in the first place.
There were plenty of explanations for their obsessive coverage of the perpetual entertainer during the 2016 Republican primary. Trump was anything but a dry, stoic, boring candidate. In an industry that thrives on hysteria, Trump provided them a wellspring of hysterics. Their inability to choose serious analysis over hilarious soundbites provided Trump with endless hours of free campaign airtime.
That's one of the things that was obnoxious to some the public once the former president took office. Everyone from Joe Scarborough to Rachel Maddow to The View gals clucked relentlessly about how humiliating it was that someone with the temperament of Donald Trump could ascend to the country's highest office. But they were the ones who carried him up the stairs. And they did so merrily tap-dancing on the bodies of a host of better qualified, far more even-tempered Republicans (no, that list does not include John Kasich).
But just as the famous proverb, "as a dog returns to his vomit, so a fool returns to his folly" predicts, it appears that shameless, symbiotic relationship is amping up for another election cycle.
Just last week, esteemed journalists from leading news organizations burned up excessive bandwidth breathlessly covering a recent Trump strategy session at Mar-a-Lago. And what critical, geopolitical issue earned this type of all-consuming coverage? Trump and his brain trust were batting around potential insulting nicknames to use on Florida governor Ron DeSantis should he join the race.
That Trump strategists are panicked about a potential DeSantis candidacy isn't that surprising. Nor is it any great shock to see the former president focus on pettiness rather than policy. But it is truly remarkable to watch the same media that wanted Donald Trump impeached, removed, indicted, convicted, and imprisoned, within an hour of his inauguration, suddenly begin carrying the water for their former nemesis with a series of DeSantis hit pieces like this:
There's no way any sane person actually believes that nonsense. Granted, it's always been tricky business trying to evaluate the greatness of a certain state given the subjective preferences people have. For instance, Florida ranked number two in job creation, but what about those people who aren't into jobs? And the sunshine state has the sixth-lowest tax burden in the country for its residents. But there are always those who prefer giving money to the government rather than keeping it themselves, right?
Still, there is one fairly objective measuring rod when it comes to determining how people collectively feel about a region.
Are people coming to live there in significant numbers or are they fleeing? By that standard, Governor DeSantis' Florida ranks number one in the country.
So what gives? Why would the media be so invested in tag-teaming with Trump to take down the political emergence of such an effective leader?
It's distinctly possible, I suppose, that the left-wing journalist class are intentionally going to promote Trump because they are convinced he represents far less of a threat to their Democrat allies' hold on presidential power than someone like DeSantis. But my guess is, it's not nearly that complex, cunning, or clever.
I just think the two can't quit each other.
