The Political Scene | The New Yorker

Episode Title: Media Culpa
Date: September 16, 2016
Host: Dorothy Wickenden (Executive Editor, The New Yorker)
Guests: Evan Osnos, Margaret Talbot, Ben Wallace-Wells (Staff Writers)

Overview

"Media Culpa" dives into the media’s fraught role during the 2016 presidential election, examining the challenges faced by journalists in covering two historically unpopular candidates—Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. The episode explores how media biases, evolving voter attitudes, and the rise of new political phenomena (like the alt-right and Bernie Sanders’ surge) have created unique hurdles for both press and public understanding. The discussion is candid about missteps by media outlets and raises tough questions about responsibility, reporting standards, and what voters are truly looking for.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Media Misjudgments and Voter Discontent

(01:16–03:07)

• The press corps was surprised by both Trump’s and Sanders’ deep resonance, having underestimated the appeal of their outsider messages.

• Evan Osnos reflects on covering Trump’s supporters, including fringe elements ("alt right"), and acknowledges failing to recognize the spectrum of grievances fueling Trumpism:

  “There’s a continuum; a version of an idea which is bigoted in its most extreme form can also exist in other lesser, more mainstream and more meaningful versions.” (Evan Osnos, 03:46)

• Osnos quotes a white nationalist he reported on, critiquing the "self-congratulatory journalism" of elite outlets:

  “New Yorker readers can feel smug without even reading the article. Mr. Trump appeals to losers, just as they always thought, unquote.” (Evan Osnos, quoting a critic, 03:36)

2. The Sanders Phenomenon and Clinton’s Problems with Young Voters

(05:42–07:53)

• Margaret Talbot describes her initial surprise at Bernie Sanders’ energetic rallies:

  “It really took me and a lot of people aback to see the incredible enthusiasm for, you know, [an] aging Vermont socialist…” (Margaret Talbot, 06:26)

• Sanders’ messaging left "lasting damage" to Clinton’s image among young voters, convincing many she was too close to Wall Street:

  "He really did, especially with younger voters, sort of convince them that she was too closely allied with Wall Street… it kind of obscured a lot of the progressive record." (Margaret Talbot, 07:25)

3. Email Scandals, Media Coverage, and Shifting Standards

(08:48–12:03)

• The media’s “scandal calibration” is off, given the dramatically different natures of each candidate’s alleged misdeeds.

• Ben Wallace-Wells: Old rules about what constitutes a political scandal no longer apply:

  "What was a scandal even four years ago pales in comparison to what Trump produces, but it still sort of meets the same old standard.” (Ben Wallace-Wells, 11:00)

• NBC's Matt Lauer is criticized for focusing on Clinton’s emails during a commander-in-chief forum while Trump’s issues receive less scrutiny.

4. Conspiracies, Health Scares, and the Trump-Clinton Fringes

(12:34–14:57)

• How conspiracy theories filter into “mainstream” coverage; Clinton’s health episode is one example.

• Wallace-Wells notes it’s normal for media to question a candidate’s physical fitness, but Clinton’s perceived secrecy fuels suspicion:

  “There has been a tendency of the press to reach for Clinton scandals, both because there’s a longstanding feeling among reporters that there are some unsavory things going around… and also because of the Clintons’ habit of privacy and self defensiveness." (Ben Wallace-Wells, 13:15)

• Osnos warns against focusing solely on "the message" and missing underlying social divides:

  “Our focus on the message… can distract us from what is a deeper and in some ways much harder problem to solve.” (Evan Osnos, 14:40)

5. Can Clinton Win Over Young and Sanders Voters?

(14:57–16:13)

• Talbot discusses Bernie’s role in rallying young voters for Clinton and his influence on policy shifts, especially around college affordability.

6. Trump’s Health and Press Responsibility

(16:14–19:03)

• Trump’s appearance on Dr. Oz is described as a media “performance” rather than genuine transparency.

• Osnos notes that the electorate often doesn’t expect candidates to fulfill extreme promises, but historically, most campaign pledges are enacted:

  "Presidents do an overwhelming majority of the things that they say they would do on the campaign trail. They do more than 70% of the things that they promised." (Evan Osnos, 17:48)

• Journalists should grill candidates on specifics, not just sound bites.

7. The Unasked (and Unanswerable) Questions

(21:43–23:32)

• Talbot argues debates should challenge candidates with more substantive questions—on the Constitution, on policy specifics, and on the foundations of their slogans or past statements.

  "Answer the question of what specific era he's talking about when he says, ‘make America great again.’ When was it great, and why?" (Margaret Talbot, 22:30) "For Hillary...I would actually like to hear more about her specific vision for some of these important issues...including climate change." (Margaret Talbot, 23:08)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On media bias and mistakes:

  “This point about being smug is absolutely crucial.” (Dorothy Wickenden, 04:53)

• Bernie Sanders on focus and the press:

  “The American people are sick and tired of hearing about your damn emails.” (Bernie Sanders, 08:03)

• On the failure to scrutinize Trump earlier:

  “[Republican candidates] during all of the primary season were basically taking the attitude that Trump was going to be a flash in the pan…but they didn’t want to alienate his voters, so they were pretty much going to give him a free ride, and they did.” (Margaret Talbot, 21:55)

• On campaign promises:

  "Presidents do an overwhelming majority of the things that they say they would do on the campaign trail. They do more than 70% of the things that they promised." (Evan Osnos, 17:48)

Segment Timestamps

• 01:16 — Episode opens; discussion of media surprise at 2016 campaigns.
• 03:08–04:53 — Osnos analyzes media’s misreading of Trump voters and broader social currents.
• 05:15–07:53 — Talbot recounts the rise of Sanders and shifting millennial allegiance.
• 08:03–08:48 — Sanders’ famous “damn emails” debate quote.
• 09:56–12:03 — The effect of partisan media watchdogs and evolving scandal standards.
• 12:34–14:57 — How conspiracy theories and health rumors are covered.
• 14:57–16:13 — Clinton’s efforts to draw Sanders voters with policy adjustments.
• 16:14–19:03 — The Trump-Dr. Oz stunt and core press responsibilities.
• 19:37–21:43 — Undercoverage of climate change and shifts in the media’s investigative focus.
• 21:43–23:33 — What the upcoming debates should address.

Closing Thoughts

The episode paints a picture of a press corps caught off guard by an electorate in flux, struggling to keep pace with the country’s changing expectations and the outsize impact of outsider candidacies. The panel emphasizes the urgent need for media to move beyond soundbite-driven coverage and commit to substantive, fact-based scrutiny—both for the sake of informing voters and sustaining democracy.