Can I tell you why I am steamed?

The media can’t afford to repeat the mistakes of 2016 and 2020.   [Mother Jones]( MoJo Reader, Spoiler alert: I’m going to [ask you for money]( to help Mother Jones keep producing the fearless, kickass, truth-telling reporting that Americans need in this all-important election season—and that means telling you about our $50,000 digital matching gift that a generous board member has put on the table this month. But first let me tell you that I’m steamed by the way many in the media are covering this critical presidential campaign. Some polls now show Vice President Kamala Harris ahead of the convicted felon, court-sanctioned fraudster, and sexual assailant Donald Trump in crucial swing states. As we enter the home stretch of the campaign, Democrats are entitled to be hopeful. Yet I see the lurking ghost of 2016: bad media coverage that normalizes Trump and treats him as a regular candidate. Let’s start with this basic fact: A malignant narcissist and criminal who tried to destroy our constitutional republic is still in the hunt. Eight years after he first ran, he is very much a known quantity. He was impeached for muscling a foreign leader to manufacture dirt on his main political rival. He handed corporations and the wealthy a big tax break that ballooned the deficit. Hundreds of thousands of Americans died needlessly on his watch due to his mismanagement of the Covid pandemic. He falsely claimed victory in the 2020 election, promoted his Big Lie that the contest was stolen from him, schemed to overturn the results, and incited an insurrectionist assault on the US Capitol. And yet with all that, he remains competitive. The virus of Trumpism is still present and an even greater danger today. And much of the media does not know how to deal with this threat. That’s why the $50,000 digital matching gift I mentioned at the top is such good news. It means [any gift you make online this month]( will be matched dollar-for-dollar. Your contribution of $25 will count for $50, and your gift of $50 will be worth $100. [Donate Now]( This couldn’t have come at a better time. With your support, Mother Jones can lead the way in showing the corporate press how to cover Trump these next 60 days and not make the same mistakes they did in 2016 and 2020. Eight years ago, the allure of gaining profitable ratings from Trump’s rallies was catnip for the media—and provided him a goldmine of free media. They normalized a figure who was not normal. The after-the-fact fact-checking that occurred could not catch up to the flood of falsehoods he flung, and no post-rally “analysis” or “contextualization” could effectively counter the hateful rhetoric he spewed. What it boils down to is this: Without greater media attention devoted to Trump’s attempted 2020 coup and the danger he currently presents to our constitutional republic, MAGA Republicans are better situated to overthrow democracy this time. If you agree with me, will you please help us make the most of this $50,000 matching gift? [No matter what amount you send](—$10, $100, or $1,000—it becomes twice as much. With your help, MoJo can show the rest of the media how to deal with the peril at hand. As always, thank you for having our back and joining us in this critical mission to protect our democracy and the nation’s future. With high hopes, [David Corn] [David Corn] David Corn Washington DC, Bureau Chief Mother Jones P.S. You know I’d much rather be out reporting a story than firing off fundraising emails. But the fact is that meeting our fundraising goals is key to helping us do all we can in the coming weeks before Election Day. Thanks in advance for whatever you can give. [Donate Now](   [Mother Jones]( [Donate]( [Donate Monthly]( [Subscribe]( This message was sent to {EMAIL}. To change the messages you receive from us, you can [edit your email preferences]( or [unsubscribe from all mailings.]( For advertising opportunities see our online [media kit.]( Were you forwarded this email? [Sign up for Mother Jones' newsletters today.]( [www.MotherJones.com]( PO Box 8539, Big Sandy, TX 75755