As calls for President Joe Biden to drop out continue to swell, some have questioned the media's role in promoting the calls — and even suggested news organizations are complicit in trying to take the president out of the race.
Democrats face an urgent crisis around Biden’s candidacy, with more party leaders openly questioning whether the 81-year-old president has the physical stamina and mental acuity to serve until 2029, when he’d be 86. Biden’s campaign insisted Thursday that Biden is not quitting despite reports suggesting otherwise.
The latest high-profile Democrat to come out against Biden: Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin, who told Biden on Thursday that there is "no shame in taking a well-deserved bow to the overflowing appreciation of the crowd when your arm is tired out." Raskin also warned the consequences of "ignoring the statistics."
"Your situation is tricky because you are both our star pitcher and our Manager," he wrote. "But in democracy, as you have shown us more than any prior president, you are not a Manager acting all along; you are the co-Manager along with our great team and our great people."
Read also: 'Go out and talk about Joe Biden!' DNC chair spits fire at MSNBC over polling anxiety
But the media's coverage of the election crisis has earned criticism from celebrities and influencers on the left. That includes actor Wendell Pierce, longtime federal prosecutor Elizabeth de la Vega, and the popular podcast Mueller, She Wrote.
"There is a complicity between the media and Democratic leadership," Pierce commented on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday afternoon. "They have independently decided to take Biden out of the race and normalize the criminality of a con artist; a man that led a revolt to overthrow the government with a violent attack on the U.S. Capitol."
Pierce also accused the media of failing to correct lies about the economy, and instead promoting what he called "revisionist history about the treasonous behavior of election denial, attempts to defraud the election with fake electors, and pressuring State governments to change the vote."
"Instead the media promotes this revitalized man who is changed from a near death experience but has shown no evidence of it. Yet in 3 weeks Biden goes from the competent World Leader to dementia. 3 WEEKS. That can only happen with an ongoing relentless narrative that has nothing to do with the support of millions and no evidence of an inability to do the job," he said.
Pierce was not alone in his criticism, with the MuellerSheWrote account accusing the media of "creating the narrative instead of reporting on it."
"For profit," the account emphasized.
Many X users agreed with the assessment, with some saying the coverage is all about dollars, while others said they've moved toward more independent media outlets for news.
De La Vega agreed with the Mueller, She Wrote post, writing: "Yes they are. It's disgusting. And incredibly dangerous."
"Let's PERMANENTLY stop following them," replied @CarolNorris2016. "If we continue to do so, increasing their ratings & ad dollars, we're actively part of the problem. This is a concrete step we can take not to be complicit. Like voting, if we all do it, it'll be hugely impactful. Plenty of other choices."
"I've quit watching everyone," wrote @croifaileas. "Even PBS. I'm so disappointed with all of them."
"The media is complicit in the massive crime against the republic!" exclaimed @yd52 Thursday.
