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We are all drowning in elections.
There seems to be research on everything under the sun: Where do Gen Z get their news? Are you worried about the economy? What do you think of the White House ballroom?
And yet there’s a new set of numbers that came out that caught my eye – and it makes perfect sense when you stop and think about it.
According to the Media Insight Project, nearly six out of ten respondents try to avoid news about President Donald Trump.
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Americans seem to be trying to listen to the news – especially news about President Donald Trump. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
On the surface, it may seem like this is only about feelings about the president, whether you like him or hate him.
But I believe it goes much deeper than that.
My take is that the majority of Americans are suffering from news fatigue – they’re just drowning in seemingly endless news. And most of it, let’s face it, is surprisingly bad news.
War in Iran. Another attempt to kill the president. Rising gas prices. Government shutdown. Rising health care premiums. The indictment of the former FBI director. There aren’t many feel-good things that go into our homes. Maybe “The Devil Wears Prada 2.” A short list.
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If Trump is the nexus here, it’s because he’s involved in every possible story, including the demise of Spirit Airlines and the impending demise of Saudi Arabia’s LIV golf club.
According to the poll, 31% of those surveyed often avoid news about Trump, and 32% said they sometimes avoid news about Trump.
Conversely, 18% of those surveyed said they rarely avoid news about the president, while 17% say they never skip news about Trump.
President Trump seems to find a way to get involved in almost every possible issue. (Salwan Georges/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
There is a group overlay here. But even among Republicans, the media outlet says, 33% say they sometimes skip Trump-focused news, and 17% say they usually avoid Trump news.
Among Democrats and independents, 38% say they tend to avoid Trump news.
It doesn’t end there. The poll finds that 57% avoid news about national politics.
This is a burnout factor.
See, stories are often stressful. And while there is a lot of interest in the war, including former allies who have now apologized for supporting Trump, most Americans are more concerned about rising food prices. Millions have had to drop their health insurance because Trump and Congress have refused to extend funding for Obamacare.
Donald Trump has been a prominent figure in American politics for more than a decade. So, on one level, it’s all about him. That includes his attacks on the media, law firms, universities and his campaign of revenge, such as the accusation he made against James Comey over the seashell photo, the first version of which was released in court. Not to mention Jimmy Kimmel getting fired, or his announcement that he’s glad Robert Mueller is dead.
Donald Trump has been a prominent figure in American politics for more than a decade. (Roberto Schmidt/Getty Images)
Trump is not one to read when it comes to making news. He will renew his attacks – on Ilhan Omar or Papa Leo – knowing that this will drive the news agenda.
Take his lawsuits against news organizations, which were successful against CBS and ABC.
The president knows that if he criticizes journalists or outlets – he has filed charges of treason and treason – they will feel compelled to respond, if only in self-defense, or self-interest.
And that keeps the story in the headlines for days, with the media playing in his place. Throw in the image of Jesus and ride the waves of outrage.
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But since Trump has been in this fight since 2016, it has lost its shock value. Many people have become numb to this explosion of rhetoric. Sometimes it takes a heavily armed gunman at a First Amendment dinner to make them take notice.
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My sense, based on many interviews, is that the majority of Americans have engaged in the equivalent of turning a deaf ear. They want a break from the madness, and click the mute button.
