During the fall campaign, broadcast networks repeatedly forecast trouble for Republicans. After Democrats made major gains, including a striking upset in Texas, the coverage turned celebratory.
That was clear on the morning of Nov. 4. Victorious candidates often get friendly interviews, but some of the questions and introductions went well beyond a routine congratulations.
On ABC, George Stephanopoulos invited Texas senator-elect James Talarico to explain his call for a “politics of love.” Talarico said people were weary of division, hate and fear, and of being encouraged to turn against their neighbors.
There’s an irony in hearing Democrats such as Talarico, or former President Barack Obama, accuse Republicans of trying to divide the country while portraying them as villains who care only about billionaires. Political campaigns are built around drawing contrasts and dividing voters into competing camps. And it’s hard to see how ABC, CBS and NBC were practicing a politics of unity in the run-up to the election.
On CBS’s “CBS Mornings,” the hosts were similarly warm toward Adam Hamilton, the pastor and Kansas senator-elect. Norah O’Donnell brought up his promise to follow the Golden Rule in Washington and asked how he would manage that in a city known for hard-edged politics.
Gayle King said viewers were glad to hear Hamilton talk about decency and kindness. She also noted that people had been moved by his account of beginning the day in prayer. Nate Burleson praised Hamilton as someone who could serve both God and the public, before shifting to the work ahead.
When Democrats speak openly about their Christian faith, it can become a welcome part of their public image. That makes it worth asking whether CBS’s tone has really changed under editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, as some have suggested.
Michigan senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed was also presented as a historic figure: the first Muslim elected to the Senate. Across the networks, coverage emphasized attacks on his faith by Republicans. Less attention went to other controversies, including El-Sayed’s campaigning with podcaster Hasan Piker and his support for a petition calling for a purge of Egypt’s media by the Muslim Brotherhood. The coverage largely framed criticism of El-Sayed as prejudice against Muslims.
ABC’s Mary Bruce described El-Sayed’s win as historic and linked it to what she called Islamophobic attacks on his faith by President Trump. On CBS, Nikole Killion said El-Sayed had accused his critics, including Republican Mike Rogers, of mocking his name and religion in what he called one of his ugliest campaigns.
NBC’s Ryan Nobles said Republicans had accused El-Sayed of antisemitism over his criticism of Israel, while El-Sayed also faced personal attacks over his faith, including from Trump. PBS correspondent Liz Landers likewise highlighted the campaign attacks and Trump’s description of El-Sayed as a jihadist.
On Wednesday’s “PBS NewsHour,” anchor Geoff Bennett ran through a list of historic election firsts. The recap included Colorado’s Melat Kiros as the first Generation Z woman elected to Congress, but left out Florida’s election of its first Black governor, Republican Byron Donalds. It also did not mention Black Democratic governors Aaron Ford in Nevada and David Crowley in Wisconsin.
National Public Radio, meanwhile, interviewed Hasan Piker, describing him as a progressive influencer popular with young men. Piker said voters across the country had punished the Trump administration and Republicans for death and destruction around the world. He said the results reassured him after a period when he had worried the country was more cruel and racist than it really was.
In the view of the media critic behind this argument, the networks’ coverage suggests that democracy is celebrated most when Democrats win—and that, after a Democratic victory, the country is suddenly treated as less racist and divided. It’s a strikingly convenient change in tone.
