Over the years, numerous political figures have pivoted towards the media sphere in an evident attempt to maintain relevance. This substantial leap from politics to media has raised the eyebrows of certain critics who question the ethics behind this migration, especially when it happens to favor mainstream news networks.
One prime example of such political-to-media transitions is George Stephanopoulos. His name has become synonymous with ABC News, particularly on ‘Good Morning America,’ where he’s held a co-anchor position for around 15 years. Prior to this, however, Stephanopoulos had a significant footprint in the world of Democratic politics.
His political career spun as a deputy campaign manager for Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential campaign and later, he served the administration with a White House communications director role. Today, he enjoys a comfortable position at ABC News, further solidifying the seemingly convenient symbiosis between politics and media. In addition to his anchoring duties on weekdays, he is also the face of ‘This Week,’ ABC News’s Sunday public affairs program.
Then there’s Scarborough, a name that gained prominence with the ‘Republican Revolution’ of 1994. He leveraged this wave of change to assume a US House seat from Florida, ending a five-decade-long Democratic dominance of the lower chamber. While in Congress, Scarborough was a self-proclaimed champion of conservative policies, though he ended his stint in September 2001.
Transitioning to media, Scarborough debuted with the MSNBC program ‘Scarborough Country’ in 2003, which ran until 2007. Post that, he anchored the MSNBC program ‘Morning Joe’ further affirming his movement from political battlegrounds to TV screens.
Meanwhile, Jen Psaki who served as the White House press secretary from 2021 until 2022 for President Joe Biden’s administration, has joined the media brigade. Originally part of Obama’s administration, Psaki jumped ship, assuming the role as the host of ‘Inside with Jen Psaki,’ an MSNBC program launched in March 2023.
A part of the Biden administration’s unsuccessful handling of public relations, Psaki’s show offers more of the same misguided stances, further muddled by mainstream media’s exasperating engagement with unelected advisors. Her transition from White House spokesperson to media personality only fortifies the claim that political figures are using media as a platform to peddle their biased perspectives.
Also on the MSNBC roster is Wallace, host of ‘Deadline: White House’ since 2017. Prior to her media career, Wallace had a stint as the White House communications director under President George W. Bush and subsequently advised John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign.
Then there’s Steele, one of the few Black Republican officeholders during the George W. Bush era and formerly an attorney and Maryland’s lieutenant governor. He led the Republican National Committee from 2009 to 2011, overseeing it bag 63 House seats in the 2010 midterm elections. Following his political journey, Steele shifted gears, becoming a political analyst for MSNBC in May 2011.
McCaskill, who used to identify as a moderate Democrat, had roles as a prosecutor and Missouri’s auditor. In 2006 and 2012, she managed to get elected to the US Senate even as Missouri gravitated to a more conservative standing. However, she lost her seat to Republican Josh Hawley in 2018. Despite this setback, she has integrated herself into the media, becoming a political analyst for NBC News and MSNBC, often seen on ‘Morning Joe.’
Sanders-Townsend is another prominent name in political circles, primarily for her work as the national press secretary for Sen. Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign. Despite Sanders’ loss to Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary, Sanders-Townsend found a role in the media, often seen on MSNBC’s ‘The Weekend.’
Moreover, she also served as an advisor for Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign. After Biden’s victory, which was met with a mixed response, Sanders-Townsend became a senior advisor and the chief spokesperson for Vice President Kamala Harris. Later, she ended her term in Harris’ office and returned to the media.
As these patterns persist, questions about the intertwined webs of politics and media remain. The path from key political figures to primary news anchors has been well-trodden, creating a cycle that can perpetuate biased narratives, and influence public opinion under the guise of ‘unbiased’ news.