The Watchdog with David Bozell

The media gave America a pretty revealing side-by-side this week.

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs is facing serious allegations involving domestic violence. Much of sports media and political media responded the way responsible outlets should: careful wording, reminders about due process, and warnings not to rush to judgment. Fair enough.

Then came Jaxson Dart, quarterback of the New York Giants.

His offense was introducing President Trump at an event last week and saying nice things about him.

That was enough to send the hosts of “The View,” known internally at MRC as “The Cackle,” into full daytime-TV meltdown mode. Dart was called stupid, racist, and mocked on national television. Behar even joked about Dart needing extra padding on the field.

Nothing says “saving democracy” quite like multimillionaire TV hosts wishing injury on a quarterback because he clapped for the wrong politician.

And honestly, the comparison says more about media culture than either player.

When an athlete faces allegations involving actual violence, the media become cautious and clinical. “Let the facts come out.” “Everyone deserves fairness.” Again, good. That is exactly how it should work.

Americans notice the imbalance.

One athlete receives procedural restraint after allegations of criminal behavior. Another gets treated like a social threat for clapping at a Trump speech.

Nobody is arguing Jacobs should be convicted in public before the facts are known.

The question is why basic decency and restraint disappear the second politics enter the equation.

And the media still wonder why trust keeps collapsing.

Take it easy,

David Bozell
President