Ari Fleischer: Press Biased, 'Particularly On Social Issues'

Ari Flesicher

Former White House spokesman Ari Fleischer says the press has “an inherent bias towards conflict” and an ideological bias “particularly on social issues” in an interview with The Hill.

Fleischer, who served as President George W. Bush's press secretary from January 2001 to July 2003, said the bias on social issues is against conservatives and Republicans.

“There’s no question about it. The press is an inherent bias towards conflict. In many ways, their first, worst bias,” Fleischer said. “But once they’re done with the juicy conflict, they have an ideological bias. Particularly on social issues, which makes it a lot easier to be a Democrat dealing with the press than a Republican.

Fleischer says he keeps a folder that's “bulging” with examples of media bias.

The latest example, he said, was Thursday after Attorney General Jeff Sessions visited the Mexican border. “Here’s how The Washington Post covered it,” Fleischer said, reading directly from the story.

“‘The Trump administration — and Sessions in particular — has taken a hard-line stance on immigration, alarming activists who say U.S. officials are testing legal boundaries and implementing policies contrary to American values.

“It doesn’t say 'illegal immigration' though,” he said. “It conflates it to immigration. [The story cites] four people, all critical of what Sessions did, and does not include one quote of anyone praising what Sessions did.”

He said this is how the bias against Republicans works.

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