If you've followed political media for as long as I have, it's blatantly obvious that mainstream media outlets are struggling to accurately report the interworkings of most Republican campaigns. Just this week, Puck News - a publication that purportedly gives its readers the inside scoop - reported that DeSantis is mulling the option of not running until 2028. As someone with legitimate inside sources, I can tell you first hand this simply isn't true. Puck News relied on a political consultant that was passed over by the DeSantis team for a job and had an axe to grind. One call to the DeSantis team confirmed my suspicions.
There are multiple reporters from mainstream outlets that I have a great deal of respect for. As a matter of fact, you should follow good journalists like Josh Dawsey, Catie Edmondson, Meridith McGraw, Alayna Treene, and others. But a growing number are simply ideologues who conservative candidates are learning they cannot trust. As Republicans interact with mainstream media outlets less and less, all of us should be wary of the reporting from these publications. The dynamic is a reminder that mainstream media outlets have earned every bit of skepticism shown them by Republicans.
It's a sad state of affairs. So many people really don't know what's going on and they believe the outright lies our president and others are saying. My family members included.
Frederick M. Hess’s article in the latest National Review is relevant to this topic.