Who Sells More Newspapers?

Quick hit:

One of the most powerful predictors of any presidential election is simply this: which candidate sells more newspapers?

At least, I used to think that was the standard.

The actual standard, I've come to realize, is: which outcome sells more newspapers?

The news media loves a candidate who will make them more money, and so it naturally gravitates towards the candidate who will generate bigger headlines. That means that reporters, consciously or unconsciously (usually the latter), tend to slant their coverage in favor of the candidate who will provide bigger news stories. Even the so-called "liberal" media sided with Donald Trump last time, in large part because it knew, intrinsically, that Trump would make them a lot more money than President Hillary Clinton would have.

But it's not that simple this time around, is it?

I think it is beyond obvious that Donald Trump gets more headlines than Joe Biden - meaning he sells way more newspapers. So from that standpoint, one might think Trump would win the election. But it's not the candidate that's really the issue. It's the outcome. President Biden may be pretty boring, and he'll make a refreshingly dull president, but Donald Trump no longer having the protection of the Presidency? That's a HUGE news generator! Because without the Presidency to protect him, Trump becomes vulnerable to huge lawsuits and possible arrest warrants. That's BIG news! And it's big news that could continue for a long, long time!

Some in the press clearly want to see this. Others, not so much. But everyone intrinsically knows it will be likely to happen. That generates more newsprint than four more years of Trump himself.

And, to be honest, maybe having the first ever female vice president will be a pretty big story, too.

Eric

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