One manifestation of the heightened polarization that comes with a presidential election year is accusations that our newsroom is in the bag for the right or the left.
Some people are convinced that the nation will collapse if their side does not win in November, which makes them frantic. So, they lash out, and I’m an easy target because I’m so public, partly through this column.
The emails run the gamut, but one of the odder ones came earlier this year, when a reader asked whether our newsroom would help pay Trump’s court damages because we are a Republican institution. That will come as a shock to those who are just as convinced that we are covering up what they call the Biden Family Crime Syndicate.
As I’ve read the many emails and corresponded with some of the writers, I’ve come to understand that a big part of the problem is they see only the content that infuriates them. The blood boils for conservatives who read a Brent Larkin column critical of Donald Trump, convincing them that we hate conservatices, even if the Brent column runs side by side with a Ted Diadiun column with a conservative view.
The angry conservatives see Brent, Leslie Kouba and Jeff Darcy as all the evidence they need that we are liberal. The angry liberals see Ted, Robert Paulson and George Will and are convinced we are conservative.
This week let’s look at an actual breakdown of the content. I’m not talking about our news stories. Readers might lodge general complaints about our news content being biased, but they can’t point to specifics. Our reporters don’t put bias in their stories. If you disagree, go through cleveland.com and find me a wealth of examples to prove it.
What writers generally are talking about is our opinion content, which I know is balanced. Every week, a team of us, including opinion editor Elizabeth Sullivan, meets to assess whether each piece of content is conservative, liberal or neutral and that they are evenly mixed.
Because most complaints are about what appears in print, I’ve combed through the last three Forum sections to build a count. I examined everything except letters to the editor, for which we have little control. We use the most interesting we receive.
Here’s the breakdown: nine conservative pieces, 10 liberal pieces and 23 neutral pieces. So you can check for yourself, here’s the list, with links for nearly all of it.
Conservative:
Michael L Andersen, retired drug counselor in adult corrections, argues making the death penalty more efficient and prompt.
Ted Diadiun says that for anyone who wants Biden out of the White House, like he does, Nikki Haley is the answer.
George Will writes on the presidential election
George Will calls Joe Biden’s selection for vice president his biggest mistake.
Ted Diadiun writes on the death penalty.
Jeff Darcy, who conservatives blast regularly for liberal cartoons, has one critical of Joe Biden, involving Amtrak.
A wire service cartoon is about the impeachment of the Homeland Security chief.
Washington Post columnist Jim Gerraghy challenges Joe Biden to prove his claims that a report on his memory is wrong by releasing a transcript of the interview at the heart of the matter.
George Will chides the Biden administration on ridiculous regulations about dishwashers.
Liberal:
Brent Larkin writes that the Republicans running the state are failing in their responsibilities.
William L. Phillis, career educator and exec director of Ohio Coalition for Equality and Adequacy of School Funding, writes on the history of Ohio rejecting public money for private schools.
Columnist Nancy Kelsey writes on racist mascots in sports.
Columnist Leslie Kouba writes about Yulia Navalnaya, widow of Alexei Navalny, with some barbs at Donald Trump.
Bride Rose Sweeney writes on the Ohio GOP needing to acknowledge corruption.
Jeff Darcy publishes cartoon about Donald Trump and Ukraine.
Jeff Darcy publishes cartoon about the Supreme Court and Donald Trump.
Columnist Tom Suddes writes about Republican bickering endangering a much-needed spending bill.
We publish a fact check on spending by members of NATO.
We publish a fact check on various silly statements by Donald Trump.
Neutral:
We publish an editorial about the city of Cleveland stepping in to help the homeless because Cuyahoga County is failing in its duties. The editorial criticizes one Democratic administration (the county) and praises another (the city.)
We publish an editorial on the need for transparency in budget issues at the Cleveland schools.
We publish an endorsement for Matt Dolan in the Republican Senate primary. We consider primary endorsements neutral, as they involve a single party.
Michele Seyranian, CEO of The Gathering Place, writes about efforts to provide cancer services in Black neighborhoods.
A wire service cartoon is on political posturing by both political parties.
A wire service cartoon is about a girl who wants to be a sports broadcaster.
Columnist Leslie Kouba, whose pieces often are liberal, writes a neutral piece about the lessons we can learn from crows.
Leslie writes about Cleveland City Council watering down Mayor Justin Bibb’s housing proposals.
Columnist Tom Suddes writes a piece saying Larry Householder’s corruption sentence is too long and notes Democrats who voted for the corrupt House Bill 6.
Tom Suddes writes a piece about JD Vance’s thoughts on Nato and Biden’s chances in Ohio.
I write a column about embracing change.
I write a column about Tom Bier in tribute to his writing 100 op-eds.
A week after she dies, I write a column about my mom and her generation’s civility.
We publish a fact check on a claim that the Ukraine president is coming to the United States to live.
Lee Kirksey, vice chair of vascular surgery at the Cleveland Clinic, writes about how artificial intelligence can help erase health disparities.
Marc Blitzer, CEO of Whirlpool, writes about how a redesigned refrigerator can change the world.
Washington Post columnist Laura Strausfeld writes on making tampons and similar products tax free.
Conservative columnist Lynn Schmidt writes on helping election deniers understand that Trump did lose the last election.
Columnist Leana S. Wen writes about why pharmacists are not writing more prescriptions for Paxlovid.
Columnist Nina Metz writes about how animals are incorporated into movies.
Richard Perloff and Anup Kumar of Cleveland State University advocates for turning President’s Day into Patriotism Day.
Columnist Brent Larkin, who often writes from the left, writes a neutral column about downtown development and the Browns.
We publish a breakdown of our endorsements in the primary elections.
We publish a fact check on two phony news stories.
I’m at cquinn@cleveland.com.
Thanks for reading.
I'm at cquinn@cleveland.com
Thanks for reading
