The Dark Hysteria Of The RNC Is Brought To You By Fox News
When the Republican National Convention kicked off Monday night, millions of viewers nationwide saw Charlie Kirk stride to the podium as the first speaker.
It’s possible, even likely, that most people had no idea who he was. But avid consumers of right-wing media, from viral Facebook content to the Fox News Channel, would have easily recognized the young man who proceeded to deliver a rallying cry that dubbed President Donald Trump the “bodyguard of Western civilization” who was “elected to protect our families from the vengeful mob that seeks to destroy our way of life, our neighborhoods, schools, churches and values.”
Kirk, a frequent Fox News guest, filled his address with references that are steeped in right-wing media outrage. He condemned alleged tech censorship and “kicking doctors off social media,” falsely insinuated activists had forced the arrest of pastors, and said the American way of life means “church is more essential than a casino.”
Kirk’s speech was vaguely understandable on its own, but like much of the RNC, it only really made sense within the world created by Fox News and pro-Trump media outlets. It exists as part of a right-wing media ecosystem that has elevated divisive voices like Kirk’s who push the narrative that white America is under siege and only Trump can save it ― a message that has so far defined the Republican National Convention.
The speakers at the RNC this week have at least 3,171 combined appearances on Fox News since August 2017 alone, according to analysis from nonprofit group Media Matters for America. Some have made hundreds of appearances on the network, while others would not be public figures at all without right-wing media’s embrace.
It’s a reflection of how right-wing media has shaped the modern GOP, turning right-wing activists such as Kirk and fringe politicians into Trump World celebrities who now command center stage at the party’s marquee event.
On Monday, Mark and...
