A media that will not take responsibility for itself.

“It sparked speculation,” says the media (not, “I am speculating!”) Is it speculation running amok, or them running amok speculating and debasing themselves? A media that will not take responsibility for itself.

Salena Zito is Andrew’s guest today. She is the co-author with Brad Todd of The Great Revolt: Inside the Populist Coalition Reshaping American Politics

Why did everybody get this election so wrong? They live in the beltway or with coastal elites. She lives in Pittsburg. “When you live here, you understand the people better. When you parachute into an area, rather than live in the area, it sort of dulls your instincts because you are on such a limited time, you look for the shiny object instead of what is the regular, what is the norm. When she does travel to another town, she stays there a couple of days.

Salena thinks this election was not about Donald Trump, although that is what the pundits and media were focusing on.

King Cyrus Christian voters: evangelical Catholics decided to be pragmatic. Religious liberty more important to them than Trump having the same values. Iowa primaries: Republicans liked Ben Carson and Ted Cruz, but “that Donald Trump? He’s a fighter! He would go to the mattresses for us!” That’s when I realized he would win the nomination.

What about the midterms? “The Trump coalition is completely intact. They see how the media “have it in for him.”