The past decade has been marked by media outlets like CNN and MSNBC dedicating an increasing amount of their time to addressing, criticizing, and combating conservative narratives. During this seemingly beneficial shift in production-in the wake of rising right-wing extremism, when it is more important than ever to address the dangers of the conservative agenda-this shift actually comes with numerous downsides. Broadcasting conservative voices, no matter the context, elevates the voices of far-right politicians and extremist groups. Furthermore, left-leaning news organizations inviting conservative pundits onto their shows to “debate” opposing opinions only serves to advance their credibility. Even when the host is able to dismantle the core of the argument, the mere act of debate can make the public subconsciously accept that the opposing view is legitimate. This fabricated legitimacy allows conservatives to expand their audience as well as push their agenda further and further into public policy. 

Take the debate over Critical Race Theory (CRT), for example; CRT has become a highly publicized-and criticized-talking point amongst many conservative media groups in recent months. A recent study by Media Matters found that between March 2021 and June 2021, mentions (or segments discussing) CRT on Fox News rose from nearly zero to more than 1,900. Most of the conversations encompassing the topic of CRT on Fox News and channels alike have been a masterclass in spreading misinformation. Conservative pundits like Tucker Carlson have used their platforms to cloud the actual meaning of CRT by cherry-picking statistics, incorrectly referencing academic literature, and deliberately twisting its meaning to fit their narrative. Their narrative? That CRT is teaching students that all white people are inherently racist. Although CRT is an academic discipline geared towards graduate students, not ten-year-olds, many conservatives have come to believe that teaching about race relations in the classroom is doing more to divide students than unite them.

The problem surrounding the debate around Critical Race Theory isn’t that Fox News and Republican politicians have chosen to intentionally misconstrue the academic discipline, though, it’s that the left has chosen to listen. To date, both CNN and MSNBC have dedicated countless news segments to the CRT debate. Some of their coverage has been dedicated solely to combating Fox News’ fear-mongering. An ABC segment in which two history professors of history participated in a discussion about the meaning of CRT is a notable example of CRT coverage that has been largely beneficial to the conservative narrative. Much of the coverage on both platforms, though, has exclusively served (whether intentionally or not) to give conservative mouthpieces a platform to further spread their disinformation. For example, on July 6th, CNN devoted a nearly 10-minute portion of their broadcast to a segment titled “Why parents say they worry about Critical Race Theory.” The segment features an interview with a white anti-CRT activist who claims she is afraid that CRT will “indoctrinate” a new generation of children and will compel “Antifa kids” to attack her children “because of the color of their skin.” On the same day, MSNBC published an interview with Christopher Rufo, an avid critic of CRT with far-right leanings, titled “Writer Discusses Why He Opposes Critical Race Theory.” During this interview, Rufo claims that Chicago schools are teaching students that “whiteness is the devil.”  The mere existence of an interview between a highly regarded journalist on a widely accredited news platform can make anyone seem more legitimate than they actually are. No matter the intentions of these particular news segments, all have the same outcome; they have given their attention to ridiculous and incorrect conservative talking points and have consequently made them legitimate. 

As a result, CRT critics have weaponized this legitimacy to push their agendas further into public education policy. Since the beginning of this year, many conservative politicians have come out against the teaching of CRT in their respective districts. In many states (most of which have Republican-led governments), conservatives have used anti-CRT legislation to ban other forms of anti-racist and multi-cultural American history education programs. In Texas, Gov. Gregg Abbott signed into law a bill that not only bans some forms of CRT from being taught in classrooms, but also removed the “mandate to teach pivotal civil rights documents.” Similarly, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed a bill into law that limits the teaching of “institutional racism, white privilege, and Critical Race Theory.” This legislation and others like it point to a more significant trend in the anti-CRT campaign. CRT opponents are using CRT as a mechanism to combat important civic and educational policies which mandate baselines for teaching about the racism present throughout all of America’s past and its implications. Essentially, CRT opponents are using the legitimacy they have gained from news and media coverage to push an agenda of banning all teachings about race and racism in public schools. As a result, across the country, public education policy is moving further right. As a result of this new legislation, a generation of students may miss out on a fundamental understanding of America’s past and present. 

Conservative weaponization of their fabricated legitimacy is not limited to the “debate” around CRT. Time and time again, conservatives have demonstrated that they can use the power of the mainstream media to legitimize relatively illegitimate and unjustified partisan debates. Take the 2020 election for example. From the beginning, there was no factual evidence to suggest any form of fraud or ballot miscalculation. However, Donald Trump and other conservative political figures continued to push the notion that the 2020 election was plagued by widespread voter fraud. As a result, the “stop the steal” movement gained traction in the conservative political sphere and was legitimized by liberal media coverage. It’s almost hard to believe the scale at which left-leaning news outlets have covered conservatives on “election fraud” even now. On August 6, CNN devoted 20 minutes of Anderson Cooper 360 to an interview with Mike Lindell (MyPillow promoter  and hardcore Trump supporter) in which Cooper and Lindell duke it out over the alleged election fraud. Why is CNN still giving a platform to far-right extremists running disinformation campaigns that rip the fabric of our democracy to shreds? Any rational person knows that there has been no such “election fraud, so why is this topic even up for discussion? Again, CNN’s willingness to engage in this discourse only serves to advance the legitimacy of these election lies. The liberal media has allowed itself to be consumed by the Fox News agenda. Again, the consequences have been dangerous. The constant discussion of the so-called “steal” on all news channels, and Donald Trump’s refusal to concede the election culminated in the January 6 insurrection. Additionally, Republican governors and legislators in states like Pennsylvania and Georgia have taken this opportunity to pass some of the strictest voting laws in the country, laws that can and will limit the voting ability of citizens, especially in minority districts. These rightward shifts are in part because Democrats and the liberal media have unintentionally legitimized the election debate. Again, right-wing politicians have used these seeds of legitimacy to create permanent legislation that will restrict the rights of Democrat voters.

To be clear, the essence of this article is not to argue that liberal media outlets should eliminate debate and discourse with conservative political figures altogether. In fact, in an America divided so significantly along partisan lines, it’s more important than ever to engage in meaningful debates of opposing opinions that are rational and based in fact. Mainstream media platforms already largely become echo chambers of similar viewpoints; we need not intensify it by refusing to consider one another’s logical opinion. As liberal media outlets and politicians continue to entertain debates that are founded on no factual evidence, we will continue to see conservatives run away with their ability to legitimize their fabricated grievances with the left. Conservatives understand their ability to legitimize ridiculous partisan debates through the mainstream media, and many use this power as a tool to push the conservative agenda. If left-leaning media and politicians continue to meet conservatives in the middle, we will continue to see a cycle in which conservative political figures weaponize minute cultural disagreements to push far-right legislation. Ultimately, we as a country will not be able to move on from Trump-era partisan “debates” if liberal media outlets like CNN and MSNBC continue to dedicate segment after segment to news stories that are at best trivial and at worst dangerous. The left will not be able to stop Fox News and other right-wing media outlets from exaggerating and contriving frivolous news stories to garner attention, but we can stop magnifying their voices. Not only do CNN, MSNBC, and others need to reconsider what they’re converting and how they’re doing so, but we as individuals must remember to be mindful of the real source of our news.