Both liberal and conservative media outlets in the country seemed to find common ground this week in their criticism of Michael D. Cohen, the government’s key witness in the case against former President Donald J. Trump.
However, the way they presented their arguments differed significantly.
Conservative outlets portrayed Mr. Cohen, a former lawyer for Mr. Trump, as a traitor to the conservative cause. On the other hand, liberal outlets focused on Mr. Cohen’s testimony regarding his efforts to impress Mr. Trump.
One noticeable distinction in their coverage of Mr. Cohen’s testimony was that most liberal news sources prominently featured his statements from the trial, the first criminal trial involving a former president. In contrast, many conservative outlets downplayed much of what he said in court.
Here is a summary of how the coverage unfolded:
FROM THE LEFT
MSNBC
MSNBC extensively covered Mr. Cohen’s testimony on both its TV channel and website. While acknowledging that Mr. Cohen had a tainted past, having served time in prison for various offenses including lying to Congress, most commentators still believed his testimony was damaging to Mr. Trump’s defense.
One of the key points raised was Mr. Cohen’s payment of $130,000 to Stormy Daniels, a porn star, to keep quiet about her alleged affair with Mr. Trump. Prosecutors claim that Mr. Trump later reimbursed Mr. Cohen and falsified records to conceal the payments as legal expenses. Mr. Trump has denied the affair and any wrongdoing related to the payments.
In an opinion piece for MSNBC, Hayes Brown labeled Mr. Cohen as a “known liar” and an unreliable witness for the prosecution. However, he noted that the prosecutors did not shy away from Mr. Cohen’s checkered past, which ironically enhanced his credibility as a witness.
Lawrence O’Donnell, a host on “All In,” observed that Mr. Cohen appeared more composed than usual during his courtroom appearances, indicating that he might be telling the truth. According to Mr. O’Donnell, Mr. Cohen’s motive was potentially to salvage what remained of his life by being truthful with prosecutors.
FROM THE LEFT
‘Pod Save America’
The popular liberal podcast “Pod Save America” dedicated the initial 10 minutes of its Tuesday episode to the trial. Host Jon Favreau and another host, Dan Pfeiffer, both former Obama administration officials, criticized Mr. Cohen as lacking credibility. Despite this, they acknowledged that Mr. Cohen’s claims were supported by evidence, making him a credible witness in their view.
Mr. Favreau highlighted the abundance of documentation backing up Mr. Cohen’s testimony, leading to the perception of his credibility among reporters present in the courtroom.
FROM THE RIGHT
Fox News
Similar to MSNBC, Fox News extensively covered Mr. Cohen’s testimony both online and on television. However, their coverage largely focused on discrediting Mr. Cohen as a witness and suggesting that his testimony weakened the prosecution’s case.
Greg Gutfeld, a host and commentator on Fox News, dismissed Mr. Cohen as not being a credible individual, stating, “no one can take this guy seriously.” He criticized Mr. Cohen’s testimony as lacking substance and credibility.
On the show “The Five,” Mr. Gutfeld commented, “It’s hard to poke holes in Cohen’s testimony because it’s all holes and no cheese. It’s just air.”
FROM THE RIGHT
Newsmax
Outside the courthouse, Jon Glasgow, a reporter for Newsmax, expressed skepticism about the significance of Mr. Cohen’s testimony in potentially convicting Mr. Trump.
Greg Kelly, an anchor on Newsmax known for his support of Mr. Trump, criticized Mr. Cohen for seeking public attention. Mr. Kelly portrayed Mr. Cohen as unintelligent and attention-seeking, labeling him as a “pathetic clown.”
In his show “Greg Kelly Reports,” Mr. Kelly expressed disdain for Mr. Cohen, emphasizing his negative traits and character.
FROM THE RIGHT
The New York Post
Following Mr. Cohen’s testimony, The New York Post chose not to feature him on its front page. Instead, the publication highlighted a factual error in a book by Jen Psaki, President Biden’s former press secretary. This decision to focus on a different story rather than Mr. Cohen’s testimony reflected the Post’s editorial priorities at the time.
The Post ran a front-page image of Mr. Biden checking his watch during a ceremony for fallen U.S. soldiers, contradicting Ms. Psaki’s claim that he had not done so until after the event.
