By Guy Page
October 28, 2020 – Where the Hunter Biden laptop scandal story is concerned, it’s still crickets from the Vermont media.
On October 15, Vermont Daily published “VT media buzz about Biden computer = crickets,” describing the in-state media’s disinterest. Clearly Vermont readers are intrigued: True North Report’s publication of the story drew almost 100 comments.
One True North commenter described the problem in a nutshell: “This is a very important situation and the lack of media coverage means that we have to cover this ourselves, to get the story out as it unfolds. Or at least attempt to.”
Another person wrote: “The traditional US, Europe and Vermont media have decided not to mention the grafting and grifting of the Biden clan in Ukraine, Russia and Moscow….Is that the way the US people are allowed to elect their PRESIDENT?”
Despite reader interest, since October 15 Vermont Daily has found exactly two published reports (besides our own) on Vermont media, both op-eds. True North also carried a column by conservative gadfly Bob Orleck suggesting the Democrats may use the scandal to push Biden out of office in favor of VP Kamala Harris. Bennington Banner columnist Alden Graves dismissed the story as “manufactured furor” and “completely unsubstantiated allegations” that are “peppered with the same kind of Russian disinformation.”
The Banner column may be a “nothing to see here, go read something else” kind of story, but at least it was something – as opposed to the “nothing” of local news and commentary in other Vermont media.
VT Digger ran a 10/23 national Politifact “Fact Check” story on the last presidential debate that mentions Hunter Biden but nothing about the laptop scandal.
Fox 44 has nothing about Biden in local coverage. Its website carries national AP links disputing the Post narrative. WCAX carried a national headline on GOP senators ordering Facebook and Twitter to testify about censoring the New York Post story, but has had no local coverage. VPR, Burlington Free Press, Rutland Herald – nothing local there either. If you look hard enough on their websites, and on a few others, you can find a few links to national news.
There are many tried-and-true ways to “make it local” and maybe even contribute to the national story.Vermont reporters could dig into whether Hunter Biden or any of his many business partners and clients do business in Vermont; they could ask Vermont politicians who have met members of the extended Biden family what if anything they knew about the alleged trading on Vice-President Biden’s name; they could ask our congressional delegation what they think of the scandal.
The story’s been a live ball for almost three weeks. But so far, no-one in the Vermont media will kick it. The story has drawn fewer reporters than voters to a Joe Biden drive-in rally. Wonder why? And what other stories aren’t being covered?