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Maine Dem Accuses Susan Collins of Kissing Trump's 'Ass': Crickets From CNN, Morning Joe
By Extra Extra Editorial
Cross-spectrum analysis, synthesized with AI from 3 sources · Updated
During Maine's 2024 midterm campaign, a Democratic opponent of Senator Susan Collins used inflammatory language in an attack ad, prompting Collins to respond with criticism of the ad's tone and content. The incident sparked debate about campaign rhetoric and personal attacks in political advertising. Right-leaning media outlets highlighted what they characterized as selective coverage of the controversy, suggesting mainstream news organizations downplayed or ignored the story.
Left-leaning outlets focused on Collins's response as a form of downward punching, emphasizing that a sitting senator with significant power and resources was attacking a challenger's campaign tactics rather than engaging substantively on policy. This framing positions Collins as wielding institutional advantage against a less-resourced opponent.
Right-leaning media centered on the alleged media blackout, arguing that major cable news networks and morning shows failed to cover the Democratic candidate's inflammatory rhetoric with the same scrutiny they would apply to Republican candidates. This framing treats the story primarily as evidence of liberal media bias rather than as a campaign conduct issue.
Key Differences
- Left outlets emphasized Collins's power differential and framed her criticism as punching down; right outlets emphasized alleged media silence and framed the story as evidence of bias
- Left coverage focused on the substance of campaign tone and civility; right coverage focused on media selection and differential treatment across partisan lines
- Center/independent outlets provided no coverage, leaving a notable gap in non-partisan analysis of the incident
How this story is being covered
Extra Extra has grouped 3 reports on this story from 3 news outlets across the political spectrum. By political lean, that breaks down as 2 left-leaning and 1 right-leaning sources.
Its coverage-diversity score of 58 out of 100 means the story is being reported across multiple parts of the spectrum, though the volume leans toward one side. Interestingly, the story is being covered on the left and the right but not by the centrist outlets we track — a sign it may be more polarizing than consensus-driven.
On reliability, 2 of the 3 rated outlets carry a high or mostly-factual reliability rating (A or B) and 1 outlet fall into our mixed or lower-reliability tier (C or D). Ratings are drawn from independent assessments and are meant to help you weigh each report, not to tell you which to trust.
The reports clustered here landed within about 1 hour of each other, suggesting a fast-moving, breaking story.
Below, the same story is laid out side by side as left, center, and right outlets reported it. Read across the columns and watch what changes: the headline emphasis, which facts lead, the adjectives, and what each side leaves out. The story itself rarely changes — the framing almost always does.
Outlets covering this story: The Oregonian, AL.com, NewsBusters.
Left(2)
The OregonianBOct 27, 8:56 PM
Susan Collins accused of punching down at opponent in ‘disgusting’ midterm ad
The new Senate campaign ad featuring Maine broadcasting legend Bill Green is being criticized as "elitist."
AL.comBOct 27, 8:56 PM
Susan Collins accused of punching down at opponent in ‘disgusting’ midterm ad
The new Senate campaign ad featuring Maine broadcasting legend Bill Green is being criticized as "elitist."
Center(0)
Right(1)
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