The New York Post is to news what Taco Bell is to food: fast-churned stuff that often induces unwanted reactions.
The distaste for the Post stems not just from its sleaze, but also its long history of racialized and often hateful reporting. The Rupert Murdoch-owned tabloid has, for example, depicted President Barack Obama as a monkey.
So it’s surprising, at least at first glance, that the publication is aggressively promoting a Democrat for governor of New York, let alone a racial minority and a self-described progressive. That undeclared candidate is Ritchie Torres, a congressman from the South Bronx who represents one of the country’s poorest districts.
The Post’s Love Affair With Ritchie Torres
Since reporting in November that Torres is “considering” a run for governor against the incumbent Democrat Governor Kathy Hochul, the Post has run three op-eds by the congressman. That’s a rate of one each month, making him a de facto columnist.
When Torres is not writing for the Post, the Post is writing about him. Glowingly.
The Post’s editors endorsed Torres for governor in November, calling him “a true progressive who’ll also speak the truth about Israel” — because, apparently, Murdoch’s minions are credible arbiters of progressivism, and the Middle East is directly connected with fixing up Albany.
All the Ritchie Torres News That’s Fit to Print
The Post isn’t shy about its support for Torres — even on its “news” side, in as much as that exists.
Since floating his potential run, Torres has been featured in roughly 30 articles, often cast as the leading voice of opposition to Governor Hochul, despite his low statewide name recognition.
Amusingly, in a December 10 article on a survey of New Yorkers’ preferences for their next governor, Torres was the first potential alternative to Hochul the Post mentioned, despite acknowledging that 68% of New York voters have no idea who he is.
Given that one of the Post’s reporters in the 2024 election cycle was a paid Republican operative, there might be more to this love affair between Ritchie Torres and Rupert Murdoch’s New York tabloid than meets the eye.
Stay tuned.
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