Clarity: Weekly news round-up
Biden's State of the Union, Earthquake in Turkey & Syria, and THE BALLOON
Biden's State of the Union
In his 2023 State of the Union address, President Joe Biden called for unity in a sharply divided Congress and appealed to Republicans to raise the $34.1 trillion debt ceiling. He also discussed rebuilding the economy and uniting the nation, leading NATO, building a global coalition, and standing against Putin's aggression. Biden set the record for the oldest president to deliver a State of the Union address and made few concessions to public skepticism about his record.
How it’s being reported: This story has been covered evenly by all sides.
Given the political nature of the story, the narratives have varied significantly between left, right, and center.
The left have been challenging Republicans to work with Biden, while highlighting the success of his policies.
The center have been dispassionately examining the potential outcomes of his policies.
The right have been criticizing Biden’s policies and questioning their effectiveness.
Earthquake in Turkey & Syria
On February 6, 2023, a massive earthquake struck Turkey and Syria, killing over 4,300 people. The death toll has since risen to over 11,000, making it the world's deadliest earthquake disaster in more than a decade. The earthquake occurred 21 mi west of the city of Gaziantep at 4:17am local time.
How it’s being reported: This story has almost exclusively been covered by the left and center. This continues the trend of right-leaning media being more locally focused, with the left and center covering more international stories.
The narratives have been similar on this story:
The left are focused on the tragedy of event, and emphasizing the death toll.
The center are emphasizing the death toll and destruction.
The right are focused on the magnitude of event, and destruction involved.
Full analysis here.
US shoots down Chinese ‘spy’ balloon over Atlantic
A suspected Chinese high-altitude surveillance balloon was spotted over Montana on Saturday. The US tracked the balloon and eventually downed it off the coast of South Carolina. The incident has added to rising tensions between the two superpowers and China has called the downing an overreaction. The balloon's presence could be seen as a provocative action to affect upcoming meetings.
How it’s being reported: This story dominated the airwaves over the weekend, and was widely reported by all sides.
How the perspectives have varied:
The left are emphasizing the potential danger of the Chinese ‘spy’ balloon, and praising Biden’s reaction in response.
The center are focused on rising tensions between the US and China
The right are accusing China of espionage, and criticizing the Biden administration's response.
Full analysis here.
News bites
Google is launching a new AI-powered search engine to compete with ChatGPT. House voted to remove Rep. Ilhan Omar from Foreign Affairs Committee. Speaker Kevin McCarthy and President Biden discussed U.S. debt ceiling and budget cuts, but failed to reach an agreement. The FED is facing a prolonged fight against inflation.
That’s all for this week! Until next time.
Thanks!