Should the Media Call Out Political Distractions?
In today’s hyperactive media landscape, where headlines change by the hour and attention spans stretch thinner by the day, it’s worth asking: Should the media call out political distractions when they happen? More to the point—why don’t they already?
Political distractions are nothing new, but in recent years, they’ve become an art form. One tactic in particular—the “dead cat strategy”—has proven especially effective. The idea is simple, if grotesque: throw a metaphorical “dead cat” on the table—something shocking, absurd, or outrageous—so that everyone stops talking about the real issue and focuses on the spectacle. The phrase, often referred to as deadcatting, gained traction in British politics but has since become a global staple. And no one has wielded it more effectively, or more brazenly, than Donald Trump.
For example, he used this during the 2024 debate with candidate Kamala Harris when he described Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio “eating cats and dogs” …. talk about deadcatting with irony. In a more recent example, in the middle of the uproar about the release of the notorious Jeffrey Epstein list, seemingly out of the blue Trump announced on Truth Social “Because of the fact that Rosie O’Donnell is not in the best interests of our Great Country, I am giving serious consideration to taking away her Citizenship.” - a head-shaking statement. The President does not have the authority to remove citizenship. But more importantly, the O’Donnell statement was prominently covered by CNN, Fox News, Reuters, Scripps, CNBC and a host of other media outlets. The dead cat strategy works.
As reported in the Fulcrum, Brian L. Ott, who spent two years studying President Trump’s rhetoric on social media, found that Trump's posts typically served one of three purposes: distracting and two companion strategies, dissembling (to put on a false appearance), and discrediting. In Ott’s words, “Collectively, these three strategies make the president a master of misdirection.” “Quite simply, no president in the modern era has been more successful at shaping and manipulating the news cycle than Donald Trump.”
Why does the media get caught up in this? Legacy media organizations often prioritize stories that attract viewership or readership, which can lead to an emphasis on sensational political events over an in-depth analysis of policy issues. This cycle perpetuates a focus on political drama rather than constructive dialogue about governance. The practice of political distraction is in full bloom in 2025.
Social media is also a contributor. It has transformed the way political information is disseminated and consumed. Platforms like X and Facebook allow for rapid sharing of news and opinions, often leading to a focus on sound bites and viral moments. Politicians can leverage these platforms to create narratives that capture public attention…the more outrageous the better.
The dead cat strategy deliberately averts truthfulness and transparency in that regard; Donald Trump’s active use of this approach warrants a red flag. But the media also shares responsibility. Rather than simply reporting an outrageous statement as a news item, the media can choose to identify a politician’s statement as an “apparent dead cat strategy” in covering the story. In doing so, they are alerting the consumer to factor that information into consideration. For the consumer, it is a better service. For the media, it is a better alternative than becoming part of the problem.
