Poll shows US voters do not trust media's fact-checking

A majority of U.S. voters say that they do not trust U.S. media's fact-checking of presidential candidates' statements, according to a new poll.

The new Rasmussen Reports poll released on Friday found that when it comes to fact-checking presidential candidates' statements, almost two in three likely U.S. voters do not trust the media, with only 29 percent saying otherwise.

The distrust of media is deeper among Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's supporters, with 88 percent believing that U.S. media are biases. By contrast, almost six in ten Democrat Hillary Clinton's supporters trust media fact-checking.

While Clinton was criticized for shunning media by rarely holding a press conference, Trump, the New York billionaire developer famous for his bombastic tone, wrangled with the media now and then after his usually contradictory statements on issues such as Iraqi War and controversial remarks were scrutinized by the media.

The media bombardment began late July after Trump derisively answered criticism from Khizr Khan, the father of a Muslim American solider killed by a suicide bomber in Iraq.

On the final day of the Democratic National Convention, Khan blasted Trump for his divisive remarks and proposal to temporary ban Muslims entering the country.

The Republican standard-bearer responded by implying that Ms. Khan, who accompanied his husband on stage on the final day of the Democratic National Convention, was forbidden to speak.

Then on Aug. 9, Trump caused another round of media frenzy after suggesting that supporters of gun rights could take action against his Democratic counterpart Clinton if Clinton wins the election.

"Hillary wants to abolish, essentially abolish the Second Amendment," said Trump during a campaign rally in Wilmington, North Carolina. "By the way, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks."

"Though the Second Amendment people, maybe there is," he added.

As he was still scrambling to tackle the backlash after his gun rights comments, Trump on Aug. 10 handed the U.S. media new prime fodder after declaring that U.S. President Barack Obama "is the founder of ISIS," referring to the extremist group Islamic State.

Despite a conservative radio show host's apparent move to help him clarify his position, Trump on Aug.11 stepped up his accusation of Obama, saying that he "meant he (Obama) is the founder of ISIS."

Because of the deterioration of the relations between his campaign and the media, Trump in August call the U.S. news organizations "the crooked media," proclaiming that he was not running against "Crooked Hillary" but against "the crooked media."

Source : XINHUA