As deadly wildfires raged across Southern California this week, conservative and liberal media outlets reported similarly on the level of devastation that occurred. But they found vastly different culprits for it.
Right-wing outlets blamed much of the devastation on Democrats. They assailed the political leadership of California, which is heavily Democratic. They also blamed the destruction on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives undertaken in Los Angeles.
Liberal outlets criticized President-elect Donald J. Trump’s reaction to the fires, which they described as insensitive. Some attributed the intensity of the fires to climate change.
The fires have so far killed at least five people, although the sheriff has said the exact toll is unknown as this point, burned 27,000 acres of land and forced the mandatory evacuation of nearly 180,000 people in Los Angeles.
Here’s how a few outlets have been covering the news:
FROM THE RIGHT
Breitbart
Conservative outlets have blamed the fires on the incompetence of elected Democrats in California, including Karen Bass, the mayor of Los Angeles. When the fires broke out, Ms. Bass was visiting Ghana as part of a delegation for the inauguration of the country’s new president, a fact that has angered some of her constituents.