Conservatives decry media coverage of Biden playing Mario Kart and his dogs after four years of critical Trump headlines

“Joe Biden, Playing as Luigi, Wins in Mario Kart Race Against Granddaughter at Camp David,” Newsweek’s headline, published Monday, reads.

But Newsweek isn’t alone in publishing favorable content about Biden, with outlets ranging from Fortune to the Associated Press running pieces focusing on the president’s clothing choices and how pets are back in the White House.

“Biden’s attire progressed through three distinct and deliberate phases as candidate, President-elect, and President,” a headline from Fortune read the day after the inauguration.

“‘It just symbolizes everything’: Bidens bring presidential PDA back to the White House,” a Feb. 14 Politico headline states, reporting on the Bidens’ displaying public affection toward one another.

Melissa Cooke, Politico’s communications director, told the Washington Examiner that the outlet “is committed to vigorously holding the Biden administration to account — to the same standard that we have covered previous administrations.” She added that since Biden’s inauguration, Politico has reported stories about how Biden’s aim to isolate China on coal could blow back on the U.S. and about how Democrats are preparing for heartburn over Biden’s immigration plan.

“On a mission to rebuild institutional norms and help heal a hurting nation, Joe and Jill Biden are trying something novel after four years of the Trumps: a little tenderness,” the Politico story begins.

On Tuesday, CNN reported on Biden’s preference for keeping a fire stoked in the Oval Office’s fireplace.

“He has expressed a preference for a fire built in the Oval Office fireplace, and sometimes adds a log himself to keep it going. His dogs, two German Shepherds called Major and Champ, sometimes join him,” CNN reported in the story titled “Inside the new President’s routine: Oval Office fires and early bedtimes.”

ABC published a piece ahead of Presidents Day headlined, “Biden plays video games with family, shows off presidential ‘swag’ at Camp David,” which reported on Biden sporting presidential apparel he received from his family.

The media has also overwhelmingly lauded the Bidens for bringing two dogs into the White House after Trump’s tenure saw no pets.

“Pets are back: Biden’s 2 dogs settle in at White House,” the Associated Press reported on Jan. 25 of Biden’s dogs Champ and Major.

“Biden dogs set paws on White House grounds,” ABC reported.

“Joe Biden’s Dogs Shepherd In New Era of Presidential Pets at the White House,” the Wall Street Journal reported on Jan. 20.

“Biden dogs to make appearance during Puppy Bowl,” the Associated Press reported in another presidential dog post.

In contrast, during the Trump administration, media outlets reported that Trump brought no pets into the White House, with one GQ Magazine headline reading, “Donald Trump hates dogs. Here’s what that tells us about him.”

The positive coverage under the Biden administration has extended beyond the commander in chief, with first lady Jill Biden also receiving headlines on her fashion selections and her daily routine.

“24 of Jill Biden’s best fashion looks over the years,” Insider published on Jan. 28.

While a headline from the Washington Post published on Tuesday reads, “Power Up: Scrunchies and dog walking: the country gets a taste of Jill Biden’s radical normalcy.”

Trump took issue with lack of coverage on former first lady Melania Trump over the last four years, tweeting on Christmas Day that she is the “greatest of all time.”

The Guardian headlined a story on Trump’s comments as, “Trump finds time to complain that Melania has not been featured on enough magazine covers, despite mounting crises,” and noted that the president was dealing with a COVID-19 relief bill and coronavirus cases, two issues that continued into the Biden administration.

The contrast between the coverage of Trump and Biden has sparked cries of outrage from conservatives, who say it’s a blatant example of bias within the media.

“Watching the press handle Joe Biden is like watching a family try to help a three-year-old win Candyland,” the Federalist’s Mollie Hemingway said in January.