SPIN CYCLE: Two Interviews Reveal How The Press Is Framing 2028

The 2028 presidential primaries may have just begun to peek over the horizon, but media personalities are already starting to put their thumbs on the scales as they go about interviewing those who seem likely to throw a hat into the ring.

For those who don’t spend their Sunday mornings glued to the television — and their Sunday afternoons attempting to dig through a week’s worth of network and cable news media spin — The Daily Wire has compiled a short summary of what you may have missed.

On Sunday, two competing interviews — one with Governor Josh Shapiro (D-PA) on ABC’s “This Week” and the other with Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) on CNN’s “State of the Union” — gave viewers a glimpse of what they might expect from legacy media as the next presidential election approached.

Early polling suggests that both Shapiro and Newsom could be considering a 2028 run for the White House, and as is often a precursor to such a campaign, both have published recent memoirs in an effort to test the waters. But the tone of those interviews shed some light on how the legacy media might treat the two governors differently during a presidential campaign.

On “This Week,” host Martha Raddatz was conciliatory toward Shapiro as long as he was keeping the attack focused on President Donald Trump.

At one point, knowing that Shapiro had been at a meeting with the president at the time, she asked him to describe Trump’s demeanor when he learned that his tariffs had been shot down by the Supreme Court.

Shapiro said that Trump had been taking questions from the governors at the meeting when an aide approached and handed him a piece of paper detailing the ruling. “I think he said, ‘we lost?’, as a question, the aide nodded in affirmation.”

Gov. Josh Shapiro describes what happened when President Trump found out about the Supreme Court ruling during a meeting at the White House: “I think he said, ‘we lost?’, as a question, the aide nodded in affirmation.” https://t.co/ZpBwNhvycr pic.twitter.com/vimv2UdJcN

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) February 22, 2026

Raddatz went on to ask about Trump’s new plan — to use Section 122 to levy tariffs rather than the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) as he had previously — and Shapiro once again condemned Trump.

“I wish he would just adhere to the Supreme Court’s ruling and stop the pain for the American people,” he said.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro on President Trump’s plan to use Section 122 to levy tariffs: “I wish he would just adhere to the Supreme Court’s ruling and stop the pain for the American people.” https://t.co/oAxlKTXb3i pic.twitter.com/gcKLdxKBFU

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) February 22, 2026

When asked about the possibility of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) surge in Pennsylvania, Shapiro toed the party line: “We do not want that kind of chaos in our communities in Pennsylvania, so don’t come. But if you come, we are prepared to address it.”

Gov. Josh Shapiro says Pennsylvania is preparing for a potential ICE surge: “We do not want that kind of chaos in our communities in Pennsylvania, so don’t come. But if you come, we are prepared to address it.” https://t.co/KOQRly9D1A pic.twitter.com/ISi98wnkw2

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) February 22, 2026

But then Raddatz pointed to a recent New York Times piece about a long-running feud between Shapiro and Senator John Fetterman (D-PA). Shapiro, clearly uncomfortable with the line of questioning, said only that his relationship with Fetterman was “constructive” — and would not commit to supporting the senator if he chose to run for reelection.

“I think he needs to decide if he’s running, and then we’ll make a decision from there,” Shapiro said, arguing that the feud was a fabrication on the part of journalists attempting to stir up drama.

Gov. Josh Shapiro says he has a “constructive relationship” with Sen. John Fetterman, but did not say if he would support a re-election bid: “I think he needs to decide if he’s running, and then we’ll make a decision from there.” https://t.co/dGjJbpGGuw pic.twitter.com/uxs577D8Oy

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) February 22, 2026

On “State of the Union,” the tone shift was slight but noticeable. Newsom was given a lot of the same opportunities to bash Trump — “he’s flailing,” the California governor said of the Supreme Court’s ruling striking down the tariffs.

Newsom reacts to Supreme Court ruling striking down most of Trump’s tariffs: “He’s flailing” pic.twitter.com/tI1yiSoZw1

— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) February 22, 2026

But then Newsom was given far more room to sell himself throughout the interview, from questions about how he dealt with the death of his mother to a detailed explanation about his lifelong struggle with dyslexia and how he now views that as a “superpower.”

Gavin Newsom on his lifelong struggle with dyslexia: “I do think it’s a superpower” pic.twitter.com/7Q0J8d0xks

— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) February 22, 2026

The most difficult question posed to Newsom was how he planned to handle it if his career and the career of his old friend — former Vice President Kamala Harris — ended up on a collision course in 2028. When Newsom dismissed the question out of hand as up to “fate,” Bash simply let the matter drop and allowed him to pivot right back to talking about his book.

Gavin Newsom on possibly facing Kamala Harris in the 2028 presidential primary: “I’ve never gotten in the way of her ambition” pic.twitter.com/PDm8CmkR96

— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) February 22, 2026

“That’s — you know, fate will determine that,” Newsom shrugged. “And I’ve never gotten in the way of her ambition, ever. I haven’t. And I don’t imagine I would in the future. But I don’t —”

“But if you run against each other for president —” Bash tried again.

“That’s fate,” Newsom said again, dismissing the question entirely. “You only can control what you can control. I think this entire book is that fundamental lesson. And this notion of controlling what you control, and taking responsibility for what you control, is a big part of what I try to communicate in this book. That’s the third thing, it’s like how this book will be received. It’s the third thing, I can’t control it. I can’t control whatever decisions she makes.”

As the primaries approach, the delineation will get clearer — but it’s already clear that Newsom has the media’s attention, and media outlets want to be sure he has yours too.