PoliticsFeature1 day ago

Newly elected House members pose for class photo on Capitol steps

Coverage spectrum

Covered by 3 outlets, mostly right-leaning (67%).

3 articles in total. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

Image via The Epoch TimesHow images are chosen Report this image

Newly elected House members posed for a group class photo on the Capitol steps on Nov. 12, according to The Washington Post, the New York Post and The Epoch Times. The Washington Post says the members, who will be sworn in on Jan. 3, stepped off buses that morning to pose. The New York Post says a group of freshman Democrats, which it calls ‘The Bloc’, posed together during orientation, and that political journalists have used that name since at least September. The Post describes the group as a progressive coalition that coordinates its strategy.

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. Editors read every story. How this works

New to Mantle? It shows who is covering each story across the political spectrum, and highlights loaded words. How to read a storyHide the guide

The coverage spectrum counts the outlets covering a story at each of five points. A short or missing segment means that part of the spectrum is mostly quiet.

Governor Loaded verb“slams”It adds drama to what was said. The governor criticized the lawmakers; “slams” makes it sound like a fight.More neutral: criticizes lawmakers over budget delay

Highlights mark words that carry a judgement. Tap one to see why, and what a neutral writer would say. Here it is “criticizes”.

The 5-point spectrum

Far Left
Voices that strongly advocate for progressive policies and systemic change.
Left
Mainstream liberal perspectives focusing on social equality and regulation.
Center
Sources that prioritize neutral reporting and balanced viewpoints.
Right
Mainstream conservative perspectives focusing on market freedom and tradition.
Far Right
Voices that strongly advocate for conservative values and limited government.

How we measure bias

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

Newly elected House members gathered for a group photo on the Capitol steps on Nov. 12.
Reported byLeft1Right1Far Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
Left
The Washington Post
Right
New York Post
Far Right
The Epoch Times
The newly elected members will be sworn in on Jan. 3.
One outletThe Washington Post· Left
The New York Post reports that a group of freshman Democrats, which it calls ‘The Bloc’, posed together during orientation.
One outletNew York Post· Right
The New York Post says political journalists have used the name ‘The Bloc’ since at least September, and that the group coordinates strategy.
One outletNew York Post· Right

How each side tells it

Compare views

All three outlets report that newly elected House members posed for a group photo on the Capitol steps on Nov. 12. The Washington Post treats it as a light class photo, while the New York Post describes a left-wing group it calls ‘The Bloc’ and mocks its photos.

the left
1 outlet
The Washington Post’s headline is light and playful, treating the event as a class photo with a ‘Say cheese!’ tone and no judgement of the group.
Say cheese! New Congress members pose for class photo.
The Washington PostLeftAll left-leaning headlines
the center
No coverage yet
No center outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.
the right
2 outlets
The New York Post mocks the group as a left-wing bloc with ‘cringey’ photos, while The Epoch Times, rated Far Right, uses a plain descriptive headline about the group photo.
Loaded modifier“Lefty freshmen”The label ‘Lefty’ is a partisan tag for the members rather than a neutral description of them.More neutral: Progressive freshman lawmakersDisagree with this highlight? lawmakers known as ‘The Bloc’ Loaded verb“swarm”‘Swarm’ suggests an invasion-like crowd rather than a group of lawmakers gathering.More neutral: gatherDisagree with this highlight? Capitol Hill for Loaded modifier“cringey photos”‘Cringey’ is the outlet’s own mocking judgement of the photos, not a description of them.More neutral: group photosDisagree with this highlight?
New York PostRightAll right-leaning headlines

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

Left0
No loaded words in its own voice.
Center
Has not covered this story.
Right3
Lefty freshmenswarmcringey photos

In the outlets’ own words

Loaded modifier
Lefty freshmenMore neutral: Progressive freshman lawmakers
The label ‘Lefty’ is a partisan tag for the members rather than a neutral description of them.
Lefty freshmen lawmakers known as ‘The Bloc’ swarm Capitol Hill for cringey photos
Used byNew York Post (Right)
Loaded verb
swarmMore neutral: gather
‘Swarm’ suggests an invasion-like crowd rather than a group of lawmakers gathering.
Lefty freshmen lawmakers known as ‘The Bloc’ swarm Capitol Hill for cringey photos
Used byNew York Post (Right)
Loaded modifier
cringey photosMore neutral: group photos
‘Cringey’ is the outlet’s own mocking judgement of the photos, not a description of them.
Lefty freshmen lawmakers known as ‘The Bloc’ swarm Capitol Hill for cringey photos
Used byNew York Post (Right)

See the full language guide

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

1 outlet

Leads with

Lighthearted class photo
Members’ arrival and pose
Swearing-in date

Leaves out

The ‘Bloc’ label and the claim of coordinated strategy

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the headline from the leftHide the headlines

The Washington PostLeft
Say cheese! New Congress members pose for class photo.
New House members, who will be sworn in on Jan. 3, stepped off their buses bright and early this morning to climb the House steps and pose for their class photo.
1 day agoRead at The Washington Post (opens in a new tab)

From the center

0 outlets

No center outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

From the right

2 outlets

Leads with

Left-wing bloc label
Coordinated strategy
Mocking tone about the photos

Leaves out

Jan. 3 swearing-in date

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 2 headlines from the rightHide the headlines

New York PostRight
Loaded modifier“Lefty freshmen”The label ‘Lefty’ is a partisan tag for the members rather than a neutral description of them.More neutral: Progressive freshman lawmakersDisagree with this highlight? lawmakers known as ‘The Bloc’ Loaded verb“swarm”‘Swarm’ suggests an invasion-like crowd rather than a group of lawmakers gathering.More neutral: gatherDisagree with this highlight? Capitol Hill for Loaded modifier“cringey photos”‘Cringey’ is the outlet’s own mocking judgement of the photos, not a description of them.More neutral: group photosDisagree with this highlight?
“They’re moving as a bloc,” a progressive operative said.
22 hr agoRead at New York Post (opens in a new tab)
The Epoch TimesFar Right
Newly Elected Members of Congress Gather for Photo at US Capitol
Newly elected members of Congress gather for a group photo on the steps of the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Nov. 12.
1 day agoRead at The Epoch Times (opens in a new tab)

The stories you read build My Mix, a private picture of which sides cover the stories you choose, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.

Who reported it when

How the coverage built up

Left
5 hr 42 min later
Its first report, Nov 12, 2:10 PM EST
Center
No report yet
From the outlets Mantle follows
Right
First to report
The Epoch Times, Nov 12, 8:27 AM EST

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order

The Epoch TimesFar RightNov 12, 8:27 AM EST
The Washington PostLeftNov 12, 2:10 PM EST
New York PostRightNov 12, 6:50 PM EST

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out.

Newly elected House members pose for class photo on Capitol steps

Coverage spectrum

Key points

Compare views

the left

the center

the right

Language to notice

In the outlets’ own words

Side by side

From the left

Say cheese! New Congress members pose for class photo.

From the center

From the right

Newly Elected Members of Congress Gather for Photo at US Capitol

How the coverage built up

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