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Obama criticizes federal immigration probe of Rep. Ilhan Omar

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Coverage spectrum

Covered by 11 outlets across the spectrum.

19 articles in total, 4 of them opinion. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

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Former President Barack Obama has publicly criticized a federal criminal investigation of Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., calling it appalling and saying the Trump administration is targeting a political critic. Federal agents searched Omar's Washington home and issued subpoenas to some family members in an inquiry into her immigration paperwork. Obama said the probe seeks to strip Omar of her U.S. citizenship and deport her. Some commentators on the right questioned his position, pointing to earlier questions about Omar's immigration status, age and finances, which they called legitimate inquiries.

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

What happened

Key points

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

  1. Federal agents searched Omar’s Washington home and issued subpoenas to some family members as part of an inquiry into her immigration paperwork.

    Reported byFar Left1Left1Center1Right1Far Right2See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    The Daily Beast
    Left
    The New York Times
    Center
    BBC News
    Right
    Washington Examiner
    Far Right
    Just the News, The Western Journal

  2. Obama said in a lengthy post that the investigation is appalling and that the Trump administration is targeting a political critic.

    Across the spectrumReported byFar Left1Left3Center2Right2Far Right4See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    The Daily Beast
    Left
    The New York Times, NBC News, TheGrio
    Center
    The Hill, BBC News
    Right
    New York Post, Washington Examiner
    Far Right
    Fox News, Just the News, The Western Journal, Breitbart News

  3. Obama said the probe aims to strip Omar of her U.S. citizenship and deport her.

    Reported byFar Left1Center1Far Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    The Daily Beast
    Center
    The Hill
    Far Right
    Fox News

  4. Omar was born in Somalia, lived in a Kenyan refugee camp, and immigrated to the United States as a child.

    One outletThe Daily Beast· Far Left

  5. Peter Schweizer said questions about Omar’s immigration status, age, first marriage and finances have long surrounded her and called the inquiries legitimate.

    One outletBreitbart News· Far Right

  6. The Washington Examiner reports Omar has been under various fraud investigations, the most recent questioning whether she should have been granted U.S. citizenship.

    One outletWashington Examiner· Right

What is contested

Where accounts differ

Points the coverage does not agree on, and who says what.

  • The investigation of Omar is politically targeted against a Trump critic.

    Obama, and outlets reporting his view, say the probe targets a critic; Peter Schweizer and other commentators on the right say it rests on legitimate questions about Omar’s immigration status, age and finances.

  • Omar’s U.S. citizenship is at issue in the investigation.

    Obama says the probe seeks to strip her of citizenship, and Fox News reports the same; the Washington Examiner says the most recent probe questions whether she should have been granted citizenship.

How each side tells it

Compare views

Every side reports that Obama publicly criticized the federal investigation of Rep. Ilhan Omar and called it appalling. Left and center coverage largely relays Obama’s view that the probe intimidates a critic, while right-leaning outlets stress Omar’s immigration and personal history and question Obama’s consistency.

  • the left

    4 outlets

    Left headlines put Obama’s “appalling” rebuke and his defense of Omar first and name the Trump administration as the party running the probe; the Far Left Daily Beast uses more combative wording.

    Obama calls Trump officials’ investigation of Ilhan Omar ‘appalling’
    NBC NewsLeftAll left-leaning headlines

  • the center

    2 outlets

    Center headlines quote Obama directly, one saying the probe should outrage all Americans and the other calling it so appalling, and both name the Trump administration as the party running the probe.

    Obama says Trump administration probe of congresswoman Ilhan Omar is 'so appalling'
    BBC NewsCenterAll center headlines

  • the right

    5 outlets · 4 opinion

    Right headlines repeat Obama’s accusation of weaponization, while Far Right opinion and commentary pieces treat his defense as a sign Democrats fear what the investigation will show.

    Obama backs Ilhan Omar amid probe, accuses Trump admin of 'appalling' targeting in lengthy statement
    Fox NewsFar RightAll 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.

  • Left4

    amped up its campaign againstUnloads onslammedcondemns

  • Center0

    No loaded words in its own voice.

  • Right12

    lashing out againstAbsolutely InsaneripsWHINES ABOUT

In the outlets’ own words

  • Loaded verb

    lashing out againstMore neutral: criticizing

    The phrase describes Obama’s criticism as an emotional outburst rather than a statement.

    Former President Barack Obama is lashing out against President Donald Trump for the decision to criminally investigate Democrat Rep.…

    Used byTownhall (Far Right)

  • Sensational language

    Absolutely InsaneMore neutral: Obama’s Comments on the Ilhan Omar Situation Draw Criticism

    The word judges Obama’s comments rather than describing what he said.

    Obama's Comments on the Ilhan Omar Situation Are Absolutely Insane

    Used byTownhall (Far Right)

  • Loaded verb

    ripsMore neutral: criticizes

    The verb adds a tone of attack beyond the fact that Obama criticized the investigation.

    Obama rips ‘appalling’ investigation of Ilhan Omar: ‘Should outrage all Americans’

    Used byWashington Examiner (Right)

  • Loaded verb

    amped up its campaign againstMore neutral: increased its investigation of

    The phrase describes the investigation as a campaign against Omar, which presumes its purpose rather than describing its steps.

    The administration amped up its campaign against the Minnesota congresswoman this week, with Homeland Security…

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

Show 12 more phrasesShow fewer

  • Loaded verb

    Unloads onMore neutral: criticizes

    The phrase adds drama beyond the fact that Obama criticized the administration.

    Obama Unloads on Trump Over His ‘Appalling’ Conduct

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Loaded verb

    WHINES ABOUTMore neutral: criticizes

    ‘Whines’ presents Obama’s criticism as petty complaint, which the excerpt does not show.

    BARACK OBAMA — OF ALL PEOPLE — WHINES ABOUT TRUMP ADMIN’S INVESTIGATION INTO ILHAN OMAR… BARACK OBAMA: It is a basic principle…

    Used byThe Daily Caller (Far Right)

  • Loaded verb

    Groans AboutMore neutral: Responds to

    ‘Groans’ presents Obama’s statement as complaining rather than as a response to the investigation.

    Editor Daily Rundown: Barack Obama Groans About Investigation Into Ilhan Omar

    Used byThe Daily Caller (Far Right)

  • Sensational language

    fierce conservative backlashMore neutral: conservative criticism

    ‘Fierce’ adds intensity that the description does not support with detail.

    Barack Obama's vocal defense of Ilhan Omar drew fierce conservative backlash citing his own administration's IRS targeting of Tea Party groups.

    Used byFox News (Far Right)

  • Sensational language

    online firestormMore neutral: online reaction

    ‘Firestorm’ inflates the online reaction into a dramatic event.

    Former President Barack Obama sparked an online firestorm on Sunday after posting his support for Rep.

    Used byFox News (Far Right)

  • Loaded verb

    triggers instant backlashMore neutral: draws criticism from conservatives

    ‘Triggers’ and ‘instant’ present the reaction as a dramatic event rather than describing the criticism that followed.

    Obama's lengthy reaction to Omar investigation triggers instant backlash: 'Spare me'

    Used byFox News (Far Right)

  • Loaded verb

    slammedMore neutral: criticized

    ‘Slammed’ adds force beyond what the quoted criticism conveys.

    President Barack Obama slammed the Trump administration’s current investigation of Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, calling…

    Used byTheGrio (Left)

  • Loaded verb

    condemnsMore neutral: criticizes

    ‘Condemns’ is a stronger verb than the coverage needs to describe a former president’s public criticism.

    Obama condemns Trump administration’s Ilhan Omar immigration probe as ‘appalling’

    Used byTheGrio (Left)

  • Loaded modifier

    the biggest denier of them allMore neutral: disputes the claims about Omar

    Labels Obama a denier of reality without evidence in the excerpt.

    No one can deny reality like a Democrat — and Barack Obama might be the biggest denier of them all.

    Used byThe Western Journal (Far Right)

  • Loaded verb

    pretending outrageMore neutral: expressing outrage

    Says Obama’s outrage is insincere, a motive the excerpt does not establish.

    Ilhan Omar with a lengthy social media post pretending outrage at a federal investigation targeting the militant from Minnesota and accusing…

    Used byThe Western Journal (Far Right)

  • Loaded modifier

    militant from MinnesotaMore neutral: Democratic congresswoman from Minnesota

    Calls Omar a militant, a label that pre-judges her without evidence in the excerpt.

    …media post pretending outrage at a federal investigation targeting the militant from Minnesota and accusing President Donald Trump of abusing his powers to persecute a…

    Used byThe Western Journal (Far Right)

  • Loaded verb

    Crashes and BurnsMore neutral: draws criticism after his past is raised

    Presents Obama’s defense of Omar as having failed, a judgement the headline asserts rather than reports.

    Barack Obama's Attempt to Defend Ilhan Omar Crashes and Burns When His Own Past Gets Brought Up

    Used byThe Western Journal (Far Right)

Words quoted from someone else (4)Hide the quoted words

Loaded words that outlets reported someone else saying. They show what was said, not how the outlet chose to say it.

  • Absolutist framing

    Quoted

    everyone in D.C. knowsMore neutral: believes

    Presents a contested claim about the Omar family as common knowledge without evidence in the text.

    “Because everyone in D.C. knows how fishy that family is.

    Quoted byWashington Examiner (Right)

    These are Tiana Lowe Doescher’s words. The outlets are reporting them.

  • Loaded modifier

    Quoted

    how fishy that family isMore neutral: the family has faced questions about its conduct

    Insinuates wrongdoing by Omar’s family, an unsupported judgement the excerpt does not back.

    knows how fishy that family is.

    Quoted byWashington Examiner (Right)

    These are Tiana Lowe Doescher’s words. The outlets are reporting them.

  • Sensational language

    Quoted

    bruhs-bandMore neutral: a claim about her first marriage

    A derisive nickname that insinuates a scandal about Omar’s marriage without support in the text.

    She gave birth to one man’s kid while she was married to the ‘bruhs-band.’” Omar has been under various fraud investigations, with her most recent one…

    Quoted byWashington Examiner (Right)

    These are Tiana Lowe Doescher’s words. The outlets are reporting them.

  • Loaded verb

    Quoted

    besmirching his brandMore neutral: criticizing

    A quoted judgement that Obama is damaging his reputation, given without evidence of harm.

    Obama ‘besmirching his brand’ by defending Ilhan Omar amid fraud probe: Tiana Lowe Doescher

    Quoted byWashington Examiner (Right)

    These are Tiana Lowe Doescher’s words. The outlets are reporting them.

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

4 outlets

Leads with

  • Obama’s rebuke of the probe
  • the probe as an effort to intimidate a critic
  • Omar’s background as a refugee

Leaves out

  • questions raised by right-leaning commentators about Omar’s age, marriage and finances

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

See the 4 headlines from the leftHide the headlines
  • TheGrioLeft

    Obama Loaded verb“condemns”‘Condemns’ is a stronger verb than the coverage needs to describe a former president’s public criticism.More neutral: criticizesDisagree with this highlight? Trump administration’s Ilhan Omar immigration probe as ‘appalling’

    America’s first Black president warned that targeting elected officials over their political views threatens a basic principle of American democracy.

    Read at TheGrio (opens in a new tab)
  • NBC NewsLeft

    Obama calls Trump officials’ investigation of Ilhan Omar ‘appalling’

    The former president posted a lengthy statement calling President Donald Trump’s treatment of Ilhan Omar a “transparent” effort to intimidate her.

    Read at NBC News (opens in a new tab)
  • The New York TimesLeft

    Obama Defends Rep. Ilhan Omar Amid Trump Administration Inquiry

    Federal agents searched Ms. Omar’s Washington home last week and issued subpoenas to some family members in search of evidence of fraud in immigration paperwork.

    Read at The New York Times (opens in a new tab)
  • The Daily BeastFar Left

    Obama Loaded verb“Unloads on”The phrase adds drama beyond the fact that Obama criticized the administration.More neutral: criticizesDisagree with this highlight? Trump Over His ‘Appalling’ Conduct

    Barack Obama has come out swinging against the Trump administration’s efforts to find a way to deport Rep. Ilhan Omar. The administration Loaded verb“amped up its campaign against”The phrase describes the investigation as a campaign against Omar, which presumes its purpose rather than describing its steps.More neutral: increased its investigation ofDisagree with this highlight? the Minnesota congresswoman this week, with Homeland Security Investigations carrying out a dawn raid on her …

    Read at The Daily Beast (opens in a new tab)

From the center

2 outlets

Leads with

  • Obama’s direct quotes
  • the probe as an immigration fraud investigation
  • the search as an effort to intimidate
See the 2 headlines from the centerHide the headlines
  • BBC NewsCenter

    Obama says Trump administration probe of congresswoman Ilhan Omar is 'so appalling'

    Obama says federal agents' search of the Democrat's home was an effort to intimidate a Trump critic.

    Read at BBC News (opens in a new tab)
  • The HillCenter

    Obama: Omar investigation should ‘outrage all Americans’

    Former President Obama has weighed in on the federal government’s criminal investigation into Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) over accusations of immigration fraud, accusing the Trump administration of targeting its political opponents. …

    Read at The Hill (opens in a new tab)

From the right

5 outlets · 4 opinion

Leads with

  • Obama’s weaponization accusation
  • Omar’s immigration and personal history
  • Obama’s consistency and past investigations
See the 9 headlines from the rightHide the headlines

Articles you open from here build My Mix, a private picture of how your reading spreads across the spectrum, 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

    3 hr 24 min later

    Its first report, Oct 18, 2:02 PM EDT

  • Center

    1 hr 57 min later

    Its first report, Oct 18, 12:35 PM EDT

  • Right

    First to report

    Fox News, Oct 18, 10:38 AM EDT

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
  1. Fox NewsFar RightOct 18, 10:38 AM EDT
  2. The HillCenterOct 18, 12:35 PM EDT
  3. New York PostRightOct 18, 12:55 PM EDT
  4. Washington ExaminerRightOct 18, 1:58 PM EDT
  5. The Daily BeastFar LeftOct 18, 2:02 PM EDT
  6. The New York TimesLeftOct 18, 2:34 PM EDT
  7. Breitbart NewsFar RightOct 18, 4:52 PM EDT
  8. NBC NewsLeftOct 18, 8:34 PM EDT
  9. BBC NewsCenterOct 19, 12:16 PM EDT
  10. TheGrioLeftOct 19, 12:44 PM EDT

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out. Just the News gave only a date, so it is not placed.

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