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Senate Narrowly Rejects Resolution to End Iran War Ahead of Midterms

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Coverage spectrum

Covered by 4 outlets, mostly left-leaning (75%).

5 articles in total, 1 of them opinion. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

The U.S. Senate voted 49–50 to block a war powers resolution that would have required President Trump to seek congressional approval to continue military action in Iran, according to The New Republic and CNBC. Four Republicans—Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul and Thom Tillis—voted with Democrats against the war, while Sen. Jon Husted of Ohio cast a deciding vote against the resolution after saying he believed the war should end, HuffPost reported. The vote came about six weeks before the midterm elections, as CNBC and ABC noted. ABC News reported that 17 Republican incumbents and candidates in competitive races have called for ending the war, either through votes or public statements. The American Conservative, in an opinion piece, argued vulnerable Republicans are trying to oppose the war without formally opposing it.

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. The Senate voted 49–50 to block a war powers resolution on the Iran war.

    Reported byLeftCenter

  2. Four Republican senators—Collins, Murkowski, Paul and Tillis—voted against the president's position.

    Reported byLeft

  3. Sen. Jon Husted said the war should end but voted against the resolution to end it.

    Reported byLeft

  4. The vote occurred weeks before the midterm elections.

    Reported byLeftCenter

  5. At least 17 Republican incumbents or candidates in competitive races have called for ending the war.

    Reported byLeft

  6. Some Republicans are described as trying to oppose the war rhetorically without formally voting against it.

    Reported byRight

How each side tells it

Compare views

  • the left

    3 outlets

    Left-leaning outlets frame the vote as Republicans failing or refusing to check the president's war, with more mainstream left coverage (ABC) shifting to a factual account of GOP candidates distancing themselves from the war ahead of midterms.

    More Republicans running in close races calling for end to Iran war
    ABC NewsLeftAll left-leaning headlines

  • the center

    1 outlet

    CNBC's headline is a straightforward factual account of the vote's outcome and its midterm timing.

    Senate narrowly votes down resolution calling for end to Iran war
    CNBCCenterAll center headlines

  • the right

    0 outlets · 1 opinion

    The American Conservative's opinion piece frames vulnerable Republicans as attempting to satisfy both voters and the White House without taking a clear stance.

    On Iran, Republicans Want to Loaded modifier“Have It Both Ways”Assigns a judgment of hypocrisy to Republicans as a group without establishing intent, rather than describing their position neutrally.More neutral: Face Political Pressure Over Iran War StanceDisagree with this highlight?
    The American ConservativeRightAll 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.

  • Left6

    $45 billion failed effortrazor-thin marginRefuse to Rein inrefused to vote to end it

  • Center0

    No loaded words in its own voice.

  • Right3

    try to oppose the war without opposing the warlet’s be honest: It’s the war, stupidHave It Both Ways

In the outlets’ own words

  • Loaded modifier

    $45 billion failed effortMore neutral: $45 billion military campaign

    Calling the military campaign a "failed effort" states a contested judgement as fact.

    …resolution on Thursday, choosing to allow the president to continue his $45 billion failed effort.

    Used byThe New Republic (Far Left)

  • Sensational language

    razor-thin marginMore neutral: one-vote margin

    Adds drama to a vote count the article already gives precisely.

    The razor-thin margin saw four Republicans vote against the president’s war: Senators Susan Collins,…

    Used byThe New Republic (Far Left)

  • Loaded verb

    Refuse to Rein inMore neutral: vote against limiting

    "Refuse" attributes an active unwillingness rather than simply reporting how senators voted.

    Senate Republicans Refuse to Rein in Trump’s Iran War Again

    Used byThe New Republic (Far Left)

  • Loaded verb

    refused to vote to end itMore neutral: voted against the resolution

    "Refused" implies defiance where the neutral fact is that he voted no.

    Jon Husted (R-Ohio) said the war should end, but refused to vote to end it.

    Used byHuffPost (Far Left)

Show 5 more phrasesShow fewer

  • Vague attribution

    aroused voter angerMore neutral: drawn criticism from some voters

    Attributes a public mood without citing polling or a named source.

    …about Trump’s war, which has dragged on for months, pushed up gas prices and aroused voter anger at the Republican Party ahead of November elections to decide which party…

    Used byHuffPost (Far Left)

  • Loaded modifier

    Vulnerable GOP SenatorMore neutral: Ohio Republican senator

    Labels the senator by his perceived electoral weakness rather than by name or role.

    Vulnerable GOP Senator Casts Deciding Vote Against Resolution To End Iran War

    Used byHuffPost (Far Left)

  • Loaded modifier

    try to oppose the war without opposing the warMore neutral: seek to distance themselves from the war while not voting against it

    Frames GOP candidates' position as inherently contradictory, presenting an interpretation as settled fact.

    …between voters and the White House, vulnerable GOP candidates try to oppose the war without opposing the war.

    Used byThe American Conservative (Right)

  • Absolutist framing

    let’s be honest: It’s the war, stupidMore neutral: many analysts point to the war as a significant factor

    Presents a contested explanation for Republican political troubles as an indisputable truth rather than one possible factor.

    But let’s be honest: It’s the war, stupid.

    Used byThe American Conservative (Right)

  • Loaded modifier

    Have It Both WaysMore neutral: Face Political Pressure Over Iran War Stance

    Assigns a judgment of hypocrisy to Republicans as a group without establishing intent, rather than describing their position neutrally.

    On Iran, Republicans Want to Have It Both Ways

    Used byThe American Conservative (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

3 outlets

Leads with

  • GOP failure to restrain Trump
  • individual senators' votes
  • political pressure from midterms
  • growing Republican dissent

Leaves out

  • Diesel price and public approval figures cited by ABC are not mentioned in the other left outlets' descriptions

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

See the 3 headlines from the leftHide the headlines
  • ABC NewsLeft

    More Republicans running in close races calling for end to Iran war

    Several Republicans running in competitive races are joining growing calls in their party to end the Iran war with less than 40 days until the midterms.

    Read at ABC News (opens in a new tab)
  • HuffPostFar Left

    Loaded modifier“Vulnerable GOP Senator”Labels the senator by his perceived electoral weakness rather than by name or role.More neutral: Ohio Republican senatorDisagree with this highlight? Casts Deciding Vote Against Resolution To End Iran War

    Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) said the war should end, but Loaded verb“refused to vote to end it”"Refused" implies defiance where the neutral fact is that he voted no.More neutral: voted against the resolutionDisagree with this highlight?.

    Read at HuffPost (opens in a new tab)
  • The New RepublicFar Left

    Senate Republicans Loaded verb“Refuse to Rein in”"Refuse" attributes an active unwillingness rather than simply reporting how senators voted.More neutral: vote against limitingDisagree with this highlight? Trump’s Iran War Again

    Senate Republicans have once again refused to rein in President Trump’s war on Iran, voting 49–50 to block a war powers resolution on Thursday, choosing to allow the president to continue his Loaded modifier“$45 billion failed effort”Calling the military campaign a "failed effort" states a contested judgement as fact.More neutral: $45 billion military campaignDisagree with this highlight?. …

    Read at The New Republic (opens in a new tab)

From the center

1 outlet

Leads with

  • vote tally
  • proximity to midterm elections
  • GOP majority stakes

Leaves out

  • individual senators' names and votes
  • Husted's specific position

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

See the headline from the centerHide the headlines
  • CNBCCenter

    Senate narrowly votes down resolution calling for end to Iran war

    The vote came weeks before the midterm election, where President Donald Trump's fellow Republicans are trying to retain their majorities in Congress.

    Read at CNBC (opens in a new tab)

From the right

0 outlets · 1 opinion

Leads with

  • political contradiction among GOP candidates
  • tension between voters and the administration

Leaves out

  • specific vote tally
  • names of senators who voted against the resolution

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

See the headline from the rightHide the headlines
  • The American ConservativeRightOpinion

    On Iran, Republicans Want to Loaded modifier“Have It Both Ways”Assigns a judgment of hypocrisy to Republicans as a group without establishing intent, rather than describing their position neutrally.More neutral: Face Political Pressure Over Iran War StanceDisagree with this highlight?

    Caught between voters and the White House, vulnerable GOP candidates Loaded modifier“try to oppose the war without opposing the war”Frames GOP candidates' position as inherently contradictory, presenting an interpretation as settled fact.More neutral: seek to distance themselves from the war while not voting against itDisagree with this highlight?.

    Read at The American Conservative (opens in a new tab)

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

    First to report

    The New Republic, Sep 24, 2:58 PM EDT

  • Center

    1 hr 38 min later

    Its first report, Sep 24, 4:36 PM EDT

  • Right

    No report yet

    From the outlets Mantle follows

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
  1. The New RepublicFar LeftSep 24, 2:58 PM EDT
  2. HuffPostFar LeftSep 24, 3:23 PM EDT
  3. CNBCCenterSep 24, 4:36 PM EDT
  4. ABC NewsLeftSep 25, 4:48 PM EDT

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

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