“Get a Grip, Dana”: Rural Voter Dismantles Dana Bash and NPR in Viral Takedown on Taxpayer-Funded Media Bias

In a moment that lit up political circles and social media alike, a rural American voter delivered a fiery rebuttal to CNN anchor Dana Bash and the broader narrative pushed by left-leaning media giants like NPR and PBS. The voter, whose commentary has now gone viral, didn’t just speak for himself — he voiced the growing frustration of many in rural communities who feel ignored, mocked, and misrepresented by coastal elites and taxpayer-funded media outlets.

“Milking the Public Trust”

At the core of the rural voter’s passionate critique was a scathing condemnation of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) — the congressional creation that funnels taxpayer money to NPR and PBS. “These are private entities,” he said, “milking and sucking the milk out of the public’s trust breast.” His point? These institutions operate as elite propaganda machines under the guise of public service, and they’re doing it on the American people’s dime.

Dana Bash’s Rural Disconnect

What ignited the most fury was Dana Bash’s suggestion that without NPR and PBS, rural communities would lack access to news, education, and culture. “Really, Dana? Do you think rural Americans are living in caves with no Wi-Fi or books?” one woman scoffed during the exchange. Others chimed in, calling the portrayal not only insulting but laughably out of touch.

As one woman living in a rural community pointed out, “We moved here to get away from people like you. We homeschool our kids, we grow our own food, and yes, we have the internet and electricity.”

A Reality Check for Elites

Rural Americans, the panelists argued, are more tech-savvy, self-reliant, and educated than media elites give them credit for. Homeschooling is twice as common in rural areas as it is in urban ones, and many families operate modern farms, some using cutting-edge technology. These communities are not isolated—they’re independent. And the implication that they are helpless without PBS cartoons and NPR podcasts was not just wrong—it was offensive.

Bias, Not Balance

The rural voter’s critique went beyond tone-deaf elitism. He cited glaring media bias as a central reason to defund NPR and PBS. According to a recent analysis, PBS used the term “far right” 162 times between June and November 2023—but only mentioned “far left” six times. NPR, he said, ignored the Hunter Biden laptop story, labeling it a “waste of time” while amplifying the now-debunked Russia collusion narrative and giving extensive airtime to Democrat lawmakers like Adam Schiff.

When asked how many times NPR had interviewed Congressman Jamie Comer about the Biden impeachment inquiry, the answer was damning: “Zero. It was 25 to zero,” the voter said, referencing 25 interviews with Schiff and none with Comer.

Taxpayer-Funded Indoctrination?

The voter and several commentators argued that the purpose of taxpayer-funded outlets like NPR and PBS has morphed from education and information into political indoctrination. “They want captive audiences — in hospitals, in schools — where they can drip-feed their message unchecked,” said one woman.

Worse still, she alleged that programs like Democracy Now! featured open socialists and Marxist speakers — including Amy Goodman, who spoke at the 2018 “Socialism Conference” in Chicago — all while being subsidized by federal dollars.

“We Don’t Need Your Pity or Your Programs”

The overarching message? Rural America is fed up. Not with public broadcasting in principle, but with the misuse of their tax dollars to fund what they see as blatant political messaging. “We’re not asking for your pity or your politics,” one commentator said. “We’ve got values, common sense, and the ability to think for ourselves.”

While Tiny Desk Concerts might be a rare saving grace for NPR, the rural voter made it clear — not even good music is worth the price of bias.

As calls grow louder in Congress to cut or eliminate federal funding for NPR and PBS, voices like this voter’s may carry more weight than ever. In a divided media landscape, the heartland just sent a very clear signal: “No, Dana. We don’t need you. And we don’t want to pay for you either.”