Former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard delivers remarks at a press conference outside the U.S. Capitol, joined by colleagues and officials.
If you judged Tulsi Gabbard only by her coverage in corporate media, you’d think she was a fringe figure with no real base. But the numbers — and the internet — tell a different story.
The media’s Tulsi problem isn’t that she’s too small to matter. It’s that she keeps finding ways to bypass them entirely, which robs them of control over her narrative.
The Smear Cycle
Since her 2020 run, Gabbard has been on the receiving end of every lazy smear in the book: “Russian asset,” “Trump apologist,” “dangerous isolationist.” The problem for the press is that none of it has stuck in the way they hoped. Among her supporters, these attacks actually work as proof she’s threatening the status quo.
The Alternative Media Route
Gabbard doesn’t need primetime slots on CNN or MSNBC. She gets more mileage from hour-long podcast appearances, YouTube interviews, and direct-to-camera videos on her own channels. In 2028, that’s not a side strategy — it’s the main one.
Why Ignoring Her Doesn’t Work
Media blackout strategies fail in the age of social algorithms. Her clips get shared by supporters and critics alike, often racking up more views online than the debates she’s excluded from.
The 2028 Risk for the Press
The danger for the media isn’t just that she’ll gain traction without them. It’s that she’ll make them irrelevant in her story. If she can keep reaching millions without relying on their platforms, she’ll prove that candidates don’t need corporate media to run a competitive national campaign.
Related Reading:
