On Tuesday night, Donald Trump became the de facto Republican nominee. As my colleague Isaac Chotiner pointed out, the sheer import of that fact was lost on cable news talking heads, who spent the evening acting as though it wasn’t all that unusual that a dangerously unstable demagogue is now one step way from the highest office in the land. But how did that new reality play on the front pages of the nation’s newspapers? Let’s take a look.
As you’ll see in the small (though representative) sampling below, many regional broadsheets seemed relatively nonplussed about the whole thing. Ted Cruz quitting the race occasionally got equal—and in some cases more—play than Trump effectively winning the nomination. (Most of the screenshots come by way of the Newseum, which has plenty more for you to look at here. You can also click on each cover for a more detailed look.)
Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Dallas Morning News:
Indianapolis Star:
The national papers—which likely had the benefit of more time and resources to rework their front pages after Cruz’s unexpected announcement—were more likely to spin things forward. Still, their staid A1s didn’t come close to shouting, This Is Not a Drill. We Repeat: This Is Not a Drill. Donald Trump Is the GOP Nominee.
Washington Post:
New York Times:
Wall Street Journal:
Fortunately, though, there were the tabloids.
New York Daily News:
New York Post:
Even the Post, which has made no secret that it’s on Team Trump, manages to capture the appropriate HOLY $H!T, can-you-believe-it? vibe. Thank god for tabloids. God help America.
