The "journalism horse" is a term used to describe the tendency in political journalism to focus on the strategic aspects of a campaign, like polling numbers, fundraising, and perceived wins and losses, rather than on the substantive issues being debated. This analogy compares political reporters to sports commentators who primarily focus on the "horse race" of who's ahead and how they're performing, often at the expense of in-depth policy analysis and critical examination of candidates' platforms. Critics argue that the horse race narrative can trivialize important issues, disengage voters, and ultimately fail to inform the public adequately.
