Tangle and "Flyover Country"
Tangle: Thanks for the question, Robert. We've seen you offer a more detailed version of this question in the comments on past articles, and we're happy to address this head-on.
You suggest that Tangle is perpetuating an insidious geographical bias in our reporting by primarily relying on outlets and reporters based on the coasts. Under this theory, we've created our own kind of "Tangle bubble" that misses nuances in reporting that might emerge if we reviewed more sources from regions like the Midwest and South.
This is a fair point. Politics coverage tends to concentrate among a few powerful outlets, and those outlets tend to gravitate towards geographical sectors — most notably New York City and Washington, D.C. That's understandable because people seeking a particular career will tend to gravitate towards areas with a concentration of opportunities, the way big tech is centered in the Bay Area and many logistics companies have hubs in Chicago. However, that can create a subtle bias over time, leading to viewpoints that are naturally colored by living in New York instead of places like St. Louis or Phoenix.
However, we'd offer two counterarguments. First, be careful not to conflate a news organization's name with its geographical footholds — just because an organization is called The Washington Examiner doesn't mean everyone who works there is based in Washington. Just as the people who work at Tangle, an organization headquartered in Philadelphia, work and live all across the country, so too do these outlets have reporters and news desks representing the entire United States. Axios is a national news organization with reporters across the country and in smaller cities and states. The New York Times has a Chicago bureau, and if a major story breaks in, say, Minnesota, they typically have reporters who live and work in that area take the lead on covering the story.
My Response to Tangle
I appreciated your response to my concerns regarding Tangle and its reliance on news sources based on the east and west coasts, while neglecting the people, opinions, news and information sources in "flyover country", where 62% of Americans actually live and work. Your reply was thoughtful and considerate, and yet it does not address the fundamental issue I presented.
You included a link to the article Tangle originally published about "Operation Metro Surge", but you left off the image from your original newsletter of ICE agents occupying a Minneapolis street in full battle gear amidst a smoky environment that looked like a scene from "Saving Private Ryan" and WWII.
That is NOT objective journalism. I don't expect you folks to read or even consider the in-depth report I did on "Operation Metro Surge" that addressed all of the pros and cons in true Tangle style for seven pages of reports, analysis, videos, and opinions from all sides along with my own commentary, but the image you posted on your article and the lightweight coverage you gave to these issues leaves the mainstream media narrative of rogue Gestapo agents murdering innocent civilians and peaceful protesters — with Minneapolis children hiding in their attics like Anne Frank — permanently in place in the national consciousness. That is inaccurate, biased, misleading and disingenuous. It is also dangerous, because it further divides Americans against one another.
Minnesota NICE vs Minneapolis ICE
Final Thoughts
We came close to ending desegregation and racial discrimination in the '60s without violent protests, thanks to people like Martin Luther King Jr., but in 2026, all bets are off and assaulting law enforcement officers, destroying property, lighting fires in the street and blocking traffic is acceptable standard operating procedure. Martin Luther WHO?
What would MLK say about "Operation Metro Surge"?
There are other serious, respected and legitimate news sources in flyover country, such as Liz Collin and Alpha News here in Minneapolis.
Do local media outlets report on Supreme Court issues? Of course they do!
I truly believe that Tangle is our nation's best hope to find some sort of civil discourse in the United States and I have tried to be helpful and constructive towards that end. But much of your reporting continues to come out of the legacy media bubble that still avoids any serious consideration of those who reside in "flyover country".