@hightor,
I believe the media was indeed infatuated with Obama, and that his skill in voicing his generally abstract goals and values aided both in that process. In terms of concrete achievements Obama's words were generally far more effective than his actual actions, as with his wasteful and ineffective post recession stimulus plan, rather passive acceptance of generally adverse arrangements with Iran, China and Europe, and the several serious flaws in his healthcare plan. Obama also avoided action on other risky or difficult issues, including immigration, covering his inaction with generally skillful but vague rhetoric.
In comparison Trump is a pragmatist who has not hesitated engaging difficult and politically risky issues, but is also coarse and often vulgar in his communications, and not nearly as good as was Obama in rhetorically synthesizing his goals and priorities relative to other issues (in other words political double talk).
I think there is little doubt that most of the established media favor liberal politician over conservative ones. In our currently polarized political world the cable networks have degenerated to propaganda machines with a fairly successful Fox pitted against CNN, MSNBC. PBS and all the others, while most prominent print media strongly oppose Trump. I believe that, and a general tendency to favor politicians who speak well and appear sophisticated, constitutes the main differences of the media treatment of Trump, compared to his predecessors.
Trump has managed to lower taxes, cut through some of the worst elements of the undemocratic regulatory regime that has been gradually strangling economic initiatives in this country, and significantly stimulate increased economic growth - all significant accomplishments that his predecessors failed to even address. He has also squarely addressed a long festering immigration issue that was rapidly degenerating to chaos, and has at least stabilized the situation.
In the current situation the Democrats have reverted even more to abstract rhetoric about curing some fundamental and enduring flaws in human nature and behavior, somehow without appreciating their dangerously totalitarian character. Meanwhile Trump, despite all the clumsy rhetoric, has substantial achievements under his belt that have real meaning and significance to the lives of a very large fraction of our population, including many who generally oppose him.
Interestingly some very similar political conflicts are playing out in Europe, from the UK, to France, Italy, Greece and even Germany.
We shall see soon enough which will prevail in the coming election. My bet is on Trump.
