They do not perceive nor are they worried in the least that the democrat party has gone to the far left.
Never mind the past words and associations of leftist politicians like Obama. Never mind the gaping gulf between the rhetoric they use to win office and their actions once safely inside.
The leftist MSM is koo-koo. There is no reasoning with the delusional.
IMO it's at least as accurate to say that the media wants Independents to believe that the GOP has become 'extreme'. These kinds of stories are more deliberate, knowing propaganda than reporting.