This article comes from DCReport and is used with permission.
By Terry H. Schwadron*
It’s difficult for us to believe we are part of the problem. Maybe that’s human nature or, maybe, in a reflection of the deep American cultural and political rifts, it is just a byproduct.
We hope that the other guy changes, but believe that none of it involves us.
So, when Trump addressed a campaign rally crowd in Wisconsin on Wednesday—the same day that Americans of all political stripes felt that sending real or fear-inducing pipe bombs aimed at a series of individuals who find fault with this president is just wrong—he called for a somewhat more civil public discourse.
That sentiment lasted only a short time, of course, before Trump was once again criticizing “the media” essentially for helping to incite the would-be bombings – without ever suggesting that his own tone, insults, falsehoods and rally cries had a role in creating divides. This is the same president that a week ago promoted a convicted congressman for body-slamming a reporter, who has called at his rallies for scattered beatings, but who is saying in public that the Saudis erred badly in killing a journalist.
In the light of morning, the president tweeted, “A very big part of the Anger we see today in our society is caused by the purposely false and inaccurate reporting of the Mainstream Media that I refer to as Fake News. It has gotten so bad and hateful that it is beyond description. Mainstream Media must clean up its act, FAST!”
Meanwhile, the crowd, while awaiting Trump, once again took up its “Lock her up” cries about Hillary Clinton, and kept calling out for a Wall to stop immigrants. It seemed a demonstration that even if the president himself was feeling a need to soften his tone that did not extend to the acolytes.
Nor does it seem to apply to those who take to social media daily, calling out the president in even-more harsh curse words and dismissive language.
For myself, I have taken pains since starting these essays after the 2016 election to focus as much as possible on governmental actions that Trump is taking, looking often at the contradictions of policy-making and the effects of his actions rather than his words alone. I may not always succeed, but that has been the intent. For me, journalism has been about storytelling that bears witness.
What’s missing in Trump’s criticisms of the press and what’s missing in his seeming view of what constitutes a kinder, gentler debate are his actions as president.
In straight policy terms, this president highlights continuing improvements in an economy that began eight years earlier; he celebrates a tax cut that is unpaid for and never acknowledges the deficits it has created; he wants credit for jobless rate reductions that do not reflect wage increases. He is quick to credit himself for defusing nuclear standoff with North Korea while that country has resisted taking action to de-nuclearize; he has attacked American allies on a variety of fronts, while pursuing an isolating America First policy; he has embraced autocratic governments and has supported a sheaf of policies that have unleashed racial and economic schisms. He has attacked consumer and environmental protection for the sake of increased private corporate profit.
These are the policies he has pursued. Beyond them, he has trampled on ethics concerns, fanned the fires of misogyny and enmity for same-sex and transgender rights, has tried to undercut the special counsel investigation of Russian influence in our elections.
What exactly does Trump want from “the media”?
He apparently wants simple fawning, a propaganda machine that spits out only the words he speaks, a political “ally” that helps to sell his own programs. That is not what “the media” do, any more than it is the job of “the media” to oppose everything this president does. We need an independent report on what was said, what was done, how it fits or not with what has come before, and what effects the actions will prompt. At least that was my interest in pursuing a former career as a journalist.
But independent reporting on the effects of his tax policies – to say nothing of how he garnered his own fortune – are not “attacks.” They are a requirement for the media to determine the context of current events.
It is not fair for the president to say he wants a quieter debate and then use campaign rally speeches to whip up anti-culture crowds. More to the point, however, the president’s choices in style and policy-making are leading necessarily to independent actions, including insane choices like sending pipe bombs, by those who take the words and act on them. Trump is not to blame for the crime, but he is responsible for tone-setting.
From the start, Trump, perhaps because he did not win the popular vote, has chosen to be the leader of his faction of the nation, not of the nation as a whole. He should not be surprised to see that results in deep division.
*Terry H. Schwadron is DCReport's New York Editor.
20 Comments
Trump is a hypocritical liar most are likely to say. What’s more it would seem he has always been just that. Therefore if that is correct, with the clear recognition of his persona he was nevertheless elected to the highest office in the USA by the people of the USA. There it is, and for that to happen either the political system is broken or the people are totally ignorant, maybe both, but the media played no small part in the passing parade either. It seems Trump was more effective at using the media than they were at abusing him. This just proves what an unpredictable, destructive even, double edged sword the media can be at times.
He puts the media in a very tough spot, there really has been no-one quite like him. When he makes outright false claims or says silly or provocative things the media are compelled to report it. But when they do, what he is saying naturally dwarfs comments from other politicians from a news point of view as it creates such as public reaction.
Unfortunately we all love train wreck TV and so he gets all of the coverage and no other politicians get a word in. The best thing that could happen is if we stop paying him any attention, but somehow I doubt that will happen.
From wikileaks there was a coordinated effort by the DNC to use their connections with Democrat friendly media to promote and give maximum airtime to Trump to push him ahead of other contenders. This was because they viewed him as the most flawed and easiest of the many Republican presidential hopefuls to beat. They were half right.
They got the result they wanted with with help of a compliant left-biased media that gave Trump huge free media coverage in the primaries, and now both DNC and media are railing at the result. Karma's a bitch.
"Therefore if that is correct, with the clear recognition of his persona he was nevertheless elected to the highest office in the USA by the people of the USA. There it is, and for that to happen either the political system is broken or the people are totally ignorant, maybe both"
Or maybe the alternative was worse!!!!!
You know what's just as amazing and interesting? Actresses receiving death threats due to the actions of the fictional character they are playing.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/70660239/bree-peters-lat…
Now, taking this into consideration, are you really that surprised at the anti-Trump hysteria?
The teaser headline is , with respect totally misleading .
Trump has to accept the 5th Estate , but he is fully within his rights to call it out over its lies and deceit .
Now CNN which cannot tell the difference between the truth and fiction, feels aggrieved when Trump tells them off
Do me a favour , I have never met a thin -skinned hack in my life .
The part of the US media that is anti-Trump is so rabid and dishonest in its reporting that I find it simply astonishing .
I dont know about press-ethics in America , but one would have assumed that some called the TRUTH might be at the forefront of American editors minds when assessing a piece for publication .
It seems that media ethics in the US are quite different to those of the rest of the English -speaking West , where circumspect and the possibility of defamation charges , have some influence on editorial decision -making
So this article shows that the writer simply doesn't understand what it means to report objectively on the president's actions. He says he tries to, and then starts by saying "In straight policy terms..." What follows after those words is a list of Trump's messaging about his actions; nothing in depth about the actions at all.
If the writer actually lived up to what he thinks the media should be, he would pick one action and really tackle it in depth, and explore all effects and pros and cons, rather than a simple "he celebrates a tax cut that is unpaid for and never acknowledges the deficits it has created".
This is just another vent against the big bad man that you disagree with.
The article is playing the same game as Trump. Essentially if you view him as a professional wrestler then what he does makes more sense. Of course that doesn't change the fact that he's a terrible person. Nor does it change the fact that dumping hundreds of billions in government debt from his tax cuts for the rich are starting to affect the bond market.
He should take credit for what he has done to the bond market and consequentially the US stockmarket. Sure it's not all his fault but the accelerated decline was given a solid shove by his policies. Apparently Amazon is down 23% this month. It's been overvalued but this is definitely a crash by any definition. So congratulations is in order for the US President.
Perhaps it all just goes to show how dumb and stupid the general populace really. is.....
"Q" and then the false flag claims from the right
As Churchill said
“The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.”
(mind you those who were voted for aren't exactly the best either).
Trump is no saint, believe me. The rich are still getting richer. But at the least the poor have jobs. At least they have some hope. A chance to create a life without welfare. A chance to live half decent lives albeit in a basic & rural & in many cases, an old fashioned sort of way. A lot of these people are good honest working class folk that the Democrat's couldn't give a monkeys about in 2016. That makes November 2018 a big moment in time in the USA's history. We're about to find out what the people think. Not what the media think. We already know that, but what do the people think? This is still a democracy the last time I looked. Will the people vote for their wallets to be full, or will they vote against the Trumpet. That's what November 2018 is all about. Nothing else matters. And the MSM hacks who have been telling us for 40-50 years now, that urban liberalism & its academies (the universities & the medias) are the best & highest point of the humanistic form, are starting to feel threatened, and hence the above article, and many others like them. I'm not sure either one (extreme) is better than the other to be fair. It's more like the old system we've had for 200 years or more needs a radical update. The old democratic model is outdated & the fact that our leaders (elite) have no respect for their people is rampant across the free world, in all formats, sadly. Our democracies are simply broken or worn out or still running on Windows 3.0 if you like. And the result? It will blow. It'll blow up & out & over & every which way you can imagine, because it doesn't serve the purpose for which it was built any more. It suits the rich, not the poor. Problem here being there are too many poor people, too many rich people and not enough people in the middle-classes. That's the extremes working themselves out. What was once called The New World is quickly becoming out of date or has 'passed its use by date' & unless their is a better way that we adopt shortly, this is not going to end well. Especially in the West.
The mainstream media are over the top anti-trump and pro-Dem
Fox news is pro-Rep and Trump can do no wrong
The truth is in the middle somewhere!
Unfortunately the Dems have lost their minds and are so opposed to Trump they are promoting some crazy policies like abolishing ICE, having open borders and free university studies
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