U.S. newspapers to Trump: We’re not enemies of the people
Newspapers from Maine to Hawaii pushed back against President Donald Trump’s attacks on “fake news” Thursday with a co-ordinated series of editorials speaking up for a free and vigorous press - and, not surprisingly, Trump didn’t take it silently.
The Boston Globe, which set the campaign in motion by urging the unified voice, had estimated that some 350 newspapers would participate.
They did across the breadth of the country. The Portland (Maine) Press-Herald said a free and independent press is the best defence against tyranny, while the Honolulu Star-Advertiser emphasized democracy’s need for a free press.
“The true enemies of the people — and democracy — are those who try to suffocate truth by vilifying and demonizing the messenger,” wrote the Des Moines Register in Iowa.
In St. Louis, the Post-Dispatch called journalists “the truest of patriots.” The Chicago Sun-Times said it believed most Americans know that Trump is talking nonsense.
The Fayetteville Observer said it hoped Trump would stop, “but we’re not holding our breath.”
“Rather, we hope all the president’s An editorial titled “A Free Press Needs You” is published in The New York Times Thursday in New York.
supporters will recognize what he’s doing — manipulating reality to get what he wants,” the North Carolina newspaper said.
On Thursday morning, Trump took to Twitter to denounce the effort, saying the Globe was in collusion with other newspapers.
He wrote: “THE FAKE NEWS MEDIA IS THE OPPOSITION PARTY. It is very bad for our Great Country .... BUT WE ARE WINNING!”
The Morning News of Savannah, Georgia, said it was a confidant, not an enemy, to the people.
“Like any true friend, we don’t always tell you what you want to hear,” the Morning News said.
“Our news team presents the happenings and issues in this community through the lens of objectivity. And like any true friend, we refuse to mislead you. Our reporters and editors strive for fairness.”
The New York Times added a pitch.
“If you haven’t already, please subscribe to your local papers,” said the Times, whose opinion section also summarized other editorials across the country.
“Praise them when you think they’ve done a good job and criticize them when you think they could do better. We’re all in this together.”
Tim Hortons admits it’s fallen behind the competition with its packaging, but change is coming to your coffee cup and it will start with the lid.
Executives from the fast food giant tell The Canadian Press the company has been using the same lids for 20 years despite consumer complaints that they leak.
Tim Hortons President Alex Macedo says the brand is piloting new, more environmentally-friendly packaging at six locations featuring lids that can be properly closed that sport a maple leaf design.
He says the brand was slow to change the lids because the company has long been a leader in the coffee space and many franchisees figured that a redesign wasn’t worth the effort.
In addition to the lid, Macedo says the company will be launching a new marketing plan later this year that is based around true stories related to Tim Hortons. Early advertising will include stories about a hearing-impaired girl who had to write her order on the company’s fogged up glass display until a Tim Hortons employee learned sign language to communicate with her, as well as an unlikely Kenyan hockey team that has embraced the brand and is coming to Canada to play with NHL stars.