A president afraid of the facts

Editor: Cold, hard facts, reported accurately and dispassionately in print or via electronic media, give President Donald Trump the willies.

He despises criticism and disagreement with his statements or policies. Almost the only time Trump isn’t lying is when he’s asleep. Maybe he talks then, too.

While those mutterings wouldn’t make the day’s front page or lead story on the 6 p.m. news, his efforts to tarnish the nation’s news corps’ reputation is the stuff of 92point banner newspaper headlines. Those remarks drew sharp response from broadcast personalities, according to an Aug. 5 article by writers for the website Geobeats:

“President Trump took to Twitter ... and launched a scathing attack on the media.

“‘The Fake News hates me saying that they are the Enemy of the People only because they know it’s TRUE,’ Trump wrote. ‘I am providing a great service by explaining this to the American People. They purposely cause great division & distrust .... They are very dangerous & sick!’

“His tweet came ... after CNN’s Jim Acosta pressed White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Trump’s use of the phrase, ‘the enemy of the people.’

“‘For the sake of this ... democracy, this country, all the people ... watching what you’re saying, Sarah,’ Acosta said at a press briefing .... ‘(T)he ... President of the United States should not refer to us as the enemy of the people .... ’

“However, Sanders refused to say that the media isn’t ‘the enemy of the people.’

“‘I appreciate your passion; I share it,’ Sanders replied .... “I’ve addressed this question .... the president’s made his comments clear’.”

Ms. Sanders deserves some sympathy. She works for the world’s biggest liar. Her boss demands loyalty but rarely returns it.

Reporters are Americans’ true defenders. These warriors for the light take on genuine enemies of the people — corrupt politicians and a president determined to destroy the nation he’s sworn to protect and defend. LANGE WINCKLER Lodi