No, this headline wasn’t misleading
Reader: I am extremely disappointed in the misleading headline used to report the Supreme Court’s decisions relating to Trump’s attempts to keep his financial records secret.
The most important takeaway from the two decisions was the 9-0 statement by the court that no one is above the law, and that most definitely includes the president.
Whether or not the cases, sent back to the lower courts, will result in the release of the information before the election is a good subheading. However, anyone reading just the headline of the article would be left with the impression that Trump won his cases, and he most certainly did not. — Jenell Mahoney, Bakersfield Peterson: Headlines are tough, Jenell. A headline writer is tasked with summarizing an entire story or column into just a few words, ensuring accuracy while constrained by space. The headline isn’t going to include every detail — it can’t. That’s why we have a story.
It was not misleading for us to use this headline: “Court keeps Trump taxes out of public eye.” The Associated Press reported that the Supreme Court ruled in favor a New York prosecutor’s demands for the president’s tax records. In a separate case, the court kept a hold on banking and other documents Congress sought, according to AP.
For now, the records remain out of the public’s reach, and likely that will be the case at least until after the November election, several national media reports state.
The Washington Post used this longer headline online: “Supreme Court says Manhattan prosecutor may pursue Trump’s financial records, denies Congress access for now.” It noted the court issued two 7-2 rulings.
In its story, The Post reported: “But perhaps the court’s more lasting message came in the first sentence of Trump v. Vance: ‘In our judicial system, ‘the public has a right to every man’s evidence,’” (Chief Justice John G.) Roberts wrote, citing an ancient maxim. ‘Since the earliest days of the Republic, ‘every man’ has included the President of the United States.’”
Perhaps that’s what you are referring to, Jenell, when you write that “no one is above the law.”
Just the little bit of these complex cases summarized above from two reports could lead to several different, and accurate, headlines.
••• Reader: There is the smiles and laughter that
Herb Benham’s writing brings to me on a daily basis. This guy is a local treasure and reading him I now understand how the people of San Francisco must have felt in the 1850s reading Mark Twain’s pieces in their local paper. His column ( “Herb Benham: No way to defrost relationship with this device,” July 7) on the “mysterious ice maker” is classic. Kudos to you, Herb! Thanks for giving us words that make us smile and appreciate our humanity in these difficult times. — Elden Miller, Bakersfield Peterson: That’s quite a compliment, Elden, for you to compare Herb Benham to Mark Twain. I’m so glad to hear Herb’s work brings you smiles and laughter.