Wars of words
the CIA headquarters last weekend that he had a “running war with the media.” Journalists are the “most dishonest people” he knows, which is saying quite a bit when one looks at his financier friends. (And don’t you just love all these guys who never fought a day in their lives declaring “war” on the media?)
Now, I can tell you, after spending 50 years covering foreign countries, that if the president thinks this will stop news from getting out, he is a very foolhardy warrior, indeed. I covered the “posttruth” Soviet Union, the “beyond-honesty” Burma and the “alternative fact” Iraq and, even in those sorry places, there were always ways to get news. There are always people who want to talk, places to go to file a report more-orless safely and sources who will offer you sane interpretations. It just takes more work, and you’re always willing to work like a banshee when people make you mad.
Actually, in those five decades, I have seen journalists who are foolish, who puff themselves up far beyond reason and who don’t always get it right; but I have never seen any who were flagrantly dishonest. During the campaign, too many abused Donald Trump because they frankly didn’t like him (at the same time, at least on television, giving candidate Trump everything he asked for).
Too many in the media missed the Trump followers, the president’s forgotten men and women. Let’s not do that again!
But how about the average citizen -- the Americans who won’t give a few coins for a good newspaper that works doggedly to tell the daily stories of our lives? Aren’t they guilty, too, of not following the responsible press and, instead, of gluing themselves to evermore-irresponsible cable TV and social media, empowering them?
Finally, lest President Trump believe his own advertisements -- i.e., that truth somehow does not matter -- I suggest someone brief him on: (1) how President Nixon is remembered for a twobit break-in that would embarrass a First Ward alderman in Chicago, or (2) how George W. will forever be tarnished by his lies about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
On the other hand, there is, and should be, deep and