Trump's denunciation of the media

[pjohns]

I am rather ambivalent about Donald Trump's staunch--perhaps even strident--denunciation of the media, in general.

On the one hand, a free media is essential to a free country. (Jefferson once intoned that if he were to have to choose between "a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government," he would not hesitate to choose the latter.

On the other hand, there is no doubt that most of the media nowadays is bitterly opposed to Donald Trump. Why, just today, The Washington Post ran a story with the headline, "These Iowans voted for Trump. Many of them are already disappointed."

Another story featured the headline, "For many Indians, Kansas shooting is a harsh warning about Trump's America".

Still, I am not at all sure that President Trump is doing himself any favors by angrily denouncing the press (which can easily be interpreted as petulant).

And he really should not speak of the media as "the enemy of the people," as that has clear Leninist undertones.

Thoughts?

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

I am rather ambivalent about Donald Trump's staunch--perhaps even strident--denunciation of the media, in general.

On the one hand, a free media is essential to a free country. (Jefferson once intoned that if he were to have to choose between "a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government," he would not hesitate to choose the latter.

On the other hand, there is no doubt that most of the media nowadays is bitterly opposed to Donald Trump. Why, just today, The Washington Post ran a story with the headline, "These Iowans voted for Trump. Many of them are already disappointed."

Another story featured the headline, "For many Indians, Kansas shooting is a harsh warning about Trump's America".

Still, I am not at all sure that President Trump is doing himself any favors by angrily denouncing the press (which can easily be interpreted as petulant).

And he really should not speak of the media as "the enemy of the people," as that has clear Leninist undertones.

Thoughts?

I'm not a fan of it. Too much like Hugo Chavez to me, and a huge distraction.


However, the hive mind here will love it, and many are no doubt of speaking their mind, lest they be called a "leftist" (God forbid).

[txradioguy]

I am rather ambivalent about Donald Trump's staunch--perhaps even strident--denunciation of the media, in general.

On the one hand, a free media is essential to a free country. (Jefferson once intoned that if he were to have to choose between "a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government," he would not hesitate to choose the latter.

On the other hand, there is no doubt that most of the media nowadays is bitterly opposed to Donald Trump. Why, just today, The Washington Post ran a story with the headline, "These Iowans voted for Trump. Many of them are already disappointed."

Another story featured the headline, "For many Indians, Kansas shooting is a harsh warning about Trump's America".

Still, I am not at all sure that President Trump is doing himself any favors by angrily denouncing the press (which can easily be interpreted as petulant).

And he really should not speak of the media as "the enemy of the people," as that has clear Leninist undertones.

Thoughts?

His war on the media is going to blow up in his face at some point in a major way.  And it's going to come at a time when he really needs to reach out to more than just his twitter cult.

What strikes me as funny is that he's taking a page right out of Rules for radicals...and no one that supports him seems to notice or care.


5. “Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon.” There is no defense. It’s irrational. It’s infuriating. It also works as a key pressure point to force the enemy into concessions.

6. “A good tactic is one your people enjoy.” They’ll keep doing it without urging and come back to do more. They’re doing their thing, and will even suggest better ones.

11. “If you push a negative hard enough, it will push through and become a positive.” Violence from the other side can win the public to your side because the public sympathizes with the underdog.

13. “Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.” Cut off the support network and isolate the target from sympathy. Go after people and not institutions; people hurt faster than institutions.



Lucky number 13 is the one he's abusing the media with on a daily basis.  The others are the ones he keeps his base whipped up into a frenzy with.