During his presidential run, Donald Trump was able to successfully brand Hillary Clinton as “Crooked Hillary.” Now that he no longer has his former opponent to stir up his faithful followers, he is aiming his ire at the crooked media.
And there is no news outlet more hated by Trump than The New York Times.
A few days ago, the “King of the Tweets” was at his media-bashing best when he denounced The New York Times as a “failing” institution that covered him inaccurately — “and with a nasty tone!”
Yesterday, instead of holding a post-election press conference as has been the custom of a president-elect, Trump invited major media bigwigs for a private, off-the-record meeting at his gold-plated lair on Fifth Avenue. According to many who attended, the meeting did not go well.
“It was like a f−−−ing firing squad,” one source said of the encounter.
“Trump kept saying, ‘We’re in a room of liars, the deceitful, dishonest media who got it all wrong.’ He addressed everyone in the room, calling the media dishonest, deceitful liars. He called out Jeff Zucker by name and said everyone at CNN was a liar, and CNN was [a] network of liars,” the source said.
Trump’s distrust for the media is best reflected in the fact that he has not held a press conference since July. Many analysts are predicting once Trump takes over the Oval Office, he will emulate his political idol, Vladimir Putin. It is the Russian autocrat’s custom to give a press conference just once a year… and the Russian media is thrilled with that small crumb!
What Trump is doing by vilifying an independent press is standard fare for autocrats. Like his peers in Argentina, Turkey, Ecuador, Venezuela and Russia, Trump views a free media as something to be crushed. He tells his supporters it represents the corrupt elites, both inside and outside the country. But the truth is a free media represents a threat to his power.
The media is now the new enemy of the people. The rallying cry has gone from “Crooked Hillary” to the “Crooked Media.” Any media outlet that has the temerity to print negative articles about our new tyrant … I mean president … runs the risk of Trump’s wrath!
Maybe he will threaten to sue? If history is any guide, that idle threat just might placate his diehard sycophants.
But sorry Don, our great country was founded on freedom of speech and the corresponding democrat bulwark of freedom of the press. We are not a third word country that lacks the institutions to put you in your place… or out of office.
Photo | theimaginativeconservative
The media has to stand up to this wannabee Hitler!
They will. We are not a third world country where reporters fear prison or death … yet.
Fuck Trump!
Dave, I admire your succinctness!
This fraudster will always look to blame someone. Today’s victim is the media. Tomorrow’s is anyone’s guest. This is a vermin on society who is looking to always blame someone else for his own inadequacies.
I do not believe the Trumpster will serve out his four year term.