Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin shared an anti-media moment in Hamburg when they faced journalists and Putin asked “These are the ones hurting you?” Trump responded “These are the ones. You’re right about that.” While I have been very critical of what I see as distortive and biased coverage of the Trump Administration, I have also been critical of Trump’s attacks on the media. This is an example where journalists have a legitimate right to recoil at the scene. Trump was commiserating with a man who has decimated the free press in Russia where dozens of journalists have been killed. With Trump calling for reductions in the protections afforded to media and attacking the media, there is a heightened and understandable sensitivity to these type of scenes.
Category: Media
I recently wrote about my concern over the publication by CNN of a statement that it had identified the man responsible for a satiric wrestling video that was reposted by President Donald Trump. CNN declared that the man had removed not just the video but other material deemed offensive or “ugly” by the networks. In light of his actions, CNN said that it would not reveal his identity — for now. The clear message was that CNN reserved that right to disclose the man’s identity if he resumed posting material deemed ugly by the network. Many of us objected to CNN’s language and rationale as inimical to journalistic standards and free speech. CNN analyst Kirsten Powers insisted that such concerns are groundless and that CNN acted entirely appropriately. She specifically responded to my column in USA Today raising these concerns. Both Powers and I are contributors to USA Today.
Continue reading “CNN and The Search For A Self-Affirming Principle: A Response To Kirsten Powers”
Below is my column in USA Today on the controversy surrounding CNN’s handling of the creator of the Trump wrestling video. The episode shows the deepening tension between CNN and Trump. CNN has increasingly positioned itself as part of the “resistance” while Trump has used CNN as embodiment of all that is wrong with the media. While Trump has said that CNN has done itself serious damage in the controversy, polls show almost 60 percent of Americans disapprove of Trump’s performance as President. While ratings have been up and more people trust CNN rather than Trump, CNN’s journalistic image has been damaged in the relentless anti-Trump rhetoric from both political and legal contributors. Even under the recent poll, some 43 percent trust Trump more and CNN’s ratings continue to roller coaster. Ironically, CNN needs Trump and Trump needs CNN to continue their respective narratives. However, neither is a promising foundation for either a political or journalistic enterprise. It is a case of mutually assured destruction.
Here is the column:
Continue reading “CNN’s Probationary Order To Reddit Poster Raises Serious Journalistic Concern”
There are various reports confirming that Justice Anthony Kennedy has told staff that he is seriously thinking of resigning and has notably not selected clerks for the October 2018 term. That raises some intriguing issues, including how such a vacancy would play in the midterm elections when there are 33 seats up for grabs in the United States Senate. The vacancy could be used to rally conservatives and liberals alike. As for Kennedy, it could be the difference between a lasting and short-lived legacy.
It appears that Qatari will be left “waiting for Gadot” for some time after the government banned the move “Wonder Women.” The reason is that lead actress Gal Gadot (who plays Diana Prince) is Israeli. The government joins Lebanon and Tunisia in banning the film. The Muslim countries appear to agree with Wonder Woman in saying ” It’s about what you believe.” Gadot believes in the Torah and that is enough for the Qatar government. (Of course, Wonder Woman added “And I believe in love. Only love will truly save the world.”) That part is clearly not part of this decision.
Continue reading ““It’s About What You Believe”: Qatar Bans Wonder Woman Over Israeli Actress”
There is an old axiom that “Generals always fight the last war.” Such was the case in World War I with the failure to anticipate the impact of machine guns or, in World War II, the image of Polish cavalry charging German Panzer tanks with lances. Politicians can often fall victim to the same strategic blindness. This week, President Trump again declared that he would not stop tweeting and specifically noted that tweeting was key to his winning the election. In other words, the last war. Yet, the issue is not really Twitter but tactics.
In his latest Tweet storm, Trump insisted that his use of social media “is not Presidential—it’s MODERN DAY PRESIDENTIAL. Make America Great Again!” He also told his followers that “the FAKE & FRAUDLENT NEWS MEDIA is working hard to convince Republicans and others I should not use social media—but remember, I won … the 2016 election with interviews, speeches and social media. I had to beat #FakeNews, and did. We will continue to WIN!” He later followed the tweet with a disturbing altered video clip of his physically attacking a CNN figure.
The fact is that Trump may have changed modern politics but not necessarily the modern presidency. There is a difference and that lesson can be found in the presidency of none other than Bill Clinton.
Continue reading “FIGHTING THE LAST WAR: TRUMP NEEDS TO CHANGE HIS MESSAGE NOT HIS MEDIUM”
It must be challenging to be a columnist in an authoritarian Kingdom where you are expected to heap praise on the King while avoiding the line that divides utter fawning and divine worship. It appears that Ramadan al-Anzi crossed that line and is now suspended for using praise reserved to the Almighty as opposed to the merely magnificent.
Continue reading “Saudi Government Suspends Columnist For Praising King With Words Reserved For God”
As discussed yesterday, President Donald Trump has said the he will not yield in his continuing tweets with personal or insulting attacks on the media, political opponents, and journalists. To drive that point vividly home, he re-posted a video showing him punching a man with the CNN logo on his head during a wrestling match. It seems a posting designed to virtually taunt his aides and allies on the Hill who have tried to convey to him that these tweets are alienating allies and costing the GOP critical time and energy.
Continue reading “Trump Posts Video Showing Him Physically Attacking CNN Figure”
Yesterday, Republicans lined up to denounce the insulting tweets posted by President Donald Trump as degrading for the Office of the President and damaging to the GOP agenda. However, this morning Trump was again on Twitter calling Joe Scarborough “Crazy” and Mika Brzezinski “dumb as a rock.” He also unleashed attacks on CNN and the media. GOP leaders and 71 percent of the public have said that these tweets are harming his presidency, but Trump continues unabated. The fact that the President would resume name-calling after his own party leaders begged him to stop is a matter a considerable concern among Republicans.
Continue reading “Trump Resumes Tweets With Personal Attacks Despite Bipartisan Criticism”
Alex Jones has been repeatedly accused of running false stories on his InfoWars program. However, this week one guest caused jaws to drop and prompted a NASA spokesman to deny that it has kidnapped children and worked them as slaves on a Mars colony. Of course, that is exactly what National Aeronautics and Slaves Administration (NASA) would say if it was kidnapping children and working them slaves on a Mars colony.
Continue reading “Martian Slave Babies! Alex Jones Airs Theory On Kidnapped Children Raised On Mars”
In the aftermath of the vicious tweets against MSNBC hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, there was an intriguing allegation that three top Trump Administration officials called Joe Scarborough and threatened that, if he did not call Trump to apologize for his negative comments, the National Enquirer would run a hit piece on the hosts. The allegation is deeply troubling and, while it would not necessarily constitute a crime, it would raise a serious question of abuse of office in the use of staff to convey such an alleged threat. With all of the understandable passion following the tweets. this is a very significant allegation and one that was not previously disclosed. It has not appeared in both print and on air by the hosts, who are obviously sticking by this chilling account of what they say was a campaign to intimidate them. The White House has denied the allegations and said that Scarborough has misrepresented his call to the White House.
Without fanfare, the Justice Department dropped the long fight over stripping the trademark protections from the Washington Redskins football team as an offensive term. I have long been a critic of the action taken by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and said at the time that the action was flagrantly unconstitutional. Now millions have been spent but the case is withdrawn in light of the recent decision in Matal v. Tam.
Continue reading “Sacked: Justice Department Drops Fight To Strip Redskins of Trademark Protections”
A letter from fifty-eight Republican lawmakers calls upon Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg to recuse herself in the travel ban case scheduled to be argued in October. While there is a fair chance that the case could be moot by October as I previously discussed, a recusal is highly unlikely despite that fact that Ginsburg’s comments were highly inappropriate and troubling. I have been a long critic of Ginsburg’s public speeches and comments as raising serious ethical issues and undermining the integrity of the Court. However, the Court has long declared itself outside of the enforcement of the Code of Judicial Ethics. The result is a dreadful record of self-regulation and Ginsburg is only the latest disturbing example. Ironically, while the media has rightfully raised inappropriate public comments about Trump, it has shown little interest in the inappropriate comments of Ginsburg.
Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, 37, is a leading Vietnamese blogger known as “Mother Mushroom” has been writing for years to expose the torture and oppression of the one-party state. This week Vietnam showed the world that, despite its portrayal as one of the world’s emerging economies, it remains an authoritarian warmed-over Communist regime. It convicted Quynh and sentenced her to 10 years in jail. For telling people the truth about their government.
Continue reading “Blogger Sentenced To Ten Years In Jail In Vietnam”
This morning began with what has become a Washington ritual. We all wake by the chirp of a morning presidential tweet and brace ourselves for what follows. Even with past tweet controversies, this morning’s missive was breathtaking. President Donald Trump attacked the hosts of MSNBC’s Morning Joe show in a pair of tweets that included a highly disturbing attack on co-host Mika Brzezinski. The tweet was not simply unpresidential, it was unhinged and inexcusable.Continue reading “Trump Unleashes Personal Attack On The Hosts Of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe””