Yesterday, many (most?) newspapers decided to coordinate their editorial boards and present a rousing defense of the press from the many assaults of the short-fingered vulgarian currently occupying the Kremlin West, er, White House.
If only they had put up a vigorous objection to the Orange Menace during the 2016 Goat Rodeo, but you know, HER EMAILS!!!1!
Anyway, taking a contrarian view is Jack Shafer writing at Tiger Beat: America’s Newspapers Just Played Right Into Trump’s Hands
Most journalists agree that there’s a great need for Trump rebuttals. I’ve written my share. But this Globe-sponsored coordinated editorial response is sure to backfire: It will provide Trump with circumstantial evidence of the existence of a national press cabal that has been convened solely to oppose him. When the editorials roll off the press on Thursday, all singing from the same script, Trump will reap enough fresh material to whale on the media for at least a month. His forthcoming speeches almost write themselves: By colluding against me, the fake media proved once and for all, that they are in cahoots with the Democrats and have declared themselves to be my true political opposition …
Expect Comrade Trump to swat this one down via Twitter; also expect Possum Hollar to respond as one against the media. If the Media felt threatened before, it just got supercharged.
UPDATE 1: Like clockwork –
THE FAKE NEWS MEDIA IS THE OPPOSITION PARTY. It is very bad for our Great Country….BUT WE ARE WINNING!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 16, 2018
The Boston Globe, which was sold to the the Failing New York Times for 1.3 BILLION DOLLARS (plus 800 million dollars in losses & investment), or 2.1 BILLION DOLLARS, was then sold by the Times for 1 DOLLAR. Now the Globe is in COLLUSION with other papers on free press. PROVE IT!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 16, 2018
There is nothing that I would want more for our Country than true FREEDOM OF THE PRESS. The fact is that the Press is FREE to write and say anything it wants, but much of what it says is FAKE NEWS, pushing a political agenda or just plain trying to hurt people. HONESTY WINS!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 16, 2018
UPDATE 2: Not a surprise. The Boston Globe, the paper that started the coordinated editorials, has received threats
today.
“Earlier today a tenant in the building, the Boston Globe, received several threats via phone call. Based on this threat the local and federal authorities have recommended some additional security measures for the property. For the remainder of the day you will see uniformed Boston Police officers in the lobby and around the property. There are very few specifics, but the threat was specific to later this afternoon.”
crossposted from Mock Paper Scissors
