Skip to main content

Reflections on the media and the fall of Trump




The media has been running after Trump like the bright, shiny object that he is. But like a meteor of Sisyphus, burning bright and streaking towards the sun, Trump seems to be flaming out of control at the moment. As he is imploding, my one thought is of the tearful Vladimir Putin lamenting the downfall of his favorite and oh so useful idiot, one Donald J. Trump. The problem may be that no one is shocked, really shocked!, to discover the true nature of Trump. 

But the lack of focus on his very real flaws, his character and the shady nature of his business dealings and how he built his empire, are the most telling and perhaps shocking aspects of this whole weird Trump phenomenon. For weeks, one of the few journalists showing some spine in uncovering the details of Trump's flawed character has been Joy Reid, of late the host of the Saturday AM show on MSNBC. She first brought in the Newsweek correspondent digging deeper into his business dealings, and has also featured prominently the lawyers asking questions surrounding Trump's past dealings with women. The lawsuits are reminiscent of the ones Bill Cosby fielded for years. And perhaps most troubling is the unapologetic nature of his defense, as if having money and power are such boons to anyone that the mere mortals who dare question his steamroller behavior are simply spineless wimps and "losers", not indictments by ordinary people who are trying to get ahead in their own lives.

The media has long been known to simply follow lemming-like the shiny objects and bright and glittering stars that betray their fervor for low-hanging fruit. We, as writers, journalists and bloggers alike, all tend to be lazy when it comes to the long hours of research and thankless long nights spent digging up minuscule footnotes and corroborating support for intricate stories that are timely and at times, confusing to the general public. But there is no excuse for this long, drawn out national nightmare that is Trump. We all are guilty of wanting to view this slow motion train wreck of a campaign that has been before us, and yet even as we witness the implosion of the thing, engulfed in flames and screaming vitriol as he falls to Earth, we must embrace the fact that there's a bit of him in all of us. It's the darker sides of our nature, and not the better ones that we need to confront as we reflect upon his downfall. Here's hoping that we can survive the aftermath of Trump.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Hillary and the Man in the Arena

From the standpoint of one who voted for and endorsed Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton, there seems to be a question hanging in the air. How could someone who opposed the Clintonian dynasty support Hillary’s bid for the Presidency? Isn’t it a bit hypocritical? Or at least inconsistent with the view previously taken? This is true for many supporters of Obama. Some on the left cannot support her bid for President.They see many of her acknowledged flaws and conclude she cannot be a viable option. My view comes from watching her over the course of the past eight years, four as the Secretary of State within this Administration. And having watched the two debate in 2008- Obama vs. Hillary- there can be little question that the divide that separates them on most issues is a small one. Theirs is a centrist left view of the world. On Foreign Policy, I daresay that Hillary would never have worked for Obama had she held wildly opposing views from his own world view. But the...

The Fifth Risk: A Chillingly Prophetic Narrative for our Time

  For those who have never read this book, ,”The Fifth Risk” is a chillingly prophetic narrative that perfectly embodies the reasoning and set of circumstances that have led us to this point in the pandemic. Not only is there no plan for getting us out of the Pandemic-at least from the Trump Administration- there is instead a decisive narrative which Lewis lays out that allows you to understand why there is a pattern to the idea of simply ‘dropping off the cliff.’   The plan from the beginning, long before the Trump Administration even began to take power, was to break down the walls of governance that had surrounded the Washington agencies for decades prior. Of course, many of Trump’s supporters argue: That is the point! Steve Bannon proudly declared that government would be ‘de-constructed.’ And even those who ended up disagreeing with Trump heavily, such as John Kelly and Rex Tillerson, did help implement the policies that were laid out in the beginning of Trump’s tenur...

21st Century News: Bullets from today's Headlines....

  The notes from the headlines that have impacted our lives the most over the past few months are included in this newsletter. Here are the top takeaways from the past months that were compiled from the daily headlines and news that has been part of our lives during the Trump era.   Please remember to follow along on Twitter @mljtpa and also to sign up for the monthly newsletter at 21 st Century News! And follow us on Facebook at 21 st Century News!   1. What Fox News hath wrought: The damage done and lives ruined, people targeted by lies and disinformation campaigns run on a nightly basis at Fox news is part of the ongoing story....   2. A Letter of Support for Steve Schmidt & Fellow Patriots; The line from The Verdict is this: Steve, people will believe you and listen to the truth. The Silent Majority needs to be heard. Those who voted for Joe Biden and don’t believe the lies and know that you are out there working hard every day. Thank God...