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

A list of Land Mines Trump is headed for

Here's the "short list" of all of Trump's incoming land mines as he hurtles towards his date with Destiny at the Inauguration. List of Donald Trump Landmines 1) Conflicts of Interest- His Business Interests are global 2) Billionaire (& Military) Cabinet appointments 3) Trump's Foreign Affair Shortfalls: The Knowledge Gaps 4) Trump's Mind-set: Bigotry, Racism, Misogyny- Remember how much "the blacks" loved him? 5) Race-baiting  Divisive Language : His Pettiness & Ego 6) The Conspiracy Theories -the weird beliefs-beginning with Birtherism. 7) His Temperament & Tweets & Trade wars -just the Tweets & Marketing that could turn on him 8) Immigration! -Building the Wall 9) Obamacare Repeal- what do you do with 20 million people +? Democratic Strongholds: Hillary's Laundry List of just some of the initiatives that were promoted by her in her speeches and on her website. These should be the bedrock ...

We remember the Alamo in each of our wars

"  I know I’m on my way out ” was the way my Dad spoke of dying the last week of his life. The people who lived through World War II had a kind of stoicism about death that carried them through to the end. The last week of his life, he would reminisce back on some of the days he spent in England during the war.. He even remembered the names of the girls he dated!  He always had stories to tell from the mighty Eighth Air Force. The stories they wanted to compile that would leave a record of what they did...what they accomplished and what they left behind... I went with my Dad to his last reunion with the mighty Eighth. Ironically enough, it was held in San Antonio complete with a visit to the Alamo.  As with the fall of the Roman Empire, nothing lasts forever. They knew that. But there was a kind of sad but bittersweet connection with the Alamo....those who died for a glorious lost cause. Remember the Alamo... In the latest war...we see the talking faces on TV and those ...

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...