May 12, 2023·edited May 12, 2023Liked by Noah Berlatsky
Cooper set the terms of the argument, and people responded as if his terms made sense, but they don’t because the issue isn’t whether or not to cover Trump, it’s how to do it without handing him more of the unaccountable, free coverage he got in 2016.
To argue that we’re a bunch of pussies who can’t handle the truth is absurd. We’ve all been soaking in Trump’s and his minions’ and cult members’ garbage for some years now. Those of us the media are completely uninterested in—the minority who invest a lot of time in following news, particularly politics—have endured the most, but even normies shrink from the disturbing behavior and malevolent presence of Trump.
The issue isn’t whether or not to cover, it’s how to do it and not let him steamroll the journalists. No reference to Trump should run without mentioning that this man who wants back in the WH tried to overturn a legal election by inciting violence. What’s pernicious is the insistence on treating him either as a normal candidate or worse, giving him a situation that feeds his most destructive behavior and makes holding him accountable impossible.
Just for starters, to repeat what every sensible commentator has said, you don’t give him a live platform, where stopping the firehose of bs is impossible. And you most certainly don’t provide him with a claque of superfans who cheer as he takes a pi** on the interviewer.
Lawrence O’Donnell did a great segment last night on how awful Collins’ questions were—several, including the all-important first question, focused on Trump’s feelings. Why does he feel he should get to return to the WH? Did he FEEL he owed Pence an apology? There were one or two others similarly framed. These were simply invitations to monologues, and he obliged with gusto.
The most specific questions are best. You want to narrow possible responses, not offer a boundless field for filibustering. This also allows the interviewer to bring video and other refutations of his lies.
The matchup I yearn for will never happen: Mehdi Hasan and Trump.
I’m not a big fan of Collins, but to put her alone on that big stage with him was throwing her to the lions for its theatrical value.
O’Donnell also pointed out that the event and questions were developed over months in countless meetings. That they ended up with what we saw Wednesday night is appalling. The whole mess should be used as a blueprint going forward for how not to cover him.
I hope it will be used as such, but Cooper’s remarks show the usual blinkered perspective, self-serving and blaming the viewers somehow, and I fear the industry-wide arrogance and inability to look inward and question their own assumptions won’t permit the essential shifts we’d need to get responsible coverage that doesn’t help him as it did in 2016.
Who besides Trump benefits from giving Trump an hour to say whatever shit he wants? Why, CNN, of course! CNN's so desperate for "engagement" that they sold their soul for it.
It's so CNN that they would give delivering the excuse to Anderson Cooper — an out gay man who will be one of the first victims of a Trump Nazi-run concentration camp. I guess Cooper feels his exalted position as a purveyor of "fake news" will somehow keep the Leopard Eating Faces Party from eating his face....
Cooper set the terms of the argument, and people responded as if his terms made sense, but they don’t because the issue isn’t whether or not to cover Trump, it’s how to do it without handing him more of the unaccountable, free coverage he got in 2016.
To argue that we’re a bunch of pussies who can’t handle the truth is absurd. We’ve all been soaking in Trump’s and his minions’ and cult members’ garbage for some years now. Those of us the media are completely uninterested in—the minority who invest a lot of time in following news, particularly politics—have endured the most, but even normies shrink from the disturbing behavior and malevolent presence of Trump.
The issue isn’t whether or not to cover, it’s how to do it and not let him steamroll the journalists. No reference to Trump should run without mentioning that this man who wants back in the WH tried to overturn a legal election by inciting violence. What’s pernicious is the insistence on treating him either as a normal candidate or worse, giving him a situation that feeds his most destructive behavior and makes holding him accountable impossible.
Just for starters, to repeat what every sensible commentator has said, you don’t give him a live platform, where stopping the firehose of bs is impossible. And you most certainly don’t provide him with a claque of superfans who cheer as he takes a pi** on the interviewer.
Lawrence O’Donnell did a great segment last night on how awful Collins’ questions were—several, including the all-important first question, focused on Trump’s feelings. Why does he feel he should get to return to the WH? Did he FEEL he owed Pence an apology? There were one or two others similarly framed. These were simply invitations to monologues, and he obliged with gusto.
The most specific questions are best. You want to narrow possible responses, not offer a boundless field for filibustering. This also allows the interviewer to bring video and other refutations of his lies.
The matchup I yearn for will never happen: Mehdi Hasan and Trump.
I’m not a big fan of Collins, but to put her alone on that big stage with him was throwing her to the lions for its theatrical value.
O’Donnell also pointed out that the event and questions were developed over months in countless meetings. That they ended up with what we saw Wednesday night is appalling. The whole mess should be used as a blueprint going forward for how not to cover him.
I hope it will be used as such, but Cooper’s remarks show the usual blinkered perspective, self-serving and blaming the viewers somehow, and I fear the industry-wide arrogance and inability to look inward and question their own assumptions won’t permit the essential shifts we’d need to get responsible coverage that doesn’t help him as it did in 2016.
I'm exhausted with the 🍊 💩 invading my life since 2016.
It seems that a lot of the "liberal media" are advocating for pools of orange urine.
Yesterday the Politico website opened with a blaring headline: Democrats are too confident in themselves.
Who besides Trump benefits from giving Trump an hour to say whatever shit he wants? Why, CNN, of course! CNN's so desperate for "engagement" that they sold their soul for it.
It's so CNN that they would give delivering the excuse to Anderson Cooper — an out gay man who will be one of the first victims of a Trump Nazi-run concentration camp. I guess Cooper feels his exalted position as a purveyor of "fake news" will somehow keep the Leopard Eating Faces Party from eating his face....