In today’s short Media Misses video, we discuss a new Washington Post story about Trump’s vice-presidential short list. Like a lot of other political stories these days, it focuses on the horse race while brushing past the dangerous crisis we face. Let’s be clear: This is not an exciting, suspenseful horse race. This is an alarming moment that threatens the end of democracy. Once again, this far-too-typical political coverage normalizes a convicted felon who sees the White House as an opportunity to expand his criminal enterprise and seek retribution.
Media Misses pairs me with Mark Jacob, author of the outstanding “Stop the Presses” newsletter. Check if out if you haven’t already.
You can watch our conversation here:
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Excellent short take on the continuing importance of taking journalists to task for treating this as an ordinary election cycle. It is anything but—in fact the future of democracy is at stake. I don’t think anyone who watched the storming of the Capitol on January 6th should even entertain the thought of the orange baboon back in the White House. So who cares about the VP pick—J. D. Vance should return his law degree to Yale. He obviously didn’t learn right from wrong.
JD needs to return to kindergarten and this time, pay attention!
I fear the media is taking us down the garden path. Trump and Project 2025 are too terrible to contemplate. Joe Biden’s weaknesses are nothing in comparison. They are normalizing Trump and behaving as if it is business as usual. I have to think Dems (and I have always been one) had the opportunity to install a shiny, new candidate—but here we are. I didn’t want Biden the first time, but my choice was gay and was sidelined. Joe has done a fantastic job save for the fact that he doesn’t trumpet his accomplishments. When you have become used to megaphone Trump, it is easy to think that no boasts means nothing is going on. The media have a responsibility to tout Biden’s accomplishments. We should all relish anything that is good for the Country.
We have also spent a lot of time complaining about the Supreme Court’s immunity ruling. I get it. But we should also be looking at the implications of overturning Chevron. Pollution may go unchecked. OSHA may not be able to help workers. What about the VA? The implications are staggering. We should all be terrified. We should all be knocking on doors, donating money, whatever we can do. Trump must not be returned to the White House. Perhaps we could even enact laws to prevent criminals from becoming President.
Sadly we cannot enact a law to add ‘no criminals’ to the few requirements set out in the Constitution. On the other hand, it would be abused. Putie loves such laws.
I agree. The immunity ruling is extremely dangerous. It provides a direct route to committing criminal acts with impunity if they are “official acts”; blocks the use of lawful official acts as evidence where there is not immunity; a presumption of immunity for acts not clearly core constitutional duties & cements total control of prosecutions and all other actions of DOJ to the president. SCOTUS will be the decider of appeals.
I see the sweeping immunity decision working hand in hand with striking down Chevron and any rogue president who implements Schedule F for civil service workers. SCOTUS gave the agencies’ authority to the courts. Appeals may transfer that power to SCOTUS. (Ironic that agency decisions had to be ‘reasonable’. SCOTUS not so much.)
A president could gut and direct agencies as s/he wishes. Donnie wants to have the impoundment act declared unconstitutional. Not sure it matters because if a lawless president withheld lawfully appropriated funds (like he did Ukraine funding) it would probably be covered by immunity as an official act.
I’ve been thinking more often of George Wills (to not think of George Orwell):
“I am not a member of an organized political party. I’m a Democrat.”
I just love this post.
I have to ask - with their abject failure to deal in any adequate sense with the existential threat that Trump and fascism pose - whether the media are simply incapable of rising to the occasion, or whether they are so entangled by their allegiance to their advertisers and corporate masters that they will not do so for fear of causing offence and affecting their bottom lines?
Homi, it may be more simple than that. An overworked reporter relies on the approach that he's always used, which is so wrong for times like these.
Absolutely, Steven, no question: it’s so much easier for reporters to write and file stories without digging into issues in depth, or rising to meet their larger responsibilities. But what concerns me more is the hypocritical attitudes of their editors and owners who appear ready to jettison democracy in order to maintain the status quo.
Excellent take by both you and Mark, Steven. We indeed live in a "dangerous time". I still think the reason why djt is waiting until the trumpublican convention is that he's going to name one of his kids his running mate. And by that time, it will be too late for anyone to do anything about it.
Thanks again, you two, for saying things out loud. The Dems now are relying on celebrities to make their case of having Joe step aside. I call continued bullshit on that strategy. I think Jill knows her husband better than anyone and if she thought he wasn’t up to doing the job, she would encourage him to seek retirement. He wants to be the one to grab reelection against the most obnoxious and dangerous criminal our country has ever seen. I don’t blame him. He wants to codify Roe v Wade, the VRA, and ERA, on his watch. I don’t blame him. He wants hostages to be reunited with their families while cutting right through Hamas’ ability to do any further harm. He wants Bibi to pay for his actions. I don’t blame him. Mostly, he wants to be an important part of the plan to bring Putin to his knees. I don’t blame him. I will vote for Joe because I don’t give a shit about what the media or the elite have to say. GO 4 JOE!
These traditionally major papers can’t even point out the simple things. VPs take the same oath as other federal officials. It is not to the president. They can’t compare and contrast those they say are at the top of the list with VP candidates of the past.
They can’t catch Donnie in his most simplistic (but politically valuable to him) lies. Donnie knows about Project 2025. Kevin Roberts bragged about briefing him and DeSantis. Not his staff. Not former staff going to the project that Donnie can say he never knew.
NYT reported it April 2023. What is their excuse for giving him a free pass now? Confusion? Fear?
— Heritage Foundation Makes Plans to Staff Next G.O.P. Administration
No matter the Republican, the effort has set a goal of up to 20,000 potential officials in a database akin to a right-wing LinkedIn.
Outside the Heritage Foundation’s offices in Washington. The building is painted blue, and above the entrance doors is a sign that reads “The Heritage Foundation.” The conservative Heritage Foundation has been staffing Republican administrations since the Reagan era.
By Jonathan Swan and Maggie Haberman
April 20, 2023
-> Heritage and its project partners have already briefed Mr. Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida and their teams, Dr. Roberts said, as well as staff members for other current and potential candidates, including Nikki Haley, the former ambassador to the United Nations; the entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy; and former Vice President Mike Pence. They plan to give private briefings to all conservative candidates.—
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/20/us/politics/republican-president-2024-heritage-foundation.html
There seems to be an endless supply of sycophants sufficiently power hungry to suck on his coattails, in spite of the fact he eventually throws everyone he touches under the bus.
A narcissist loves to pit people against each other. Gives him power, attention, loyalty, each trying to be his chosen one. I'm thinking he won't choose Vance who is most like him. Only room for one trump. Vance-summa cum laude, Ohio State; Yale law degree; Marine; financially knowledgeable. Everything trump is not, not that he doesn't think HE is smart, after all, his uncle was big stuff at MIT. And then, there's that beard. A young Lincoln.......trump has compared himself to Abe and declared himself the winner. Apparently doesn't know about the letter from a little girl when Lincoln was older than Vance is now.
Pence stood quietly aside with loving stares. Doubt Vance would do that.
But then, when it comes down to it, I don't care if he picks Donald Duck. Dumb press playing right along with the game.
OMG! George Clooney has spoken! That’s it, “All’s lost!” What would we do without a Hollywood celebrity’s sage input to guide us through these troubled times. Woe unto us!!
Steven, Mark, I believe it’s deliberate by the media. This from Meidas Touch is interesting I think.