By Rick Fuentes
MNA Communications Specialist
MNA Communications Specialist
Ok, this might be painful. It’s not easy to agree with the powers-that-be in Washington, regardless of who’s in the White House, and especially with one that’s also gone so bombastic with rhetoric as to denigrate entire religious, ethnic, and racial groups of Americans. It’s even harder when that administration is threatening to take away healthcare from people who desperately need it. Regardless, the criticism toward CNN and the Trump critics is right. The news (and the high-profile Trump) critics need to raise their game.
A few weeks ago, CNN was forced to apologize and retract a story a Russian bank with close ties to President Trump was under investigation, according to the New York Times.
Trump engaged in sophomoric name-calling with MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, who also didn’t spare the name calling. They’ve repeatedly called the president “demented,” “childish,” and even a pants-pooper.
That’s not even as shocking as comedian Kathy Griffin holding up a fake severed Trump head, which got her a grilling from the U.S. Secret Service.
None of these incidents, Trump’s included, meet the spirit of what our former First Lady Michelle Obama meant by, “when they go low, we go high.” That’s worth Googling again.
Critics, including the media, need to remember that it’s not what the subject of their scrutiny does that’s important. It’s what they do. They are similarly being judged. CNN, for example, has clearly established an adversarial relationship with the Trump Administration, and that’s a good thing. They should be questioning the administration at every turn and using a healthy skepticism with every Trump claim. It’s called journalism, and journalists like to say, “nothing good happens in the dark” and “sunshine is the best disinfectant.” That kind of spotlight, however, doesn’t happen unless journalists feel that they should be taking on the administration, regardless of whose it is.
Still, listen up reporters. The magnifying glass on conduct is also on you too. It means the White House press corps needs to be exceptionally thorough, beyond reproach, and incredibly stoic in its response. CNN bringing a courtroom sketch artist to “protest” the camera ban in the White House briefing room is genius, but rushing a story to air based on weak, third-hand information is moronic.
Other critics of the administration (take note here), need to be similarly creative and above board. The stakes are too high to go low. No one wants their political opponent to feel pity rather than scrutiny.