“Say “excuse me…” one more time, motherfucker… That is what I want one of these interviewers to say to him. I’m really upset about the lack of integrity the media has shown towards their reporting on Trump. You might say to me that I shouldn't’t worry and that he’s done this all before and he’s not really gonna run and it’s just a publicity stunt. Regardless of whether this is some sort of ego-maniacal piece of performance art or a legitimate campaign, he is hurting us with the things he says. Everyone in the media should be holding this fucker’s feet to the fire and insisting that he answer questions. I find it hard to believe I’m saying this, but he’s worse than Bush. He either needs to open himself up to the same scrutiny he is requiring of others, or he needs to be ignored. I mean, seriously, this shit has got to stop.”
I totally agree with this sentiment. Ever since the arrival of Fox News on the scene, reporters seem to have given up their ages old purpose of speaking truth to power. Truth used to be the goal of ever journalist but this is no longer the case.
Individuals like Donald Trump or Glen Beck or any of the other talking heads representing the Right have been given a free pass to just make up facts to support their own narrative. Since Obama became President, the tendency to use fear and misinformation has not only cheapened the political discourse but has prevented real change from occurring.
The Right have taken a page out of the old Nazi playbook - "repeat the lie enough times and it becomes the truth". When reporters can't or won't challenge the garbage that comes out of the mouths of racist teabaggers or self-serving carnival barkers, the common person is left with no alternative than to believe the lies they are spoon fed.
They become conditioned to use only the rhetoric of one side of the spectrum (The Right) to form their political beliefs. When this happens, voters reject en masse the political ideas of the Left (regardless if the Left presents good ideas or not) and can be easily convinced to vote against their best interests.
A perfect example of this can be seen in the recent debate over tax cuts for millionaires. You would never expect people without wealth to fight for the right of the rich to pay less than their fair share in taxes. This, however, was exactly what happened.
Lately I have seen reporters fighting back against this trend. Lawrence O'Donnell and Chris Mathews have openly challenged 'birthers' on the air leaving these liars no place to run for cover except to Fox News and shows hosted by Bill O'Rielly and Sean Hannidy. There they are given leading softball questions that only serve to legitimize their dishonest 'beliefs'.
I don't think that Donald Trump has any doubt that President Obama is an American and was born on American soil. He is just pushing that issue to court the approval of that part of the Republican base who will NEVER believe Obama is anything other than the illegitimate leader of their country. He is playing directly into the fear racist whites have over a black man being President.
Trump is a joke. Fox news is a joke. Conservative talk radio is a joke. When the fifth estate (the press) give up on their responsibility to challenge the lies that are being told they are just as guilty in perpetuating the side show as the individuals who seek to gain from the spectacle.
I can only hope that the fall of Donald Trump will be just as interesting a story to the media as his 'ascendancy'. In fact I know it will be. I just don't want to wait too long for those lies to be written about. You sewed the seeds Mr. Trump. Now get ready to reap the whirlwind.
