I’ve been noting the words used to describe Trump and his coming administration. They are, to put it mildly, surreal. I looked a group of them up on Google a few days ago and posted them without any text of my own. This morning I looked up a few more: just Google Trump and a word you think describes him. You will find a story that will either make you so angry that steam comes out of your ears or so despondent you want to go to bed and pull the covers over your head.
I also have been reading articles and have highlight sections that I’ve never seen written about any president or president-elect. For example
Can anybody remember a president about which the following would be written? For example from this Politico article:
Trump Hints At Obamacare Replacement That Would Look Nothing Like What Republicans Have In Mind
Maybe he’s channeling Bernie Sanders. Or maybe he has no idea what he’s saying.
How about this?
- Or Trump’s statements could mean that he has no idea what he’s talking about.
- Making sense of Trump’s comments on policy is never easy, and in this case the comments are more confusing than usual.
- But it’s not at all clear whether Trump’s comments should be taken at face value.
How often can we all shake out head in disbelief and say to our friends “unfucken-beliavable?” Rhetorical question, we’’ be saying it for as long as he’s president.
Just watching MSNBC tonight two more words came up to add to my Google list:
What the point of all this is that we have a new president, or will have on Friday, that is manifesting so many unhinged and unstable behaviors that he has been described this way millions of times. Just as disturbing words like racism and Nazism are used just as often.
I wrote this morning describing how several high profile talk show hosts are still attempting to normalize his behavior and temperament.
To reiterate with an overview based on the words in this story my message to talk show hosts is:
Every time you use one of these words pause, look seriously at the camera, and say this is not NORMAL. Then confront the surrogate with the same thing.
They need to be journalists as in what is taught at the best universities. Anybody can call themselves a journalist: "a person who writes for newspapers, magazines, or news websites or prepares news to be broadcast.” However we need investigative journalists, newshound bulldogs who don’t let go - or their kin, dogged reporters, (or news hawks who can spot their prey from a mile up ).
I’ve heard & read a few critics of enabling journalism give a few simple guidelines — some of my pet peeves added.
- Begin the interview by stating they expect questions to be answer directly and not ignored while the surrogate rambles on with irrelevant planned taking points.
- Ask one one part questions. In news conference this is more important. The next reporter called on should ditch their planned question when it is imperative to follow up on an unanswered previous question.
- If not answered do not move on to another question until it is answered.
- If the answer is a lie or propaganda confront the surrogate.
- Have fact checkers monitoring all untrue or distorted answers and don’t let the surrogate off until the fact checkers have found proof.
- Do not discuss sports.
- Don’t pretend to be overly friendly or overly respectful if they don’t respect you. These people are not your friends. They are propagandists trying to manipulate you and your audience.
- Do not let surrogates excuse, normalize, or make light of Trump’s Tweets or his appointments.
- Do not let surrogates translate Tweets for Trump. Take the Tweets literally.
- When Trump is rude or insulting in the Tweet confront the surrogate about this being unpresidential (and unprecedented).
Here are the other words that I looked up previously:
Shameless self promotion — this really surprised me — 3,830,000. This and a dollar will get me a dollar cup of MacDonald’s coffee.
Thank you and good night!