The readers were having none of it. While most comment sections of most papers are a cesspool, the feedback on that article was decidedly negative for all the reasons you mention. No one should be normalizing Trump. He should be reviled at every turn and treated with the disdain that he treats everyone.
Yes, but that is what makes these types of "let's normalize" Trump stories odd. Time and time again, the media puts out these types of stories and the readers push back against them in large numbers. Why then write them?
Hate to think it's just for "clicks," since that is completely irresponsible on the media.
Our Failed Political Press ™ has been wrong about the Right since at least the Reagan era. Trump’s consistent demagoguery of the press made them feel relevant again; they themselves were the headlines and newsmakers. It was a shot of adrenaline straight to the heart.
It is said that every morning a senator looks in the mirror and sees a future president; during the Trump years the pundits looked in the mirror and saw a Woodward and/or a Bernstein: “we got the bastard on the run.”
The press got played during the Trump years, and they are getting played again.
We don't just think it. Seeing how they are obsessed with kneecapping Joe they want Trump back in the Oval Office and they will do anything to achieve that!
This is why this week, before my subscription automatically renews, I will be unsubscribing to The Washington Post. My money can be better spent elsewhere, like contributing to Press Run, Freespeech.org, other progressive blogs, or the campaign of a progressive candidate. I am but one person but if we all start to hit these mainstream news outlets where it hurts the most, then maybe their tune will finally change. Sadly to most of the American journalistic landscape, money is more important than the truth. This WAPO piece proves that the mainstream media has a severe bent to the far right and I will no longer support it.
And all those people going to Disney right now will spread the new variant to the rest of the country. This shit doesn’t end because of these willful idiots and the Republican leadership who enable them. I for one am done giving the anti-vaxx, anti-intelligence, anti-humanity, batshit crazy wing of the Republican Party the benefit of the doubt or any kind of understanding. I really just can’t anymore.
Speaking of batshit crazy, What. The. F%#k. Washington Post?! The only thing Trump ever did right in his entire miserable life was lose the 2020 election (multiple times after recounts), flip Georgia, flip Arizona, and lose the House and Senate to Democrats. Oh right, and coming <this close> to flipping TEXAS. Anything else the media says for clickbait is just unvarnished bullshit.
The media never writes about what Clinton accomplished — a budget surplus, the Dayton Peace Accord that ended the genocidal war in the Balkans, the Irish Good Friday agreement. He also a strong GDP growth which disproved Reagan’s lie that raising taxes on upper incomes would crash the economy — or would have had the media bothered to point that out.
Mainstream political reporters love the GOP sooo much that they just can't criticize any of the politicians no matter what.
In Donnie's case, more important than anything the Post found "good" was, among other things, Trump's killing of over 300,000 Americans because he was afraid of looking bad; weakening if not practically speaking destroying such democracy as we have; and continuing the extractive, exploitative economy with has only worsened since Reagan.
As for giving Donnie credit for not starting a war, a) I presume the Post has genuine anti-war bona fides and pushed back against all of GW Bush's bullshit for invading Iraq and b) under the circumstances, Donnie should have ended wars. Not starting one shouldn't be to his credit.
as for Eric's piece about not running a comparable piece on Obama, 1) he wasn't a Republican and therefore not entitled to that kind of puff piece and 2) odds of finding a critic of his willing to go on the record with anything positive to say about him would have been pretty low.
True, but I think just being a Dem was enough to ensure that there’d be no comparable piece.
Too, I still can’t imagine finding conservative critics willing to go on the record with praise. Being conservative means lacking intellectual flexibility.
What's so hard about finding and reporting the truth? If you can't find it, sit on it for a while. If you get it wrong, say so immediately. This click-based monetization of 'news' doesn't serve those with a need to know. But then I'm preaching to the choir here.
I was so stunned and literally shocked by that despicable piece of hagiography that my first impulse was to cancel my longtime digital subscription to Wapo. In the cool light of day today, I am still planning to do so. My horror at what I (partially) read has not subsided. I have twice cancelled my subscription to the New York Times over their "both-sides-do-it" meme and their infatuation with hirsute, obese, racist, fascist Trump supporters in Plugged Anus, Arkansas and other locales, but relented and went back. This time with Wapo, I don't think I can. This is a betrayal I cannot forgive.
I would suggest keeping your subscription but write a blistering letter to the editors. Then make sure you always read the people like Jennifer Rubin, Greg Sargent, Margaret Sullivan, E J Dionne, and others who are speaking out against Republicans’ push to destroy our democracy. Vote with your clicks — the Post notices who is getting readers.
And complacency. Just look how long it has taken the media to realize Republicans are a party of authoritarian plutocrats and theocrats! That should have been obvious a few decades ago.
When I read the WaPo headline I nearly gagged; couldn’t bring myself to read it. Thanks, Eric, for once again highlighting the irresponsibility and/ or craven appeal by WaPo to whom, exactly?? FG readers? Surely not to the democracy loving folks who thank the gods he’s not in office any longer. Unfortunately he lives on in the msm. Another cut in the fabric of our country.
Isn’t the new Executive Editor of WaPo the coward that fired the AP reporter because the rightwing went into a tizzy? Guess it’s a preventive ass-kissing.
Put that story in the same file with "Mussolini got the trains to run on time," and "Hitler ended unemployment for 18-40 year old men."
it's really astounding....and why 6 months later even look back at Trump presidency?
Maybe Jeff wants to tap into that 110 million dollar Trump PAC for his next launch. After all, "Buz" Besos is still a businessman.
The readers were having none of it. While most comment sections of most papers are a cesspool, the feedback on that article was decidedly negative for all the reasons you mention. No one should be normalizing Trump. He should be reviled at every turn and treated with the disdain that he treats everyone.
yes, i saw that. it's heartening to see so many readers get it and letting editors know they see through this nonsense
My comment at WaPo was, "Is this satire?"
Yes, but that is what makes these types of "let's normalize" Trump stories odd. Time and time again, the media puts out these types of stories and the readers push back against them in large numbers. Why then write them?
Hate to think it's just for "clicks," since that is completely irresponsible on the media.
And of course we all know the media would never be irresponsible (cough cough)
Our Failed Political Press ™ has been wrong about the Right since at least the Reagan era. Trump’s consistent demagoguery of the press made them feel relevant again; they themselves were the headlines and newsmakers. It was a shot of adrenaline straight to the heart.
It is said that every morning a senator looks in the mirror and sees a future president; during the Trump years the pundits looked in the mirror and saw a Woodward and/or a Bernstein: “we got the bastard on the run.”
The press got played during the Trump years, and they are getting played again.
worse, i think the press can't wait for Trump II
We don't just think it. Seeing how they are obsessed with kneecapping Joe they want Trump back in the Oval Office and they will do anything to achieve that!
Truth.
You can always count on the brain-dead DC Press Corpse to endlessly recite Republican talking points!
More truth.
This is why this week, before my subscription automatically renews, I will be unsubscribing to The Washington Post. My money can be better spent elsewhere, like contributing to Press Run, Freespeech.org, other progressive blogs, or the campaign of a progressive candidate. I am but one person but if we all start to hit these mainstream news outlets where it hurts the most, then maybe their tune will finally change. Sadly to most of the American journalistic landscape, money is more important than the truth. This WAPO piece proves that the mainstream media has a severe bent to the far right and I will no longer support it.
thank you for your support!
Trump didn’t launch a nuclear war.
Success!
Does show what a low bar Trump needs for a success.
right??
Thanks for highlighting this piece, Eric. I've angry tweeted at WaPo and editor Mike Madden — and cancelled my subscription. Finally.
you're welcome
And all those people going to Disney right now will spread the new variant to the rest of the country. This shit doesn’t end because of these willful idiots and the Republican leadership who enable them. I for one am done giving the anti-vaxx, anti-intelligence, anti-humanity, batshit crazy wing of the Republican Party the benefit of the doubt or any kind of understanding. I really just can’t anymore.
Speaking of batshit crazy, What. The. F%#k. Washington Post?! The only thing Trump ever did right in his entire miserable life was lose the 2020 election (multiple times after recounts), flip Georgia, flip Arizona, and lose the House and Senate to Democrats. Oh right, and coming <this close> to flipping TEXAS. Anything else the media says for clickbait is just unvarnished bullshit.
The media never writes about what Clinton accomplished — a budget surplus, the Dayton Peace Accord that ended the genocidal war in the Balkans, the Irish Good Friday agreement. He also a strong GDP growth which disproved Reagan’s lie that raising taxes on upper incomes would crash the economy — or would have had the media bothered to point that out.
Dear Washington Post Toasties:
What did Trump get right?
Answer--NOT A CENSORED THING!
ty!
Mainstream political reporters love the GOP sooo much that they just can't criticize any of the politicians no matter what.
In Donnie's case, more important than anything the Post found "good" was, among other things, Trump's killing of over 300,000 Americans because he was afraid of looking bad; weakening if not practically speaking destroying such democracy as we have; and continuing the extractive, exploitative economy with has only worsened since Reagan.
As for giving Donnie credit for not starting a war, a) I presume the Post has genuine anti-war bona fides and pushed back against all of GW Bush's bullshit for invading Iraq and b) under the circumstances, Donnie should have ended wars. Not starting one shouldn't be to his credit.
as for Eric's piece about not running a comparable piece on Obama, 1) he wasn't a Republican and therefore not entitled to that kind of puff piece and 2) odds of finding a critic of his willing to go on the record with anything positive to say about him would have been pretty low.
also, Obama wasn't a white Republican....
There it is.
True, but I think just being a Dem was enough to ensure that there’d be no comparable piece.
Too, I still can’t imagine finding conservative critics willing to go on the record with praise. Being conservative means lacking intellectual flexibility.
You have the right of it.
What's so hard about finding and reporting the truth? If you can't find it, sit on it for a while. If you get it wrong, say so immediately. This click-based monetization of 'news' doesn't serve those with a need to know. But then I'm preaching to the choir here.
I was so stunned and literally shocked by that despicable piece of hagiography that my first impulse was to cancel my longtime digital subscription to Wapo. In the cool light of day today, I am still planning to do so. My horror at what I (partially) read has not subsided. I have twice cancelled my subscription to the New York Times over their "both-sides-do-it" meme and their infatuation with hirsute, obese, racist, fascist Trump supporters in Plugged Anus, Arkansas and other locales, but relented and went back. This time with Wapo, I don't think I can. This is a betrayal I cannot forgive.
I would suggest keeping your subscription but write a blistering letter to the editors. Then make sure you always read the people like Jennifer Rubin, Greg Sargent, Margaret Sullivan, E J Dionne, and others who are speaking out against Republicans’ push to destroy our democracy. Vote with your clicks — the Post notices who is getting readers.
Meant to add "Democracy dies in cowardice..."
And complacency. Just look how long it has taken the media to realize Republicans are a party of authoritarian plutocrats and theocrats! That should have been obvious a few decades ago.
I think they've always realized it. They just also happen to love authoritarian plutocrats and theocrats. It's more than money and clicks.
Perfect.
When I read the WaPo headline I nearly gagged; couldn’t bring myself to read it. Thanks, Eric, for once again highlighting the irresponsibility and/ or craven appeal by WaPo to whom, exactly?? FG readers? Surely not to the democracy loving folks who thank the gods he’s not in office any longer. Unfortunately he lives on in the msm. Another cut in the fabric of our country.
WP got some 'splainin' to do.
Isn’t the new Executive Editor of WaPo the coward that fired the AP reporter because the rightwing went into a tizzy? Guess it’s a preventive ass-kissing.
Every so often, when I am tempted to get a WAPO subscription, it's things like this that persuade me otherwise. It's bad enough with The NY Times.