25 Comments

How low as the media sunk when "the president didn't take a dump on the stage" is the bar? I'm sure they'll find their footing when the next Democrat is inaugurated and they'll start holding POTUS to a higher standard.

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Oct 23, 2020Liked by Eric Boehlert

Following that horrible election-eve experience in 2016, we asked in our fear if Trump could possibly change, respect the burden of responsibility to the country. Many I knew believed that he would change, out of newfound appreciation for the office, or just out of necessity. For me, there was some hope that the change would happen, but no real faith that it would. I thought instead that Trump would be ignorant of the constitution and the norms of government, but he would learn only about the cracks in those systems that would allow him power. He was intellectually slow, but he would be a savant at sniffing out those cracks. As it became clear that Trump was such bad news and I was sort of right with my hunch, the question became which of his many awful characteristics would do him in. My thought then and now is that lying would finally bring him down. The nation's character does not abide lying, and Trump is a liar through and through. My second thought was that being lazy, another American sin, would assist in his downfall. Trump is lazy. We need a press that will call out his laziness and lying to remind people that hard work and telling the truth are fundamental American values. I was so pleased that President Obama called out Trump's laziness in his speech in Philadelphia. My thanks to Eric, and many others, for calling out his lying.

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I still scratch my head in disbelief that he has gotten away with all of this. Why the Republican Party has sold their soul for this awful, awful man. I think it’s a question that will be asked for generations. Can it simply be for judges? Abortion? His ugly behavior is ok because they got their way? It’s manic.

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I’m politically exhausted. I voted Blue the entire ballot. I volunteered at local Democratic headquarters. I’m in Florida so doubly frustrating. On a good note, I see Bill Moyers quoted you. Keeping the faith...

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OMG. I just read the AP lead story on the debate and it was like 'fiesta de bothsiderismo.' Eric, you've turned me into a more discerning reader.

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We've seen this time and time again. Trump, likely drugged up, behaves somewhat normal, manages to not shit then not throw it against the walls, and all of a sudden the press is lulled into thinking a new tone has been set. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me, fool me a whole bunch of times, shame on the press. It's uncanny how the press has succumbed to this man who is completely unequipped to be president. As the nation witnessed last night, for anyone with enough critical thinking skills, Trump lied incessently through the debate. There was nothing new except that he toned down his usual maniacal self. And before the press can relax today, Trump will be tweeting more conspiratorial bullshit, rest assured.

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I wake up and see precisely what I expected--The DC Press Corpse once again reciting GOP talking points doing anything to get Trump re-elected.

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Hi Eric I've got a generic question which just seems like a glaring "media" sweep-it-under-the-rug rewrite of history.

On October 28, 2016 - 11 days before the election - James Comey sent his letter to notifying Congress that the FBI was reopening Hillary Clinton email investigation.

Credible sources such as Nate Silver indicate this may have swing 2% of vote to Trump (am I making this up?) yet now media dis-remembers this as part of Trump's magical comeback, not once mentioned in any horse race analysis of how Trump "roared back" from defeat to victory in 2016.

Is this fair or unfair critique? I read lots of "who won" columns today which reference how Trump may replicate 2016, none mentioned Comey as 2016 factor; unless current DNI Ratcliffe can wave his "hard-drive from hell" magic wand, what do you think?

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Eric, you’re typical media. You are all one sided not non-partisan at all. You obviously don’t want to mention all the lies, which are proven, by Biden. Can you be a real reporter and list President Trump’s lies you say along with the verification and proof of each one.

A real reporter can do this. Thanks.

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The Adam Nagourney article on The Times's website doesn't come CLOSE to discussing lies, while David Leonhardt's daily newsletter from The Times is all about them. I guess it's ok when it's not IN the paper? Interestingly, Nagourney is based in LA, so he isn't part of the DC political media brothel (the chief chucktodd of them all, madam).

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