President Trump is infamous for his repeated declarations the news media are the enemy of the people.
Now that Trump faces an impeachment trial, it is not surprising his acolytes are taking up arms against the news media on his behalf. Last week it was Arizona GOP Senator Martha McSally calling CNN reporter Manu Raju "a liberal hack" when he had the temerity to ask her if the Senate should consider new evidence at the impeachment trial.
Yesterday it was Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's turn when he cut short an interview with NPR's Mary-Louise Kelly when she questioned him about Ukraine specifically concerning the treatment of former Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch in light of taped revelations that Trump wanted to be rid of her. Following the interview, Pompeo went on an obscenity laden tirade against Kelly. Pompeo then put out an official statement calling Kelly a liar, accused her of "violating the basic rules of journalism and decency" and of being "part of a quest to hurt President Trump and this Administration". The Secretary of State concluded by questioning Kelly's intelligence by stating, "It is worth noting Bangladesh is NOT Ukraine." Pompeo knows less about decency than he knows about journalism.
This is Gaslighting 101. Ask a Republican official a question about Ukraine, impeachment proceedings or anything remotely critical of President Trump and one can expect to be called a hack, a liar and be lied about. It is utterly implausible for Pompeo to claim Kelly could not discern between Bangladesh and Ukraine given her academic background is in European Studies. But facts be damned in a realm of alternative facts.
It is a realm in which complete and utter loyalty to Trump is demanded and occasionally rewarded. In Republican circles blind loyalty to Trump carries far more currency than acknowledging the truth and upholding The Constitution up to and including the rule of law and a free press.
It is also a realm where journalism and news media have become dirty words. It isn't to say journalism and news media don't warrant criticism from time to time. But our government, whoever holds the levers of power, must be held to account and not be beyond criticism. This is not possible without a free press. By their gaslighting and maligning the news media as enemies of the people, President Trump, Senator McSalky and Secretary of State Pompeo are rendering a free press impossible and leading us towards an avenue of authoritarianism.
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