Reporters are slowly attempting to do their jobs. One hopes more will challenge our lying president with the necessary determination as this journalist did.
Mike Sacks, National Political Correspondent @EWScrippsCo gave a clinic on how one should interview a lying president. It was civil, hard-hitting, and beautiful all at once.
Journalist corners Trump on his lying statements
I asked POTUS today why he keeps saying "We're the highest taxed nation in the world" when it's objectively false. Here's how he answered: pic.twitter.com/2EHa0nbm5p
— Mike Sacks (@MikeSacksEsq) October 17, 2017
“You’ve repeatedly said that we’re the highest tax nation in the world,” said Mike Sacks of Scripps. “When that’s been seen as objectively false. How with the credibility you need to pass tax reform, why do you say it?”
“Some people say it differently,” Trump said. “And they’ll say we’re the highest developed nation tax in the world.”
The reporter then challenged Trump.
“Then why don’t you say it that way,” Sacks interjected.
“Because a lot of people know exactly what I’m talking about,” Trump responded. “And in many cases, they think I’m right when I say the highest. As far as I’m concerned, I think we’re really essentially the highest but if you’d like to add the developed nation you can say that too. But a lot of people agree that the way I’m saying it is exactly correct. Thank you very much.”
The president ran off to shut the line of questioning down. But by then Sacks had forced the president to concede. And it is all on video for all to see him resort to a verbal salad.
Just imagine if our journalists were not derelict in their duty during the primaries and the general election. Imagine if they did not allow Trump to bloviate and lie on air which gave him a semblance of a plausible president even as many knew he just was not mentally capable to execute the job.
It is, however, not too late. Trump has not yet made irreversible changes to our body politic or our laws. Yes, many of the environmental regulations he overturned will create short-term chaos, in the bigger scheme, they are manageable. His healthcare shenanigans may disrupt the markets enough where Medicare for All becomes the only option Americans will accept for their healthcare.
So here is a message for the mainstream media. Progressive bloggers are doing their part. Many print journalists are doing their jobs even if they do not get the coverage they deserve (bloggers continue to push their great work). It is your turn, long overdue to step up.