I watched the White House daily press chat with Press Secretary Sanders the other day. It is not one of my favorite things, and I usually do not see it. But, with temperatures in the single digits and snow and ice covering the ground, I decided to stay indoors. Sarah started out with a statement and then proceeded to take questions from the gallery. I would assume that if you are included in this pool of reporters you would be associated with one of the major news outlets such as newspapers or television networks.
The questions started about the forthcoming book in which Bannon supposedly had given a lot of information about the president and his family. Most of this information was negative and also questioned the president’s mental health with broad statements that were claimed by the author to have come from many of those working in the administration. It was kind of boring and sounded more as if I was tuned into a soap opera instead of a news program. Question after question came, and it was the same question but asked in a different way. Finally there was a question about the Justice Department changing its views on upholding the federal law regarding controlled drugs and marijuana, and that the law was going to once again be enforced even in the states that have legalized them. The questions returned to the new book expected to be out in a few days and the president’s asking for it not to be published.
Sarah repeatedly answered with the same statements and called much of the allegations untrue and made up by the author. She said that very few people in this country are interested in this subject and would rather hear real news. I agreed silently and then said aloud to myself, this is crap and boring. Just another attempt to discredit the president by the liberals who run the media.
The real news of the day was that the Dow went over 25,000 for the first time, North Korea is ready to talk to South Korea, Iranian citizens are protesting and giving their lives to do so and there is a major winter storm running up the East Coast shutting down many airports and roads. There was real news that was important to broadcast or write about, but the major media outlets seemed to be fascinated with a book that may hurt the president or his administration. The reporters apparently were sent out to do a political mission instead of ask about the problems of the world. In fact, two of the major television networks spent more broadcast time on the book than on any other news item. It was the most important item to air. Possible war on the Korean peninsula or thousands of travelers being stranded at Eastern airports was less important, and the stock market reaching a new high was not significant enough to be bothered with.
The United States of America has a press that is guaranteed freedom by the Constitution, and this is one of the important reasons that our country has a chance to survive in this world of corruption and greed. Asking and investigating government and political affairs is the only way the citizens of this country can be informed about the status of government and be helped to decide their voting future. The press has no business in picking one political party over another or even displaying political leanings if they are to be neutral and report accurately about each event or party. Taking sides in the political swamp makes them no more than another hack that is an unelected nuisance but can affect the outcome of elections unfairly. As we talk about and investigate Russian collusion, we should also look at the irresponsible reporting of the protected media outlets that have a greater effect on elections than foreign governments. Those reporters and outlets that cannot return to accurate and neutral observation and reporting should leave the field and become opinion writers and talk show hosts, which they are doing now under the guise of being something else. We need a free and active press in this country and we need that press to put the feet of all politicians to the fire every day. We do not need a press that sides with one side and tries to undermine the other. Get real and do your jobs. Just saying!
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