Donald Trump tells the world he intends to be an authoritarian. So why won’t journalists repeat it?

Trump is a fascist. But the mainstream political press doesn’t want to say it. They want to act like 2024 is just another election year.

With their obsession with horse-race coverage, political reporters tend to judge what Trump says or does by whether his words and actions will help him politically. By doing so, the press is saying that Trump’s racism, corruption, criminality, and insane abuses of power matter only so far as his electability.

There are exceptions: major news organizations, including the New York Times and the Washington Post, have done some important stories about Trump’s dictatorial plans for a second term. But those investigative stories are drowned out by the chorus of horse-race stories — sometimes published on the same days and by the same news organizations behind more substantial coverage.

The media is sleepwalking.

I’ve often wondered how the press, both in Germany and around the world, failed to see Hitler for the monster that he was before he gained power. After Trump, I think I understand.

  • TachyonTele@lemm.ee
    182·
    6 months ago

    I want newspapers back. Eating breakfast and skimming the news in 10-20 pages was perfect. When you were done you just left the paper there for whoever wanted to read it next. That was it. Today’s newspapers cost as much as a small paperback book and are 6 pages.

    Hold on, I’ll brb, there’s another cloud I have to shake my fist at outside.

    • hannes3120@feddit.de
      61·
      6 months ago

      The problem is that newspapers were kind of the only means to get the news in a concentrated form - now they are obsolete since everyone gets their news pretty much live and when the newspaper would be out the next morning it’s already old