The Sword of Damocles
I hope that Donald Trump is aware that, at least in part, the reason he won the Republican nomination was a result of a media campaign to get him there. I wouldn’t go so far as to suggest that there was an actual “behind closed doors” conspiracy, but I do think that, in the minds of many members of the media (being approximately 90% democrats), he was considered to be the least able challenger to the Clinton “coronation”. Wether he is or isn’t weak competition is beside the point here. In their eyes, he was the “perfect” Republican candidate. As a result he was given tremendous (and unpaid for) exposure. This unprecedented limelight was putatively justified by the various media purveyors by saying they were merely chasing viewership ratings. Now, I certainly won’t deny that high ratings are a potent motivator in American media, but I think there was more to it then that. When a leftist “rag” such as MSNBC was giving a Republican candidate a tremendous amount of air play and frequent one-on-one interviews, you KNEW something fishy was going on!
This skewed media coverage brings to mind another example. One of the most egregious episodes of media malfeasance that I can recall involved none other than Senator John McCain. Think back to when McCain was running in the primaries against the stronger but more conservative candidate, George W. Bush. The media COULDN’T say enough nice things about McCain. They intimated he would make a more flexible leader and a better president. The beamed enthusiasm portraying McCain as a consummate “gentleman and a scholar”, so to speak. Despite all the accolades however, W. won the primaries and the election. However, eight years later, when McCain was again running, this time as the Republican nominee in the general election against Barack Obama, he was then portrayed by the media as a TERRIBLE candidate! A LOOSE cannon! A plutocrat who “doesn’t know his net worth, no less!….What HAPPENED??… Did he change THAT much in eight years? Did he undergo a complete MAKE OVER? Was he subjected to brainwashing? Why WASN’T he a great candidate any more? Did he develop multiple personalities? A psychotic break???…No…, he didn’t!…HE didn’t change, but his status DID change from courageous challenger of his more conservative Republican rival, W., to one of a “ridiculous poser” challenging the self evident eminence of Obama. The media about face was breathtaking.
So, as I said at the outset, I hope Mr. Trump is aware of all of this, because the American media, once his promoter and impresario, is now the sword of Damocles hanging over his head.