"I think people can't help but report this stuff because it's so shocking, and because if they don't, others will."

Not a surprise. We have candidates everywhere who are products of the modern rabble. Modern media depends on dirt to sell outrage and fear because they are for-profit organizations before they are a public service, and this is enabled by people who think words are actions. This apparently displaces any sort of learning ability, as people have objected strenuously to my observation that people voted against Trump because they thought he'd be mean to LGBTs by voting for Hillary, who took money from governments that EXECUTE tham.
In the past, people were so obsessed about Monica Lewinsky that they completely ignored John Huang's access to the White House and his role in securing MFN status for China. Who holds our debt now?

Have you any idea of the history of the relationship between "Mika", "Joe" and Trump over the last few years? Maybe you should look.

I agree with most of this analysis except the bullshit from NBC.

NBC and Trump are two sides of the same coin. They made each other. (Most of modern media really)

Trump is no stranger to Pro Wrestling though:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NsrwH9I9vE

America needs public service: But our financially & intellectually incompetent trust-fund baby president is too busy "winning" to serve us in matters of policy.

"Winning" is when voters with undercooked personalities feel a sense of psychomographic "identification" with people on teevee who have unusual haircuts.

It really sux.

Yesterday, Hymowitz sincerely asked her 3,500 twitter followers whether a face lift actually bleeds. There were no replies. Apparently nobody who knows wants to tell.

A lot of this stems from the fact that today's "journalists" have become pop culture media personalities, brands that need to be promoted and sold. When Woodward and Bernstein brought down Nixon, they could expect a promotion and some notoriety from their Watergate reporting, that is a promotion to a slightly higher newspaper job and perhaps a modest book deal. Today's journalistic media personalities expect multi-million dollar television contracts and millions of dollars in advance for a single book.

Journalism, in Woodward and Bernstein's day, was in transition from blue-collar job to white-collar job, with colleges of journalism popping up at universities everywhere. While many universities today offer journalism degrees, this is a fairly recent phenomenon. Although Columbia University's School of Journalism was founded in 1912 by a newspaper magnate, journalism as an independent field of study did not really take off until the 1970s.

Until then, journalists were apprenticed, not graduated. "College boy" was not an endearing nickname in the newsroom.

Mike Royko and Herb Caen, two icons of old-school journalism, did not graduate from a university. Royko did briefly attend a junior college before joining the Air Force. Both won Pulitzer Prizes. Edward R. Murrow did graduate from college with a degree in speech, not journalism, from Washington State College (now WSU).

Today, TV news reporters, especially the ones from New York or Los Angeles, frequently make appearances in movies and television today, as brand-building exercises. It makes going from the local desk to the national desk easier if you've had some national exposure.

Walter Cronkite made a decent living as the CBS News anchor. Brian Williams made millions doing the same job 30 years later for NBC, along with brand-building appearances in movies and on television shows (e.g., recurring appearances on Late Night and 30 Rock). Cronkite did do at least one non-news TV appearance, guest starring on an episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show; that was for the show's benefit, not Cronkite's.

News personalities frequently blur the line between fiction and reality these days. Christianne Amanpour made an appearance in Iron Man 2, playing herself. Netflix's House of Cards has featured Ashleigh Banfield, John King, Soledad O’Brien, Kelly O’Donnell, Rachel Maddow, Sean Hannity, and Morley Safer playing themselves, building their brands.

In the '90s, Katie Couric, Paula Zahn, Mary Alice Williams, and Joan Lunden attended Murphy Brown's fictional baby shower.

Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski are media personalities, not journalists. A feud with Trump only raises their profile, builds their brands. Now, they can advertise themselves as thorns in the sides of the powerful. Watch for more media personalities to pick fights with Trump to build their own brands. And watch for the thin-skinned Trump to take the bait.

"A lot of this stems from the fact that today's "journalists" have become pop culture media personalities, brands that need to be promoted and sold."

I think this is part of it.

But only part.

And Trump supporters congratulating themselves for voting for her are blind to what Crid notes -- this bratty desire to "win" at all times, including battles like this put-downfest of two TV hosts who didn't properly kiss the ring.

More from this morning:

https://www.aol.com/article/news/2017/07/01/president-trump-mika-brzezinski-joe-scarborough-morning-joe-twitter/23011403/

You should read "Art of the Deal" - Trump goes into great detail about how conflict is attention.

Trump is essentially trolling people to write about him.

> this bratty desire to "win" at all times,

This is why the new right is clobbering the old right and winning elections... rather than being a controlled opposition who in the long run always seems to lose.

"America needs public service: But our financially & intellectually incompetent trust-fund baby president is too busy "winning" to serve us in matters of policy."

Thus, the trips to meet foreign leaders and the "travel ban" - actually a pause, citing existing US law chapter and verse - are likewise obscured.

> pop culture media personalities

Yes. T'was always thus, I suspect, thought it's obviously spun out of control in the electronic decades. In this week's We the Fifth podcast, Moynihan says the daily WH press briefings were created by Mike McCurry during Clinton II, and McCurry now regards them as a big mistake.

I don't pay close attention: I saw video from earlier this week wherein a WH journalist, a face unknown to me, was haranguing the press secretary (similarly undistinguished) for underperformance. And I thought... Who gives a fuck? Welch then cited this tweet.




Trump is such a loathsome example of American character that at this point all we can hope for is the most improbable, complicated and contingent of silver linings. We ought not hold our breath.

> You should read "Art of the Deal"

You should sniff glue and skip meals.

Conan, that reminds me of one of the more charming, low-key, 1950s comedies - "Teacher's Pet."

From the IMDb:

"'Teacher's Pet' is a deliciously funny look at journalism, and the clash between 'formal' education vs. practical experience, with higher learning championed by Doris Day, and the 'School of Hard Knocks' represented by the 'King', himself, Clark Gable. Despite an obvious age difference (Gable, at 57, was showing all of his years), the chemistry between the stars is electric, and with Oscar-nominated Gig Young providing terrific comic support as Gable's brilliant yet down-to-earth competition for Day, the film manages to be both witty and wise.

"With over a quarter century of playing newspapermen, the role of hard-boiled City Editor Jim Gannon fit Clark Gable like an old shoe. No-nonsense, pragmatic, and a workaholic, Gannon was the classic 'school drop-out' who learned the newspaper business from the ground up, and held college in contempt. While Gannon was obviously a dinosaur, even by 1950s' standards, Gable appears to be having a ball as the cigarette-smoking, plain-spoken, 'blue-collar' hero..."

(Apparently, plenty of reporters in that movie are high-school dropouts. Certainly the young man played by Nick Adams is, from what I could tell. He's "Barney.")

One exchange:

JIM: You won't do any worse with an education...and you might do a lot better.

Barney: What's wrong with this stuff? Just tell me one thing.

Jim: Well, for one thing, how do you spell "philanthropist"?

Barney: How'd you learn to spell "philanthropist"?

Jim: The way I learned to spell everything else. One lousy letter at a time. But the hard way isn't always the best way. I'm not sure it ever is.

Barney: You've always told me experience is the most important thing that...

JIM: Experience is the jockey. Education is the horse. You'll find out there are a lot of other places in the world...beside this city room.

> You should sniff glue and skip meals.

Not an argument

> What’s the news? A Twitter spat between cable
> hosts and the president.

Trump is the first president to realize that the real war is with the media. If nothing else, Trump will have managed to destroy much of the credibility of the mainstream media.

> Not an argument

I'm not arguing, I'm mocking. Perhaps this needs explication, though ferChrissake why should it: No man, woman, child or beast doubts for a moment that you sincerely think others should read "The Art of the Deal," whatever its author's demonstrable incomprehension of both art & finance. We believe you.

> The real war is
> with the media.

> No man, woman, child or beast doubts for a moment
> that you sincerely think others should read "The
> Art of the Deal," whatever its author's
> demonstrable incomprehension of both art &
> finance. We believe you.

Trump essentially sets out what he is going to do in this book... then everyone is surprised he does it.

But only part. ~ Amy Alkon at July 1, 2017 7:56 AM

I think it may be a bigger part than we currently realize.

Media news reporters are not interested in analyzing what Trump's policies are or what his policy implementations are effecting. They want to criticize, to engender love from the Left. And engaging him in a pointless feud is a visible way to do that.

Mindless criticism is as bad as, possibly even worse than, mindless adoration.

Is Trump a classy human being? Hell no. Is he a great president? No. Is he the president we need right now? Possibly.

Years ago, I read a history of the Ottoman Turkish Empire from its origins to Suleiman. The author took pains to show how each caliph, despite his personal flaws, advanced the caliphate, expanded, the empire, defended the empire, and/or solidified the internal workings of the empire. Alcoholics, psychotics, sociopaths, and tyrants though some of them were, each nonetheless played a role in advancing the empire to where it ruled people and territories on three continents.

With appointments like Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, Trump may in the end prove to have been a solid addition to the line of US presidents, despite his myriad personal flaws.

> Alcoholics, psychotics, sociopaths,
> and tyrants though some of them
> were, each nonetheless played a
> role in advancing the empire to
> where it ruled people and
> territories on three continents.

Such grotesqueries ought not be tolerated by a culture with higher aims than 'empire ruling people and territories on three continents.'

It has been said that Republicans treat politics like a genteel sport, such as golf, while Democrats treat it as tackle football, which it is. However, Democrats, the MSM and leftoid activists have now turned politics into Rollerball, and people are actually being physically hurt (baseball shootings, Antifa, etc.). Trump is James Caan in this game, but whether he'll win like James Caan did in the movie remains to be seen. Hopefully, he will.

...such a loathsome example of American character that at this point all we can hope for is the most improbable, complicated and contingent of silver linings. We ought not hold our breath. ~ Crid at July 1, 2017 8:59 AM

That Trump is in it, means it was already a diminished office.

Sadly, we just don't expect much of our presidents anymore. Be at least 6 feet tall, have a nice smile and a smooth patter, come up with a catchy slogan and you too can be president.

Based on the progression we've seen from Clinton to Bush to Obama to Trump and the selection of candidates both parties have run over that same period, our next president is probably going to be a semi-sentient labradoodle.

Meh.

Trump tweets, the media and his political opponents get distracted, people who were never going to work with him get the vapors. Good. It keeps them out of the way and decent work happens in the background.

The Establishment holds most of the people who voted for Trump in contempt. Now they're shocked to find out that the contempt is returned. The form of the destructor has been chosen.

Those whom the gods decide to destroy, they first drive mad. The media is quite mad and well on its way to destruction.

Fortunately Chelsea Clinton, America's foremost expert on domestic government and world politics, is being groomed by her genteel, erudite, and completely healthy parenting units to continue the Clinton family legacy.

Of what that legacy consists, we'll just have to elect it to see what's in it, I suppose.

Such grotesqueries ought not be tolerated by a culture with higher

I'll take the bait...who was the last "honorable" Prezi with higher aims?

I think the last 16 years are why pols should have as little power as possible. "Your premiums will be $2500 less." "I never had sex with *that* woman." "They misunderestimated me".

Do you honestly believe that the media offers nuanced discourse, acts civilly, or does anything to elevate the conversation?

...and he's back:

My use of social media is not Presidential - it’s MODERN DAY PRESIDENTIAL. Make America Great Again!

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/881281755017355264

> ...and he's back:

Did you go to high school? What's your second favorite book? Ever write a check, kiss a girl, or fix a broken thing?

I do not understand the minds of those, few though they may be, who imagine that Trump is more of a specifically gifted individual than a famously incompetent one, selected accordingly by a bitterly snot-blowing electorate.

Well, we're all fascinated with your endlessly needy interior life, Snoopers. So spell it out for us... But don't waste any words. Our interest in you is shallow.

Raddy can chime in (briefly! concisely!) if he has anything to add.

From my own childhood, here are some more professional wrestling figures for you to admire and masturbate for!

• The world's most scientific wrestler!

• Dick the Bruiser!

By the way, Snoop, those guys are dead... So you should

Save your goo
for you-know-who...!

> who was the last "honorable"
> Prezi with higher aims?

You're missing the point. You're not supposed to admire these people, ever.

> people who were never going
> to work with him get the vapors.
> Good. It keeps them out of the
> way and decent work happens
> in the background.

What "decent work"? This guy has no goals that goals of his voters.

I do not understand the comments in this thread. All you guys are so certain that media is the problem; and that the media has somehow clouded the minds of lesser men than yourselves. You don't talk about finance, health, regulation or anything but making fun of people in mass media who are losing their influence through the course of events anyway.

It makes me angry on the internet.

I meant 'This guy has no goals that ARE goals of his voters.'

> Do you honestly believe that
> the media offers nuanced discourse,
> acts civilly, or does anything to
> elevate the conversation?

That's what you want from communicators?.. Discourse, civility and elevation? Your needs seem as prissy as those of the most isolated academics.

That's what you mean by "The real war is with the media"?

Via Cosh, consider this piece.

He's still not Hillary. The noise from the sore losers is music to my ears.

Seriously, there are two Trumps and only one is being talked about, the One Who Tweets. There is another, but he is being ignored in favor of the narrative by the "journalists". Reporters could recite the below list, but they aren't very thick on the ground in the national media.

http://www.conservapedia.com/Donald_Trump_achievements

Alternatively, you all could rewatch Team America's clip on Dicks, Pussies, and Assholes and remind yourself that Trump is the Dick who defeated the Pussies.

As i've said, Trump is a jerk.

However, from a purpose policy and governance standpoint, he's been excellent. Which is why every criticism of him is personal (and he brings that on himself).

None of his shenanigans would be enough for me to trade in how good he has executed his duties as for how poorly Clinton would have. To say nothing of how the "adult" Clinton's destroy women victimized by Bill.

"You're missing the point. You're not supposed to admire these people, ever."

Now that is an interesting argument. To paraphrase 'No president has ever been presidential.' Then by what standards are we to hold presidents? Impossible ones that can never be realized? Why bother with that?

I posted this to facebook in regards to a Trump conversation, I think it applies here:

You know what the one thing I love about Trump is?

He is the distillation of every bad impulse you see in liberals - because he is one.

Everything liberals hate about Trump is what anyone with shred of decency hates about liberals.

He is like a Twilight Zone mirror for liberals, and I cant stop laughing at how horribly offend liberals are when someone treats them the way they've been treating others for years now

Such grotesqueries ought not be tolerated by a culture with higher aims than 'empire ruling people and territories on three continents.' ~ Crid at July 1, 2017 12:08 PM

Such grotesqueries may be a necessary course correction for the country. As is, perhaps, Trump.

And the real "grotesqueries" may have been the modern-day Caligulas that preceded Trump. The wannabe dictator who ruled by his "pen and phone" or the sociopath sexual predator who marshaled his party apparatchiks to deflect his rightful comeuppance when it came due. Or the wives of both, modern-day Evita Perons who used the country's treasury like a no-limit credit card for luxury travel, designer duds, and self-promotion.

Trump's election slowed the growth of the reactionary regulatory state, if only slightly.

Everyone agrees that pollution should be stopped and the environment protected, but none can say how much current or proposed environmental regulations will actually do to aid that cause. Nonetheless the environmentalists would have the regulatory state expanded and deepened in service of that ephemeral cause, burdening the economy without ever articulating a quantifiable benefit, nor ever realizing one.

The same with arbitrary expansion of Title IX to benefit an estimated .03% of the population at the risk of the well-being and security of a significantly larger percentage. While our forefathers worried about the tyranny of the majority, we're facing the tyranny of the minority.

Obergefell, while a welcome settlement to an issue that was taking up far too much of our political and social energy, was government overreach at its worst. This was an issue for voters to settle, not the courts.

Not to mention the trampling of and abject disregard for the religious beliefs of a significant portion of the population that disagrees with the aims of the secular regulatory state.

Trump's election was a response to all of that and a needed course correction. Will it be enough? Only if Trump is enough; and that is still to be seen.

"All you guys are so certain that media is the problem; and that the media has somehow clouded the minds of lesser men than yourselves. You don't talk about finance, health, regulation or anything but making fun of people in mass media who are losing their influence through the course of events anyway."

I expect to change my tune, at least (which includes the fact that *I* cannot be sure of any media report) when the erstwhile opposition gets the point - much like your reacting to Amy's constant articles about Islam. As it is, confirmation bias is so powerful that it overrides actual logical and legal points.

Quote the candidate? Cite the actual legislation from the Library of Congress? Hell, no, we want to believe CNN or Rush!