It's fun reading Maureen. Her facetious take on current events is refreshing. A fiction writer with her talent would be successful as a screenwriter. Indeed, hollow Hollywood would welcome her unique imagination, creative talents..
17
"Donald Trump is damaging the country and civic discourse, and undermining the First Amendment. "
He is saving the 2nd Amendment.
"Trump is an attention addict"
No more so than Dowd.
21
Mo Dowd nails it. The 'media'--our #1 Enemy--has been getting fat on Trump. If DeeJay went away tomorrow--oh, let it happen!--what's left? Pence. And long periods of total silence as 'the media' try to figure out what to do.
11
Dear Maureen,
Ahh, so easy to jump on the disgusted with Trump bandwagon. Wouldn't it have been better for us all if you had shown enough courage not to jump on the pillory Hillary bandwagon. I have a suggestion. Why don't you write a column with demonstrable contrition apologizing to the American people for such an egregious lack of judgment! That might even make a difference.
Adam
156
Now, Dowd,reailly? When you could have maybe, perhaps made some little difference years earlier in this mess?
101
Since all he wants is attention, maybe the press is acting as a restraint by reporting on all his vulgarities and inanities.
Imagine what he might to do to get attention if they stopped.
20
Ms. Dowd's obsession reveals a petulant ignorance. Our current President accomplishes a growth economy, low unemployment, and historic diplomatic initiatives only to be criticized by Dowd for insufficient civility to a hateful and inept Press.
Maureen Dowd illustrates how President Trump's disdain for the Press is well deserved.
9
Not sure taking eyes off this target would end well. While it appears Trump has a imperturbable core of sycophantic supporters who enjoy the Joker-like purity of his chaos production, the sane portion of the American electorate would like to see Trump and his administration ripped-out by the roots, and fields salted wherever the Republican Party has turned fallow ground. I think the Fourth Estate has a big role here. History is being made. Either the United States is going down the toilet for the long-haul, or Trump will be a permanent, cautionary tale in America's history book.
38
It has become a sort of an addiction for the readers, too, this never ending clownesque performance. It shows his lack of respect for issues and persons (asylum seekers, refugees, veterans, etc) and failure - or unwillingness - to understand the impact his decisions have on his fellow citizens and the world. This is just one big show with a single performer and the whole world is a stage. Let's hope it ends as a comedy.
16
The most sane response to the White House Correspondents Dinner....um...."kerfluffle".....was ......Trumps.
"No More White House Correspondent's Dinners"
Thank you, Mr. President.
8
I have been thinking about a bumper-sticker phrase that could go nationwide; here's my le mot juste:
Trump: Making America Suck.
Now, I guess, there's a big question: Will the New York Times print "suck"?
18
The public created Trump.The media did what it was supposed to do.......focus on his character.Trump's base needed him as a distraction from their dreary and increasingly meaningless lives.The fact the media made money from this is beside the point.Everything in this country, since Ronald Reagan,is about making money.Billionaires have become our heroes.The biggest thing Trump could get in on was a tax bill.Taxes,net worth,minimum wage,healthcare cost,carried interest,the free market,trade deficits,the cost of social safety net programs....this is all we talk about.The idea of a moral and ethical society focused on the needs of community has been lost to Trump's supporters.Modern evangelical Christians are phonies, focused only on themselves and their own well being.They have a prurient need to hear the details of Trump's sins so they can feel both superior and grant forgiveness.Thirty percent of internet content is porn. Trump mirrors his base.They need him to live vicariously through his transgressions.Our only hope is that "the rule of law" will stop him but I wouldn't bet on it.
33
The naked truth about Trump has not changed since this idiot emerge from the swamps of Queens till now. He remains the same befuddled oaf. The difference is that millions of Americans, who blithely saw none of the ugly qualities in Trump, or willingly chose to ignore them, thought unleashing the blathering ignoramus loose in the White House would have no consequences. How bad could he be? Well, folks, we have yet to see. For we have only struck the tip of the iceberg. There is still 90% of Trump which has not surfaced, the erratic petulant child who demands his way, the know-nothing egotistical jerk who blindly careens from one china shop to the next , destroying all along the way. How could so many Americans be so stupid? How could so many still be so apathetic not to show up at the polls and put a stop to this calamity before it ever had a chance to begin? What is wrong with you, America? You've apparently had it too good for too long, and now the chickens are coming home to roost. And boy are they going to be exacting a terrible price for your stupidity.
DD
Manhattan
82
If Trump were to walk out to Marine One stark naked, one third of the voters in america would not care. It would not be the end.
28
When I look at that picture of Trump and Giuliani, I see a couple of London barrow boys or spivs, the sort of loudmouthed con men who, day in and day out, attempt to fob off people with lies, exaggerations and rubbish. The only difference is that one doesn't need to visit Portobello Road or Petticoat Lane to see them in all their sleazy action. Just turn on the telly and there they are gracing the White House and conning the challenged forty-odd percent who think they're legit. Blimey, what a country this USA is. Give me Blighty any old day.
34
By the time Trump walks stark naked to Marine One the bar will have been lowered so far that no one will notice anything amiss.
32
The negative news stories from the liberal media outlets about President Trump is only creating more support for him from his base. I do not think this was their intent but it is happening. The constant reporting on the Russian collusion and Stormy Daniels are making President Trump more popular and the media less so. They are fatigued and are not listening to this reporting which has become boring to many.
The people want real news that it pertinent and affects them personally such as the improving job market, the robust economy and the healthy state of the nation. They feel the other stories are non news events that have no bearing on them and are just a rehashing of news said in multiple ways. Until the media reports on new findings they are not interested and are tuning out.
9
Trump has waged a war on the truth. He won and truth lost. Facts no longer matter in Trump's America. I am profoundly pessimistic about our nation's recovery.
43
who cares ? Get on board to higher purpose; informing people town by town, city by city, state by state about what to do instead of listening and becoming pulled into all this. People are being destroyed and dying for God's sake.
7
What trump has done is turn so much of our good honest media into tabloids. They must because he is president, report on what he does. Not to would be a type of dereliction of duty. One of our problems is the 24/7 news which is mainly of repeat of the same “news” every 1/2 hour to hour.
13
And the Naked Truth about Maureen Dowd?
She, like many of her liberal readers, are obsessed with hate for Donald Trump. Painfully obvious with articles like this. They grasp at anything to bring Trump down. The problem for them is, it shouldn’t take a porn queen or a made up Russia story, or a lame attempt to snag Trump on obstruction with gotcha questions. If Trump is going to be “taken down”, it should be by the voters, at the next election.
We do have laws in this country, something liberals seem to forget.
8
When the President of the United States speaks, the world views his words as a reflection of American values and foreign policy. Every journalists from the News outlets consistantly brings to the forefront stories and opinions that try to convey that this President's words do NOT reflect Aemerican values.
You can't have it both ways!!
Trump represents exactly the current American values and double standards and the world is seeing and experiencing the Real America.
8
Trump & his company of fools are not the problem, although he clearly makes visible what is the problem.
The major Media is the problem, and they have been so all along. This in spite of Aaron Sorkin's masterful vision of how a truth seeking Newsroom (HBO) should behave.
The Founders placed Media among the First of the enumerated rights: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
The Press is not free, but largely in a prison of its own making. The Media has owners, and the owners turned news into infotainment, after which the news readers lost the ability to speak without fear of disturbing some corporations bottom line.
Tragic water under a bridge now too decayed to be of any service at all.
Yet, history is organic (living) if we study it rightly, so it is possible to see this-present-moment as a staging arena for Citizenship to wake up the the not-quite-yet-lost truth, that in our form of government, only we the people, the citizens, are the sovereign power.
November 2018 can't get here soon enough. I favor a completely new writing of the Constitution, where corporations are not persons, healthcare is free for all, and nobody in any elected office makes more money than the poorest citizen.
Time for a new beginning ...
11
Thanks for saying what I've felt for many months. I wish news organizations would just go on a no-Trump diet for a few days a week. Maybe at the end of the week you could publish them all at one time, sort of a Trump Dump.
For now we Americans salivate over Trump's next tweet. I think if the news media stopped covering him so much he might become less egocentric. He's thriving on all of this.
That said, articles such as the NYT's one covering Cohen's business are informative and appreciated.
13
Oh, Maureen. Why did you have to leave us with that image of Trump walking to Marine One stark naked? That will haunt my dreams for some time, I'm afraid. But it might be worth it if it meant that the country would be rid of the nightmare that we've been subjected to since January 2017.
2
You have it backwards Maureen, Trump is dismantling the media. He is exposing their blatant misrepresentations and bias. Brands such as CNN and MSNBC may be forever tarnished. Where is the objectivity? In a world moving toward diversity, where is the diversity of thought and opinion in the media?
4
Take you focus off of Trump and just put it on his cabinet and the Republican Congress. Keep reporting on what they're doing (or undoing), remind people that they work for Trump, and get everyone focused on the mess they're making of everything. What people need to know is that this is not a show. This is about their lives and the future of our country. Stormy Daniels won't get your sons and daughters killed. War with Iran will.
31
The liberals and media are lost. They are obsessed with Trump and have totally forgotten the people and their needs.
(1) Healthcare - Obamacare is horrible. Sure everyone has an insurance plan that they were forced to carry up until 2018 or pay a penalty. The issue is that cheapest PPO insurance policy for 3 (3 because that is what I buy) is approx. $1250 per month and HMO's are not far behind. That is approx. $15000 per year. And then there is a minimum $6500 out of pocket before insurance will pay. It is not affordable care.
(2) Tax Cut - however bad Democrats call it. It reduced what the poor pay. The poor don't care about the national debt, just their debt and their wallet to assure that their children don't sleep hungry.
Improve the earnings of people in the USA and I can assure you that the Army will have to rely on a draft to find enough people to go die protecting the people in the EU from Russia and ISIS.
Trump knows what he is doing. The establishment is looking very foolish today. The US President was supposed to be respected and the media makes a mockery of him. The man probably want get it up with Dowd running naked but here we are hunting him down for his playboy days when he was a Democrat (that is an irony because his Democrat friends were with him and know it all).
35
If we think of the quotidianess of lived life, the trouble with it is its amorphousness, its ridiculous fluidity, What that usually boils down to is a belief in the superior veracity of fiction: that you can tell more of the truth about more of life by making things up, an accusing finger could be pointed at both Trump and the media's onslaught against him
In Rortyian (Richrd Rorty) terms, it’s a commitment to the idea that the kinds of sentence used in fiction do more and more important work than 'truthful' sentences.
For journalists then 'Truth' is likely to be less artistic, less considered and in the larger sense less truthful . On the other hand journalism does have going for it the very considerable glamour and appearance of fact, as if it had been crafted out with a considered restraint. Subsequently the truth about Trump dear reader is all the more menacing because it is strictly implicit rather than boringly explicit. Think the Mueller inquiry after two years
it seethes and meanders along implicitly implying Trump guilt but refrains from naming him explicitly. Well, 'truth' is just not much fun, is it?
A large percentage of our countries voting population are uneducated due to a variety of reasons. Mainly due to economic and social disadvantages that continue through generations of families. They are uneducated but that doesn't mean they are stupid. It means that they haven't had the opportunity to break out of their segregated lives and experience the rich diversity that this country offers to it's more advantaged people. And every once in a while there comes along a man like Trump who despite having all the advantages of wealth and privilege actually makes a choice of living in that narrow and segregated world distrusting anyone outside of it. The perfect storm. Uneducated people who live with the fear, anger and resentment of anyone who doesn't look, think or act like them and a megalomaniac con man who uses them to feel the adulation, (narcissistic supply) and enrich himself at the same time. The press is just feeding into this narrative. Segregating our people by their own agenda as they churn profits the like of which they have never known. I don't know how we are to break out of this vicious spiral downward. It will have to start with the voice of a new leader who can appeal to the humanity and decency of all. As I write this it is almost like I am summoning a God from above but I am not a religious man. But maybe thats what Trump's Evangelical's and base are thinking. It's time to scorch the earth and bring forth a new leader. One that doesn't pay off porn stars.
9
I'm more than willing to give up my Trump addiction and go cold turkey from being hooked on the hyperventilating rush of wild stories spewing out of the insane carnival in Washington, and get back to the boring old days of politics of the Obama era.
16
Maureen, "The Naked Truth About Trump" is that he is an 'Empire-building', 'Empire-thinking', faux Emperor, if there ever was one --- and that as such, he should be easily seen as such by the American people --- devoid of any clothes, and having been installed by this Disguised Global Capitalist Empire, but which remains little-diagnosed by most Americans.
While, Gilens, Page, Levitsky, Ziblatt, and even the "Washington Post" recognize that "Democracy in America?" has or is dying in darkness, too few Americans, and even too few academics and public intellectuals yet understand that the shadow stranglely 'rising in the West' to darken democracy is an Empire HQed in, and merely 'posing' as, our former country.
7
Less fluff, more content please. Wolf is right but you can’t disassociate yourself from the pack. When the president of the United States walked into the NYT and pointed a finger at you, it became clear who was in charge of the press. Unprecedented presidential behavior has been running the media circus since then. Dig deeper there is more than a hope for self immolation to rescue the country from the lack of character filtering down from POTUS. Evidence needs to be based on facts, not wishful thinking. To quote Marshal McCullan, “The Medium is The Message.”
4
Were Ms. Dowd, Mr. Kristof and Mr. Douthat in the same room when they wrote their very similar columns today? Too bad Mr. Blow was not there with them. They have all been writing the same columns since Mr. Trump declared his candidacy.
They are all correct about the hate/love relationship the media has with Mr. Trump. Knocking out "original" columns and ideas, twice a week, for a living is not as easy as it seems. Mr. Trump makes it easier.
"If you’re (=media) going to profit off of Trump, you should at least give him some money,"
Do that mean that Mr. Trump does not get a cut? Royalties? Something for all the material he provides.
5
Maureen,
After about six months of Trumpism, I came to the conclusion that the best way to muzzle him was to make him, not the Presidency, a joke.
I would start with SNL doing a skit with RuPaul reenacting with great flair his announcement entrance and speech, floating down the escalator with flourish and drag and exaggerated hair.
I would parody his Build the Wall speeches with Pink Floyd parody of “Leave the Kids Alone”.
I would have Judge Judy in her best in your face demeanor scold him for his arguments.
I would never print nor say his name, only referring to “the president” (in lower case) with a slight chuckle like your aunt talking about her unstable neighbor. Don’t give him any seriousness.
I would quit attending White House briefings until they use a truthful and credible spokesperson. Use inside sources for all reporting.
Because Maureen, The best way to sink a salesman is to not answer his calls.
17
Looking for positives about Trump is similar to seeking ways to bleed out.
2
The Photo:
Mouth wide open, as usual.
But the eyes and furrowed brow—worried and afraid.
5
Don't forget that Ms. Dowd was a True-enabler during the campaign.
Trump doesn't need to be ignored , he needs to be exposed.
9
A lot missing here:
The press wants to bring down a Republican President. We’ve gone from a re-count, encouraging an electoral college mutiny, collusion, Stormy, etc.
Let’s not forget 20 years ago.
President Clinton engaging in oral sex in the White House with an intern half his age and Matt Drudge broke the story because Newsweek wouldn’t print it.
6
Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, Maureen at her best! She tweaks the press and Pres in one fell swoop of a column. Ms. Dowd understands The Donald better than any other journalist or opinion writer (as she did Hillary), and better yet--sees the press for what it is and does.
3
The liberals who are gleefully using the Justice Department to blackmail “targets” in an attempt to stage a coup against a duly-elected president, can’t complain when the roles are reversed.
Trump may be a loud-mouthed spoiled rich boy who - when a private citizen - paid sex partners to shut up and go away; but those who voted for him are entitled to have their votes count.
It’s entertaining - but dangerous - to see liberals, who should support democracy, try so hard to overthrow a democratically elected president because they lost the election.
4
Blaming Trump for Global retreat is quite unjust; the chief architect of US retreat is Obama's/Kerry's frigid 'middle east' policy. Obama's crossing 'redline' rhetoric for Syria fell miles short of his verbosity. Obama/Kerry joint venture for handing Syrian realpolitik to Putin/Lavrov was quite detrimental to US foreign policy. Russians/Iranian in the guise of wiping out Da'esh finished all the opposition to Assad's military orchestrated by FSA and certain other opposition groups. US lukewarm response in imposing retaliatory sanctions to Putin's take over of Crimea and declaring war on Ukraine was not practically endorsed by EU. EU especially Morkel/Hollande were at cross roads with Obama's stance on Eastern Ukraine. Palestine Israel conflict was having a 'lost child' status during eight years of Obama's two terms at the white house.
Netanyahu despite ridiculing/insulting Obama repeatedly kept expanding his west bank settlements and ruthlessly continued multiple sieges of Gaza killing scores of Palestinian civilians. Obama couldn't close Guantanamo base besides his election promises. Obama's Afghan/Pak policy was absolutely chaotic. Obama continuing US rendition camps across the globe and using predator drones to kill/maim opponents is derogatory to human race and civilization. Trump is more 'novice' than Obama but damage has already been done.
Trump of course has added insult to injury and Bill Clinton wonders how Hillary lost with Putin's maneuvering!!
3
And how much has Ms. Dowd been paid for this and her other many columns about Trump? As a media pundit, she has the right, I believe, to cover this president- we need to know what he’s doing, and yes,, it’s interesting. However, there ARE other topics, important stories, and if Ms. Dowd really wants to chastise her colleagues, she shouldn’t be doing what she accuses them of.
2
I'd say to Ms Dowd that journalist, at least at the NYT, would take all that fuzz back for a "normal" president. It's not like the journalists asked Trump to be the worst President ever to occupied the WH to profit from it. Its more the citizens are scared to death by the actions of this President and they tune en masse to trusted source of news to see what is going on. What's happening is not Hollywood. Its real life and real harm and very scary.
7
Let's not kid ourselves, it is the GOP who deserve the blame for Donald J Chaos & Co. The GOP allowed Trump to run on the Republican ticket. The Never Trump portion of the GOP were right, Trump is an amoral liar and should not have been allowed to run as a Republican. Now, we are all paying for their mistake. They foolishly allowed him to run on their ticket and he took up all the oxygen in the campaign. Who could stand against a braggart, bully liar like Trump? The media do deserve some of the blame. There was a whole lot of he said/she said reporting of insults rather than policy differences. His insults and lies did not fool me. I already knew the truth about him. TV news was the worst culprit. You can't report the entire truth in a regular broadcast because they don't give the subject the full amount of time needed. There was a lot of, "Trump said this, and GOP opponent response was that, and now we go to commercial break." The media in general needs to do a better job in the future.
10
Trump is already the emperor without clothes and so far from merely damaging the First Amendment, we suspect the White House bathrooms are equipped with toilet paper that has the Constitution and Bill of Rights printed on its sheets. Democracy died in November 2016 in the USA and it won't come back. Ever.
5
No, the naked truth is that the blame lies squarely on the shoulders of McConnell, Ryan, Nunes and Graham and their cronies for allowing this repellent human malignancy to fester. And for what? A tax cut which benefits the few? Or a right wing Supreme Court appointee? Not much else so far. What we do have - and agreed, Michelle Wold got it right - is a Jerry Springer presidency fueled by its own slurs and daily lies.
15
One more thing: has it been said?... if the Electoral College had done its real job, this lunatic criminal would not be president. The Founding Fathers established it for that purpose.
Instead it's become politicized.
10
It’s kind of odd, Ms. Dowd, because as Michelle Wolf was delivering her after dinner speech brilliantly castigating some journalists in this love/hate relationship with Trump, I thought of your columns. For many of those times you declared Bill and Hillary Clinton as corrupt, Trump was kind of a rogue but completely harmless.
Just look at him now.
11
Wolf told the truth.
Trump, Sanders, Cohen, Manafort...(list is too long) lie. They all lie...
7
No! Because he continues to receive soooo many passes, seems to me if Trump walks "to Marine One stark naked," many media outlets will report: "What a fine woollen suit he's wearing today."
6
Of course you guys in the media love Trump.
You loved him during the campaign-- the debates, his rallies, the insults, his history with women, his lack of understanding of the issues, his bankruptcies and failed businesses, his racist remarks. The media loved his show and couldn't get enough.
Now you love him even more--who will be fired/hired, the antics of his family, his ridiculous tweets at all hours, porn stars, Playmates, Special Prosecutor, crooked lawyers, corrupt cabinet members, Russian spies, insulting world leaders and nuclear threats. It is like a cornucopia of Scandal, Veep, 24 and House of Cards episodes all smashed together.
Today's media needs 24 hour coverage to fill its air and web space and he gives it to you over and over. Whether you hate him or you love him, he gives you stories all day, every day. He is either a hero or a villain to everyone, and nothing in between. He is a one-man full employment program for reporters, columnists, retired military officers, washed up politicians and diplomats, know-nothing pundits, ex-Bush, Clinton and Obama administration officials, former prosecutors and criminal lawyers and comedic news satirists.
He may destroy the economy, he may destroy the country, he may destroy the world order, and he may get us into a nuclear war and destroy the world itself. But he is pure gold for the media.
The media's worst nightmare? Trump is impeached or doesn't run in 2020 and they get . . . President Pence.
3
I think Donald Trump comes out of all this looking better by the day. Robert Mueller has nothing on him. Mueller has nothing on anyone in the Trump campaign relating to the Russians. His whole investigation has been just a witch hunt.
James Comey looks pretty silly now too. The president says he hopes that James Comey will let Michael Flynn go. Comey says he took that as an order, which he then did not obey. And somehow that obstructed justice when there was no underlying justice to obstruct.
And then there is Stormy Daniels, an aging porn star trying to make a buck out of publicity for having had sex with Donald Trump. Nothing illegal about any of it, except maybe some administrative fines for improper campaign reporting. Poor Karen McDougal. She did the same thing as Stormy but nobody cares about her!
Meanwhile, Donald Trump keeps doing his job and somehow the "dysfunctional" White House seems to be functioning pretty well. Things get done. And when mistakes are made, people learn from them and do better the next time.
I'll guess we'll have to see what happens with Kim Jong Un. But if he agrees to give up his nuclear weapons and behave himself, I think I'll be about at the point where I say to Donald Trump: "Stop! I'm tired of winning all the time!"
2
Ms Dowd you continue to underestimate the danger Trump represents.
"this Batman cartoon villain" is NOT "giving [the press] reprieve while we figure out how to save ourselves in the digital age."
He is an ignorant, racist, authoritarian who attacks the notion of a free press and the rule of law on a daily basis. He has the unquestioning support of 40% Americans.. Do you not see the risk?
Trump is lazy and foolish, but a free press, protected by an effective independent judiciary, may be only one competent authoritarian away from looking back at the challenges of the digital age as the good old days.
Come 2020, Ms Dowd, try not to treat the election like a media critic writing about an amusing but inconsequential reality TV shiw. This time, try taking it seriously.
8
Trump is the best thing that has happened to the "Gossip Media". USA from giving Live-Aid, Financial Aid, and Farm-Aid is on a frontier to give the World "AIDS".
“That may wind up happening with Trump,” D’Antonio says. “One day he might walk to Marine One stark naked and we’ll all just say: ‘This is the end. It has finally happened.”
No! Fox and Friends will devote the morning to his stylish new wardrobe. CNN will speculate on whether his new clothes were made in a foreign sweatshop. MSNBC will claim he refused to pay his tailor. PBS will feature a discussion by three prominent philologists as to what constitutes “clothes” and the etymology of the word.
3
Word by word, we have connected some kind of series of dots. "Professional Liar" who fits the falsehood to the crowd before him. Professional Liar. Two words that complete the series of dots. I have followed this reportage only to hope to see the end of this sordid man's existence. Nothing more.
5
Oh come on Maureen, what pols are not attention addicts? No, Trump's real vice is he's addicted to sleaze. And now that Trump's president, the real problem is every America hating blackmailer and extortionist on the planet can 'get' America simply by 'getting' dirt on Trump.
Porn star Stormy showed us how easy it is and got $130k. Of course that was before Trump was elected and thats peanuts now that Trump's president.
Can you imagine what Kim and Putin and Xi and Bibi and the like can get on Trump? And because of him, on us? How bad can it get?
Well, everybody knows nobody can trust an addict.
Look who Trump's appointed to public office so far. Then imagine what kind of bagmen and bagladies are waiting offshore ready and willing to fork over whatever it takes to pay off Trump's blackmailers and extortionists --- so long as they get paid off with America's money, security, and well being, not Trump's.
Its not going to be pretty. Little wonder so many of Trump's 'lawyers' are bailing out and being investigated.
4
The greatest, most creative, funniest, most accurate comments from the smartest readersI' ve read in many a day. Keep it up N.Y.T. commentors. You make my day!
2
All true, and he’s a good president to boot.
4
My theory is that after being stiffed for the job as Secretary of State, Rudy is getting his revenge on Trump. What the heck, he isn't going to be paid anyway - that privilege is reserved for Stormy.
2
Sounds like the White House Correspondents Club should make Trump the headline comedy act next year instead of the guest of honor. He has been honing his shtick and killed it in Michigan.
"He incriminates himself faster than we can incriminate him. And he surrounds himself, in the Trumpland of Misfit Toys, with playmates who have that same perverse gift for self-incrimination and immolation."
Is it possible that Trump is playing three-dimensional chess and fooling all of us with his brilliant strategy? Clearly not. Does he really only hire and surround himself with the "best people"? Hahahaha.
This will not end well for the Orange Monster. And the end can't get here soon enough.
2
What's disheartening about this column is that it's asking us to forget that you yourself were a fountain of false equivalencies,snide and snarky comments about Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, and all-too-cute footsie games with Trump leading up to the election. Now you have discovered that he is a catastrophe, and are telling us that as though it's a surprising discovery for which you and other journalists deserve credit for ferreting out . But in truth, we could have told you that two years ago. Oh, wait, we did try to tell you that. Maybe it's time for another column from Kevin. At least that would be good for a laugh.
6
The problem with Rudy, of course, isn't that he didn't get his facts straight. It's that he didn't get his lies straight.
5
The awful truth is that the one functioning arm of the Democratic Party - the news media despoling coastal cities - only makes money selling ads because of this particular American President.
But then, their obsession with him in early 2016 saved him a lot of trouble moving past actually experienced Republicans so maybe it all balanced out.
Oh, but can you imagine the TAXES if the Dept. of the Treasury decided that all of the thousands of articles and broadcasts to promote the Democratic Party were indeed taxable events?
We could probably afford to get southwestern Rhode Island bulldozed back together!!
Thanksm Donald, for saving the county despite the hate storms!
Donald Trump is damaging the country and civic discourse, and undermining the First Amendment.
Title of this piece would more aptly read, The Naked Truth About Americans. They are the “civic” part of civic discourse. No one is forcing them to course as they do now. No thanks to the NYTimes, I might add, who seemed to go way out of their way early on to refer to Trump as “stupid” any chance it got. Give my regards to Charles, Maureen.
Trump and anyone who represent him lies. We know that now for two years. Since we cannot impeach him, we should focus instead our wrath on the Republican Congress who fail to exercise their constitutionally mandated oversight.
Let's focus on the harmful things they are doing to the American people and the things they fail to do protect our democracy and our country.
In some way, I can understand racism. What I do not understand is the Republicans swallowing lies without any discernment or awareness. Who tolerate being lied to? Especially lies that cover up harmful things done to you?
Ultimately, we should talk about The Naked Truth About American People. What kind of people are we? Are we exceptional? Are we defenders of liberty and justice? Are we fools who keep being rolled over? Or may be, we are just like Trump.
5
American policies are traditionally based on Puritanical hypocrisy so thanks God for Maureen and Michelle, this last one widely praised in Europe after telling us all the obvious thing, namely how hypocrite the American press behaves. As for Trump and Giuliani: they have brought American Hypocrisy to the limit with insanity and paranoia. Hence their power over the press and all so called American ethical principles.
2
I thought, when Trump was elected, the GOP wouldn't let him take over, they'd marginalize him. Boy, was I wrong.
Where are those GOP cowards?
I know it gets long all the Trump news, but we can't let him take over unopposed.
VOTE
3
So we have finally admitted to ourselves? The country put the mob in charge of the White House?
Forget about corruption in other countries. We have that beat.
6
Well put Ms. Dowd. The press has indeed profited from this mess, it it’s to their great shame. I wish it were fake.
1
"Donald Trump is damaging the country and civic discourse, and undermining the First Amendment."
Some would replace the words "Donald Trump" with "modern news media". Many in those media have accused Trump of being dishonest. A liar. So what? A lying politician? What a novel concept!
What we SHOULD care about are news purveyors with a loose grip on the truth. The same news media who with false humility wear the mantle of "4th Estate." The people upon whom we rely for truth.
When we see egregious allegations supported only by "sources say", a little bit of America slips away.
1
Just ignore him. Turn him off.
"But he's the POTUS," you say?
Of course he is. But so what? The world keeps turning, and life goes on each and every day.
Haven't you realized he's basically ineffectual? He's filled the coffers of the media, the chattering and celebrity caste, so of course they're feeding at the trough labeled Trump. Greed, avarice and the need to make a profit will do that to almost everyone, especially those enthralled to the cult of personality society we seem to have become.
Since the days of his seamier back alley antics within New York City media is the reason he persistently engages in lunacies in National Enquirer style. He is a hollow man who needs continual affirmation. Just turn him off, because overall he is irrelevant. Turn him off, which also make a dint in those aforementioned coffers. Nothing dissuades that ilk faster than losing, or not making, money.
Turn them all, off.
John~
American Net'Zen
3
Too true. The media is raking in Trumpcash along with all those Pulitzers as the White House clown car careens from one scandal to the next. How I long for the days of No Drama Obama, who may have made mistakes here and there but always acted for the good of the country, rather than himself. Now we have a narcissistic buffoon whose Republican enablers let him perform in his gilded playpen while they quietly destroy our environment, our democratic institutions, our economy, our international alliances and the very values that made our country a beacon for the rest of the world.
2
Could only skim this at best - not because of DowD, but rather Trump. I'm totally overloaded. He is so nauseous that I can't follow national issues if his name or image shows up. I'm simply gagging with Trump this, Trump that. He's amoral, he's corrupt, he's destroying civic discourse and institutions, he's repulsive. And he's ruining one important aspect of my life - my ability to be informed about national issues.
4
Trump and Guiliani are two loudmouthed wannabe mafia types who still want to be relevant as they approach dementia. Yes Trump has been good for the fourth estate's profits and some late night tv hosts. He's resurrected the ratings for Colbert. And as much as I think Colbert is a brilliant satirist, I wish Trump was not our president. He's a death wish for the nation's future. And because he's such a despicable president, he's galvanized many of us to protest and be politically active. But we all miss the erudition, compassion, and panache of Obama. Those peaceful, anger free days are gone.
3
With post-election disgust and a lack of clicking self-discipline, I initially turned to one of the apps that didn't allow one to click on any story with Trump in it-an unusual benefit to society. Now I quickly scan the headlines and generally eschew pieces about DT with the exception of an occasional deeper look from a few favored columnists.
Maybe it's time most media sacrifice (rather than save) itself in this digital age. What a waste of the First Amendment devoting such much airtime and online content to the pathetic antics of this absurdly "bad dude" along with the shenanigans and machinations of his toxic administration-they are more superfund site than swamp.
2
Michelle Wolf's comments were prescient and hats off to Ms. Dowd for even mentioning them.
Trumps works the media like a choreographer and the media dutifully reproduce his stupid tweets and document his inanities as if we weren't all sick to death of the act.
Don't real journalists feel somewhat despoiled whenever they decide to write yet another character piece stating the obvious about D. Trump that, at last count, at least 60% of the population must already be completely fed up hearing about?
Imagine if the serious media decided to reduce its coverage of Donald Trump simply to policy statements and legislation that's been passed, and eliminate the incessant Psychology 101 character studies and obvious conclusions about where things could lead if the world was fair.
Wouldn't that be a bold and mature journalistic approach to reduce the whoredom Michelle Wolf called out? I think we, the targets of this onslaught of pseudo-news that is just sensationalist twaddle about a man we've already decided is not worthy of out attention, would love it.
2
"The end", not soon enough.
2
For all the insight you need, please see Frank Rich's most recent column.
3
You have it backwards Maureen , Trump is destroying the media. Their bias and ineptitude is revealed everyday. Who will ever believe a CNN story again? He destroyed their brand and many other media outlets who profess impartiality. Trumps popularity is growing. The American people see through their lies.
1
Even if Trump walks to Marine One Stark naked, his Base would still vote for him.
We can’t afford to wait for him to go completely nuts , he needs to go now!
1
Rudy and Donny are so much alike.
Rudy is on his way divorcing his third wife, with whom he had affair while married to his second and announced his divorce in his speech.
Don is still married to his third Melania , but for how long ?
How much a Woman can take ?
2
Trump is interesting. How did this complete buffoon become President of the United States? I want to find out how story ends, so I follow the news.
2
Maureen hated Hilliary and thought there was little difference between the 2 candidates back in 2015. Thought they were equally corrupt.
3
I love the Trump Spectacle for its irresistible paradox of the least qualified president in U.S. history walking around tweeting "I am the Greatest !" Who can look away from that? The state of U.S. journalism is proof that you can shout "Fire !" in a crowded theater and get away with it. Nothing sells like burning down the White House in a glorious pyre stoked by nudity, greed, sex, violence and lust for wealth and power. Cheeseburgers, lawyers, tweets and pole dancing at 1600 Pensylvania Avenue. Wow !
There is a certain demonic and calming catharsis in seeing the dark side of the nation spewing trash talk in the inner sanctums of The Republic.
We always knew the grinning, exhorting, extorting snake oil salesman was an important part of the American Experience. Nice to see him out in the open running the Greatest Show on Earth. With color photos and instant news on the wireless!
2
It is not President Trump who is "naked." That guy is always who he's been, and he still got 306 electoral votes! No. Who's naked is the self-appointed guardians of the "truth," the erstwhile "manufacturers of consent," now reduced to a bunch of sneering, sidelined onlookers flailing about in one last desperate attempt to destroy a duly elected president, if not regain their former perch when Americans turned to them for real news. Dowd is partly right that the MSM saw Trump as a buffoon they could exploit then discard. Now they are caught in the absurd position of leeching onto him for their very survival, even as they excoriate and eviscerate him. I guess they won't be covering his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech. Probably not. They can't resist.
"He incriminates himself faster than we can incriminate him." Yet he's still there!!! He also claimed that he could shoot someone on 5th Ave and get away with it. Looks like Trump was right - the msm continues to feed the Trump beast to ensure it has copy without even getting out of bed to check facts or bother to research the back story. All that is needed are Tweets at 5am.
Until you report the headline directed at the current POTUS: "You're fired!" you'll continue to be derelict in your duty and history will not judge you kindly.
1
So stop talking about him already.....
Just the facts, and not many...
Cold turkey, on the wagon.....detox yourselves for goodness sake! I think his reaction would be priceless ( if not a little scary...)
It's time for the media to own their addiction to Trump.
1
Rudy tried to set the record straight
But the boss, not thrilled with his explication
Promptly announced nyet, check mate
So poor Rudy retreated to offer another permutation
What was media to do? Ignore Trump so he won’t become a monster? He is the President Ms Dowd. Presidents make news. Aren’t you doing what the media is doing? How many columns have you written about him?
Michelle Wolff confirmed what many people long ago realized: the best chroniclers of the Trump regime are comedians: Colbert, Noah, Kimmel, et al. They prove every day that the best way to cover this pathetic Administration is to treat it for what exactly it is — a dangerous but hilariously absurd clown car that crashes every 24 hours, with all the occupants escaping serious harm to start over again in sync with the daily “breaking news cycle.”
3
Let me twist the ending sentence of the article:
Some day, perhaps stark naked, Donald J. Trump will nuke the world and we’ll all say: ‘This is the end. It has finally happened.’”
2
I would hope legal scholars look at the potential practical use of Garrity v. New Jersey, 385 U.S. 493 (1967). All Federal and State employees are fired if, after given the Garrity warnings, they refuse to answer questions asked by investigators, which relate to employment. The reason is that with the Garrity warnings, the Fifth Amendment rights are reserved in any potential, future criminal proceedings.
Giving Trump Garrity warnings would be fraught with the type of peril akin to giving him testimonial immunity; however, a person who speaks with Garrity warnings has no immunity for perjury.
Perhaps the social contract and the criminal process would best be served if Mueller and Congress demanded answers from Trump, under oath, with Garrity warnings. The testimony should be made public, so that voters would know the truth and solve the problems Trump has presented with the use of the ballot box.
And if Trump lies, Mueller would be free to indict him for perjury or Congress could impeach and remove him for perjury.
2
“That may wind up happening with Trump,” D’Antonio says. “One day he might walk to Marine One stark naked and we’ll all just say: ‘This is the end. It has finally happened.’”
Don't tempt him!
4
The thought of a naked Trump, heading for the helicopter is to much for my mind to grasp...and I'm not holding my breath. But, we've already seen this dude in the flesh...and, well, we've got the picture.
3
Still waiting for Maureen Dowd's clear statement of ownership of her part during the campaign, something along the lines of, "Dear Reader, I am truly sorry for the role I played in creating this monster."
12
"You could put a nanny cam on the guy and leave the room, and he would crash out of his high chair. He incriminates himself faster than we can incriminate him. And he surrounds himself, in the Trumpland of Misfit Toys, with playmates who have that same perverse gift for self-incrimination and immolation."
Your writing is sublime.
2
Maureen....I had this same thought yesterday. I am addicted to Trump. It's been three years now and it's Trump, Trump, Trump all day long and one day merges into another day into another. A three year nightmare of addiction.
I really didn't know who he was beyond a New York celebrity when he came down that escalator. My partner chastised me for laughing at him. "Don't", he said. "He can win". Now he says, "Trump will never leave. He will be our first dictator. Who's going to make him leave? The military? Don't count on it". And that kind of scares me to death.
It's like the whole country is addicted to him whether we approve of him or not. We're growing sicker by the day. He's infected not only the formerly honorable people that have come into his sphere, but all of America, with this horrible ill health.
And just like cable news covered his every exhaled breath ("Trump Breathes!") during the election, they now cover every single word he says, they give him that attention he craves. So he goes off to a rally instead of the WHCD (which is a stupid thing, you journalists really need to stop it, you cannot socialize and still cover the pols) and every insult is covered by cable.
It's got to stop. All he does is lie. Why cover that? Please stop the non-stop coverage. Help us break the addiction and find some normalcy again!!
6
Dear MD---Please take it back. The image is too disturbing. But if he was naked, would his subjects admit it? 40% can't see anything wrong with him now.
3
"This is the end. It has finally happened." Oh, wouldn't that be nice. If this were normal times, we would have already have said that months ago, and it would have indeed been the end of Trump's time. But all this stuff is not normal. In fact, I feel that along with this "man" (I can not call him the "P" word), half of our country is having a break down in real time. Let's face it..Trump's supporters would probably STILL give him their rabid support if he were journeying to Air Force 1 stark naked on his way for a tete-a-tete with Kim or Putin or NRA members or other like counterparts.
But you know what, Maureen. Keep up with your obsession with Trump. It's okay. Your colleague Nicholas Kristof referred to it as an addiction. I prefer to think of it as the Times' readers' vitamin shots for the day. For as much as Trump may relish the attention, I for one need constant reminders of his corruption and debauchery. In other words, I and thousands of others need you. It gives me the energy to stay in the game for my sake and this country of ours. I want it to become a fact, soon, that it has finally happened. His presidency is over.
6
I closed down my Facebook account. I don’t watch cable news any longer. And I’m now trying to wean myself off the NYT and the WSJ. The media is feeding the beast and I am sick that Trump is flopping around happily like a pig in you know what. Face it. He was created by nonstop coverage and he succeeds with the same coverage. Turn him off. Cut it off. Stop. Or else you will guarantee a second term.
1
And here we have it, the Trump presidency, partially brought to us by Maureen Dowd. I'll bet that she still doesn't completely realize it.
5
You nailed it!
Maureen, I think you have something going about us being obsessed or even addicted to Trump and his shenanigans. It has come to the point where every time I turn on the News Hour or read the NYT or Wa Po, that I first look for the latest dirt on the Donald.
Has it really become a national pastime, like a sporting event, to see what the score was on last nights game ?
Mueller - - - 4
Trump - - - 0
I can only hope Mueller hits a grand slam.
2
The gruesome twosome, whose reputations have grown darker since the days when they swanned around New York as larger-than-life figuras
I don't remember a day when both these horrible people didn't send waves of revulsion throughout large segments of the city. I think Maureen imagines herself as a "larger than life figura." She certainly has all the elements to be one. She abandons her good friends (when they are just too toxic to be seen as assets) and pretends they never had been her friends. She rewrites history as if she hadn't played a small but real role in the election of her now always never friend. Power, money and celebrity are the only things that seem to matter to her. I cringe now when I see her on TV. Something that never happened before. I think she has fully arrived at her desired destination.
3
Maybe the the time has come for a new approach by the media.Time for a timeout. Only cover Trump when he says or does something that is meaningful or worthwhile. Ignore the incessant lying.Ignore the self-serving false achievements. And ignore his rude sycophants like rude Rudy. End the noise now. We need a break.
3
Trump and Rudy are a natural pair. Two real New Yorkers (unlike the fake one, Hillary).
They both have three wives, if I am not mistaken.
Rudy even out-Trumped the Donald; his second wife learned of the divorce from a reporter at Gracie Mansion.
Such class...
1
I, along with others in these comment sections, have been telling you, NYT, since he threw his hat in the ring that he was bad news and it would be best to ignore him. But you gave him millions of dollars worth of free publicity; All Trump All of the Time was, and is, your motto. It wasn't the rust-belt downtrodden or the religious right that put him in office, it was you! And now even Maureen Dowd, long a part of the media game, understands. What a shame.
2
Enough, enough, this is no longer funny. A real crisis is going to come up, I don’t want this clown making decisions that will affect hundreds of millions of people.
Shame on both parties.
1
What Trump really meant was in not that Ruby is getting "his facts straight", he's getting his lies straight! Please continue to protect us from the con artist of a president and to seek the truth for most of us Americans (minus "the base") -- and for those in the world struggling to attain democracy!!
Stop normalizing this deranged man with all the attention given him. Ignore the insane tweets. Talk of the destruction of the Rule of Law and threat to the First Amendment. By repeating his lies you are thwarting the efforts to educate the populace.
3
donald stands naked each and every day, exposing himself for the corrupt narcissist, obsessive lier, morally corrupt man that he is. For many that cheer and support him, along with some members in congress, this man is fully clothed.
Maybe more in the press need to imitate Michele Wolf a little more and when necessary call him out to his face for the two faced lier he is. Personally would love the chance.
Road to recovery, if possible, will take a long time.
2
A few years from now, historians will point to this week as the moment when China’s military crossed the line by placing missiles on artificial islands in the South China Sea.
And when the historians examine the headlines and opinion section of the New York Times to understand how the US was so blindsided, they will discover only articles and editorials about the peccadilloes of President Trump.
3
In a print edition Sunday Review, in which 8 out of 17 pieces are about Trump, what are you actually doing about this odious situation other than profiting from it?
1
Please do more reporting on Cohen's law school. I understand it was rated worst in the nation!
2
You seem to be suggesting that Trump isn't crazy but he may become it in the future, from everything we see of Trump it is plainly obvious that the man is as extreme a narcissist as they come, doesn't this classify as a condition in itself? None of us need to see Trump trotting off naked to climb onto Marine One to know the man is half crazy, all that will do, and pardon the pun, is to enable us all to clearly see his nuts, just imagining that is enough to put me off my dinner, the visual may be just too much.
It's so true, I hate Trump and all his cronies, and check the news feed several times a day to see if he's dead yet, or resigned yet, like a wart that you hope will disappear soon. I wish we could hear less of this horror show, but hiding under the covers isn't going to make it go away. Unfortunately, we the victims and hostages of the National Nightmare are desperately looking for rescue and deliverance from any direction that it may be arriving from.
Sunrise, hope and safety is in our reach. Vote Nov. 6, 2018.
1
-
'God, writes the philosopher Richard Swinburne, is justified in allowing “Hiroshima, Belsen, the Lisbon Earthquake or the Black Death” so that men and women can live in a real world rather than a toy one.'
Quoted from Terry Eagleton
It is why we who have read her columns for years listen silently during the "duds". The many columns that are treading water. We wait. We know. That the live shell will inevitably be fired.
The column today. Is why I wait. Why I have waited. The combination of minimal but spicy snark and gimlet-edged prose. But the absolutely centered shot and subsequent bulls-eye hit.
Thank you, Ms. Dowd.
It simply blows my mind that it is okay to so many Republicans that the monster in the White House lies, cheats, steals, hires felons, has a history of philandering and has no concern for others. In reality, he wouldn’t have gotten a job at McDonalds...
1
The media and Sunday morning say Trump lied to the public and his voters don't care. But, remember, Obama lied ("You can keep your plan...")the Clintons lied. (Saffire called her a pathological liar). The CIA and GW, either or both, misrepresented Iraq. And media lies. Brian Williams? CBS covered for the disgusting Charlie Rose for decades. NBC covered by Matt Lauer. Networks profited from Cosby's sitcom; they didn't know about his darker side? All in Hollywood knew Weinsten and was complicit in burying it. And O'Reilly, the fox in the henhouse (pardon mixed metaphor)? Even sports icons. Sandusky? Penn State's pitiful "plausible deniability". Why? To quote Woody Allen in Annie Hall, "because they need (want) the money."
For decades media was the gatekeeper of information that made it into the public square, which power they used to suppress, filter and build the godlike image of their own. But they cannot control the web, which has drawn blood from their idols (showing them human and fallible) and refused to be reigned in by their creeds. Thus the media convulses as it loses power and relevance.
Nobody voted for Trump because of his personal virtues. We are looking at our paychecks, small business hiring, N. Korea, trade. I never heard of Ms. Story Daniels before, and I care less about her now. And even if Trump lied to avoid disgracing his family, that's far less culpable and less damaging than the deceit of the actors mentioned above.
From your mouth to the goddess's ears and may She squash him like a bug. I am sick to death of him. I agree with you and Kristoff; however, we might ignore the devil in the corner at our peril. Keep your eyes on the cheating card shark, but don't give him any public hype.
Thank you, Ms Dowd, for the shout out to Michelle Wolf.
That said, I can't help remembering how soft you were on Trump back in 2016, and how gratuously mean you were to Hilary Clinton, not to mention your barbs at 'Barry'.
And I think you are still going soft on Trump. You mostly portray him as a bumbling fool and avoid going for his jugular. Has he outsmarted you?
5
And on the NY Times Opinion page, Trump's image now appears no less than 7 times. I'm too lazy to count the number of times his name is mentioned. Clearly, the media profits from him.
2
This is as old as journalism itself. Reporters create heroes that they love to deconstruct. You did the same Maureen for the Clintons and Obama. Your discourse on Trump therefore sounds very facetious. Couldn't your column write on any of the real issues facing America than these trumpeted scandals?
At the White House Correspondents Association dinner, Michelle Wolf cast her "gimlet eye" over the assembled media:
“You guys are obsessed with Trump.“Did you used to date him? Because you pretend like you hate him, but I think you love him."
Those words seem rather apt for Ms. Dowd. In the run up to the election, Ms. Dowd penned several flattering accounts of Trump. Doubtless, Dowd and Trump's forged their bond over their mutual animus toward Hillary Clinton. That was then. Nowadays, even while Ms. Dowd still devotees many a column to Trump, she no longer bothers to flatter the man. The honeymoon is decidedly over.
Stormy Daniels has seen the naked truth of Donald Trump, and I sincerely hope that rest of the nation is spared such an ordeal. As for Rudy Guiliani, this week he stumbled so badly that it hardly seems possible for him to recover. Perhaps, though, if were to reprise his drag alter ego, Guiliani could win over the public. After all, given all the facts he burned this week, he too could use the ashes to create a "perfect, smokey eye." I am sure the effect would be most distracting.
2
Trump said that he told Cohen to invest the money in breast implants and wanted Stormy to be the national spokesperson for the brand, the 130,000 being a signing bonus. They'd be spectacular with "T R U M P" branded on them. Ivanka was ready to get the first set to replace her worn out model.
1
BUCKLEY was dead: to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that. The register of his burial was signed by God, Man, Yale, and Gore Vidal…
So, the shift in zeitgeist “embodied” in the 5 most-recommended comments is palpable…
Obama left me deeply disappointed by 2012 - but gave me hope in 2008…
And it was Bob Herbert that introduced me to him…Can’t find his first mention of Obama, but just one example of his work – a bit later on…
https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/29/opinion/29herbert.html
“…makes a mockery of President Obama’s repeated pledge that if you like the health coverage you have now, you can keep it…
…..
Mo, go talk with Kamala Harris…I know of the gaggle of genuine progressive competition – each more genuine than the rest…I don’t think any would (or should) stand a chance in 2020 – against either of Trump or Romney…
48 hours – before I start agitating in this direction in Bruni’s – or even Collins’ – direction…
(had commented on Frank’s conversation with Ann Coulter)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/06/us/politics/senator-kamala-harris-dem...
Need to know – is Kamala real…
Here is Representative Gohmert's report on Mueller:
https://gohmert.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398634
"He's studying the subject matter," Trump said about Giuliani. Can you imagine the lesson plan? Study porn star affair and timeline. Study other affairs, sexual assault accusations, and hush money payments. Study other secrets which you will find out once investigative journalists, the Mueller investigation, or others reveal them, such as where the rest of the $460,000 went which Cohen was paid by Trump for other incidents in the same time period. Then you have the easy quizzes on Fox, where they try to feed you the answers.
Following the money is always the best way to deal with people like Trump. It's not just the hush money, bankruptcies, fraud and settlements, but as noted here the $5 million in ransom he wanted to show up at a debate, or the $5 million he publicly promised to pay President Obama to release his birth certificate (another fraud).
The mental illness of the center fielder Jimmy Piersall was tragic, but if Trump is also mentally ill -- plausible given his constant lies and odd behaviors -- it is dangerous for this country. A story on NPR was about an incident in his military academy when he was about 14 and was twice hit in the head by a pitch when he was the batter. The second blow knocked him out. The story frames Trump as determined, but it also seems to be a narrative about institutional abuse and possible brain damage.
What is true with Trump? Anything?
2
Robert Bly, the poet, sort of "said it all" regarding Presidential lying, way back in the Nixon/Vietnam era. Although those lies pale before those of the current guy, the poem captures the phenomenon in a timeless way.
Bly wrote:
The Chief Executive enters; the Press Conference begins:
First the President lies about the date the Appalachian Mountains rose
Then he lies about the population of Chicago, then about the weight of the adult eagle, next about the acreage of the Everglades
He lies about the number of fish taken every year in the
Arctic, he has private information about which
city is the capital of Wyoming, he lies about the
birthplace of Attila the Hun
He lies about the composition of the amniotic fluid, he
insists that Luther was never a German, and insists
that only the Protestants sold indulgences,
That Pope Leo X wanted to reform the church, but the
“liberal elements” prevented him,
That the Peasants’ War was fomented by Italians from
the North.
And the Attorney General lies about the time the sun
sets.
***
Robert Bly, The Teeth-Mother Naked At Last. San Francisco City Lights Books, 1970, pp. 11-12
2
Maureen Dowd is the modern day of Hans Christian Anderson - "look ma, the king has no clothing ". With her sharp & aserbic style of writing, she strips Trump naked.
She render Trump as in vivid colors - an intellectually bankrupt, abumbling individual who can't distiguish between fiction & reality - a figure of exact opposite of what he like us to believe.
No one should be surprised if next we will read Trump tweeing. "Mueller is investigating the wrong Donald Trump. I don't know who is Jerrad Kushner, never heard of Don Trump Jr, nor a women named Ivank".
What journalists don't understand is that a Trump is just an over-sized cockroach. Chances are he and his wretched family will be here long after the rest of us are reduced to dust. So much for freedom of the press. They did bupkis when everything was on the line.
3
It's good to see that Maureen finally sees in Trump what so many of us saw in him during the campaign. How could you allow yourself to be taken in by a patently moronic fraud for so long?
3
They G and T enjoy the heck out of the press right now. They are two back slapping pals. That is probably a healthy sign. If they receded from basking in the headlines of the press, that might be a warning sign, but never nudity. Perish the thought. One thought, sex scandals might disappear in the not too distant future. About the time fast food employees are replaced by robots, sexually knowledgeable robots may too appear. Because of this, sex scandals will be far and few between in politics. for example, in the not too distant future, after the wife has nodded off, future presidents will sneak out to their garages, to fool with a select cadre of sexually programmed and experienced robots that are ergonomically correct, all behind closed garage doors. Purity will reign once again in the White House, not by succession, but by superseding technology.
1
I’ve lost respect for ‘journalism’ because of their obsession with Trump.
"Instead of getting Trump out of a jam, it jammed him into a deeper hole, giving Mueller’s team new areas of legal inquiry and material to add to its mountain of damaging records, ..."
Ah, but here is where Trump will get his "two-fer" and take down Mueller and Stormy at the same time: by conflating the Russia probe with the porn star.
This narrative is already taking shape on places like liberal MSNBC where Joe Scarborough is asking how we started with the Russia probe and ended with the porn star similar to Ken Starr starting with a land deal and ending with a stained blue dress.
Trump has nothing to do all day but watch TV, tweet and play golf. He will bellow and yell about this and the MSM, that can't quit him will, as it has been doing since the ride down the escalator, leverage whatever he says (otherwise he calls them "fake news" and incites his base to threaten reporters) until it becomes real fake news.
Eventually he will justify someone firing Mueller on the basis that Stormy has nothing to do with Russia.
Wow.
It's like Dowd doesn't realize that Michelle Wolf was being highly critical of the press, when she said it makes money off of Trump.
Stunning.
This column is exactly what she was talking about.
1
If the U. S. press, in all media, were less like the National Enquirer and more like Walter Conkrite, this guy would already be delegated to the history bin.
2
At least and at last Maureen has moved on from bashing Hillary to trashing Trump. Yes, yes, she's aghast at Hillary's opponent, and contemptuous as well.
She's been here before - before November 2016.
As Michelle Wolfe said - she's milked the outrage before.
2
The Media is profiting off Trump and getting high ratings . The GOP politicians are profiting off Trump and they got the tax bill and the Gorsuch nomination to the Supreme Court . The Evangelicals are profiting off Trump and they got in the White House a President whose rhetoric seems friendly to them but whose character is very unchristian to say the least . Meanwhile he is destroying the Country . Ever heard of the Ship of Fools ?.
2
Great comment to a great article.
Maureen, you have finally done it, the thought of Trump "the Vulgarian" walking naked to Marine One is more than I can bear. Call off the Dogs, fire Mueller, can Rosenstein, get rid of Sessions. I simply can't stand the thought.
1
How true, demagogue Trump has hypnotized the press into moving in sync with his awful need for permanent applause. He is a classic narcissist as we stand to attention. This vulgar, and ugly, American in-chief shall die if deprived for too long of the 'oxygen' the press is masochistic and financially tied to. Pogo was right, we found the enemy, and it is Us!
Donald Trump is a moral degenerate. Always has been. Always will be. Just like his enablers.
2
The way this column began, excoriating the media for the monster they aided and abetted, gave me hope that Dowd would finally apologize for her part in coddling candidate Trump. But no! It would appear that Maureen somehow excludes herself from the many who flirted with the man who is doing his best to hamstring and destroy the uncooperative media. A wannabe dictator who wants us to listen to him alone, to give credence solely to the vitriolic drivel that pours from his mouth. Congratulations Ms Dowd for the abomination you helped to create!
5
I find everyone in this entire situation, - the media, Rudy, the Orange - and of course Maureen culpable for the state of affairs in which we find ourselves. Had Ms Dowd been more of a harbinger of the dangers of Trump and less of a vilifier of Clinton we might not have to deal with porn stars being more believable than the president. It's rotten through and through, and we are all to blame for allowing these blowhards any power whatsoever.
4
America is in a huge mess, and what shocks me more
than anything is that Congress has completely abrogated
all their responsibilities to the country. Paul Ryan? Mitch McConnell? What's the matter with you? You're cowards,
that's what's the matter.
4
For a real refreshing change, maybe we should all read a book, and put down The Screen, and The Screamer(s) who go(es) with it. Remember when we used to read books, before Orange Julius, Putin, the Koch Bros, Julian Assange and Mark Zuckerberg took over our lives?
I recommend a much better president's life story (not to mention a genuine war hero), written by himself while he was dying, just reissued in a stunning new edition. Want to read about a real man with real struggles? You'll be riveted.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/13/books/review/john-marszalek-personal-...
Trump is exactly the person Americans deserve to have as their president. A fitting king for a SERIOUSLY sick culture.
3
What if, for one complete 24 hour period, the press ignored Trump while concentrating on someone else, say Scott Pruitt? Stop feeding the Beast and see what the lack of a spotlight on all of his drivel creates. It would be a healthy break for all of us who are fatigued political junkies!
13
Of all the lies, spin and fairy tales spun by the various actors in Cirque du Trump, Rudy's attempts to make us believe "Oh my goodness, I guess 'that' is what it's for" takes the prize by a Pinnochian mile.
7
Every foible (think stars in the cosmos), every bald face falsehood, every vitriolic Tweet, the media misses nothing, no opportunity to brandish the Trump theatrical extravaganza.
Fantasies about Trump’s inevitable self-destruction abound as do the delusional notions that out of the chaos, the rank incompetency, and the pernicious actions will come some miraculous transformation of the underlying disgraceful state of American politics.
1
In the frenzied media coverage of Donald Trump I see a war being waged between reality and despite. Trump is a counter-puncher who constantly seeks to redefine reality to feed his ego. Journalists respond by correcting his half-truths and pointing out his outright lies. He counter-punches with more self-aggrandizing nonsense and so it goes, sort of like a tilt-a-whirl spinning at ever increasing speeds. In this whirligig battle it is unsurprising that some are sickened by the ever precessing narrative, others excited by it.
Yet it is impossible for a free press to ignore the magnitude and volume of Donald Trump's wrongness as a leader and as a man. What he says and does would be newsworthy and would get the same daily coverage it does now were he a capable and honest leader: the president is only ever out of the public eye when he sleeps, whoever the president is. But it is Donald Trump's lack of candor, height of partisanism, and surfeit of shameless self-promotion that creates the media storm around him.
I keep wondering at what point (if ever) will Trump's base realize how thoroughly they are being played for suckers? Donald has ginned up his base with innumerable gibes and attacks against 'the mainstream media,' which is remarkable, because Trump comes from mainstream media, and in fact it is his experience as a media guy that has carried him this far, seemingly on this motto:
Bread and circuses: bread for the rich, circuses for the rest!
7
Trump has the power to deliver thermonuclear weapons to any point on the planet withing 20-30 minutes. If anyone thinks the worst thing that can happen if he goes off the deep end is to walk to Marine One naked, I urge you to think again.
5
Maureen, "The Naked Truth About Trump" is that he is an 'Empire-building', 'Empire-thinking', faux Emperor, if there ever was one --- and that as such, he should be easily seen as such by the American people --- devoid of any clothes, and having been installed by this Disguised Global Capitalist Empire, but which remains little-diagnosed by most Americans.
While, Gilens, Page, Levitsky, Ziblatt, and even the "Washington Post" recognize that "Democracy in America?" has or is dying in darkness, too few Americans, and even too few academics and public intellectuals yet understand that the shadow strangely 'rising in the West' to darken democracy is an Empire HQed in, and merely 'posing' as, our former country.
Democracy setting and Empire rising in the West.
2
To the commenters: Yes, keep underestimating Trump.
2
Well Maureen, we all know that "the Emperor has no clothes" just see-through lies easily exposed. Now we are getting a peep at the the real, rather than "alternative," facts that new Court Jester, Rudy Giuliani, who showed how laughably atrophied his legal skills have become, confessed to. In order to get Stormy Daniels off his back and simultaneously provide cover for bag man and fixer, Michael Cohen, Rudy blurted out the right facts (aka the truth) that The Don had repaid the $130,000 hush money Mr. Cohen went to all the trouble of "funneling" to Ms. Daniels and, shockingly, over $300,000 more. Enough to hush him and others up it would seem. Unfortunately, Rudy didn't get his alternative "facts correct" since it now exposed The Don to the naked truth that he lied about it and covered it up himself by not declaring the payment. So the clever, ditsy duo were left with a story to keep Stormy at bay and Micheal from flipping that was itself flopping. But, never fear that The Don will strike out, except at his enemies, as he announced that a new story (ver. 7.0) is coming soon to a Fox station near you. It not so much exciting as, like Jim Piersall, it's his narcissism that always screaming for attention when it's not screaming at those who don't recognize and genuflect as the defrocked or disrobed Emperor parades before us.
4
Trump has been walking around 'stark naked' from the jump. Folks and the media are finally opening their eyes to the fact of it all.
1
In the Trump circus 'getting you facts straight' means aligning the current batch of lies properly.
This ghastly administration is slipping into self-parody. they no longer even pretend to tell the truth.
3
It would be nice if the media could just avoid Trump for a day. Unless it was earth-shaking news, find something else to report about. It would be interesting to see what the lack of attention would drive the buffoon in chief to do (Except, of course, if he started a war).
1
Trump and Giuliani: "The gruesome twosome." Also could be called Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, spreading the same lies and nonsense that is believed by a large minority of Americans.
Fortunately, and hopefully (In Mueller we Trust), the insanity, the lies and the daily blunders, will be a thing of the past. Trump et. al. will look good in our rear view mirrors.
3
When you look at Trump, you are looking at many Americans. They cheat on their taxes, they lie, they dodge their responsibilities, they hate anyone who is not white, protestant, or evangelical. Trump says stupid stuff that many people wish they could say to a larger audience like he does. They/Trump watch Fox News and swear by whatever Hannity or Ingrahm spout off. Trump uses simple phrases, movie slogans, nicknames, etc. because in their simplicity, they stick to the brain. The truly sad thing is that people in the United States can no more understand the complexities of immigration, of taxes, of education, of global commerce than if you asked them to build a rocket ship. Trump has moved himself/them from the small screen to the big world theater. People who back Trump love it. They/Trump are the stars. They have the ratings now.....an Emmy is next.
4
Bravo! Michelle Wolf X 10. And good for you to include yourself. You mentioned the reporters becoming stars because of Trump. How about the Cable News Executives. I would especially point out Jeff Zucker at CNN; "the news channel", the "moderate channel".
There wasn't a night in the primaries that CNN didn't open its mikes to Dr. Orange so he could say nasty, "entertaining" things about Ted, Jeb, and Marco. And their ratings climbed... AS DID THE BONUSES FOR THE RATINGS. Moderate Voter: "Trump is on CNN, he must be okay."
So now, when those execs get that extra week at St. Bart's in January, think about what we got stuck with... Mussolini with a better economy. Let's hope it and the constitution hold.
4
There's plenty of issues to be addressed by the media- good and bad- without tearing huge holes in our democracy by this administration. "We" (the rational public and the mainstream media) do NOT need this nor did we need the lies about the "Red Scare" in SE Asia costing the lives of 55,000 American soldiers, Reagan's bizarre delusion that rich people and their wealth "are" the shining city on the hill, the lies promulgated by George W. regarding WMD's in Iraq, the lies of the bankers leading to the 2008 economic collapse, should I go on or...? I for one do NOT need the news that we must take all of our hard-won accomplishments and flush them down the toilet so that we all can continue to witness this gut-wrenching horror-house ride. This "piece-of-work" and the clown-car delegation from the House AND the mainly spineless Senate should ALL- ALL as some students have recently observed- be replaced as quickly as possible with qualified law-abiding representatives that care about human life (safe schools and a quality education) for everyone. And QUIT tearing down the government as an institution- it's the people YOU and I put there- SHAME on all of us for not doing our civic duty like other democracies around the world. Maybe (as it was once said many years ago) young people shouldn't trust anyone over the age of thirty...
1
Most people I know have just taken the position of tuning out all of the political noise. Like a barking dog you just shut the media down and ignore it. Its hard to believe that the ratings are up.
We can be a free, prosperous, personally responsible, self-reliant, charitable, fulfilled, and happy people, or we can be equalized/mediocritized, feminized, superficially diversified, cognitively homogenized, globalized, infantilized, and bubble-wrapped. If you prefer the former, vote Republican (imperfect as they are); if the latter, Democrat (perfectly totalitarian ).as they are
America's dark side is world famous for the "larger-than-life" -- in many cases pathologically disturbed -- characters it enables with mercurial pomp and fascination, and then just as quickly destroys (or sits back and chortles as these demons of our worst fantasies destroy themselves). Revered today, reviled tomorrow.
Maureen Dowd speaks for a majority of Americans in her depiction of Trump as a personification of our worst qualities (e.g., obsessions). At the same time we're getting too much of this self-possessive second-rate president, we can't get enough of him (what a jerk!, what a disgrace!).
Yet if there was ever a light at the end of a tunnel, it's already beginning to shine as this warped presidency nears its end.
What's more, we can already thank goodness (and justice) that Trump will only be a blip in U.S. history, since he won't come close to completing his first four-year term.
And when the Blip is gone, we'll have the smart history books and documentaries to help set us all in balance again.
1
Can’t we just stop? There is a method to his madness and we are all, at once both victims and enablers. Can’t we just stop....please? I can’t take it any more
2
Thank you Maureen Dowd, finally an adjective view of Trump and an honest assessment of the sick codependent relationship between him and the press, please continue.
2
No one needs "naked" and "Trump in the same sentence. Even if it is the truth. My God, think of the children.
2
Please spare baseball from Trump. Trump has ruined every other sports - fought with kneeling in NFL, fought with Steph Curry (NBA)- Let me spend my peaceful time (free of Trump and Trumpism) with Baseball.
3
The corollary to the media's dependence on Trump is his dependence on them.
Sure, Trump cries "fake news!," but the reality is that he thrives on using them as a foil. Media bashing is certainly a convenient scapegoat when the news is not going his way, and it's a cheap talking point.
Trump makes fun of "the failing New York Times," but he succeeds in getting interviews with them. Remember the image of Trump meeting with the NYT staff after the 2016 election? He looked like a kid in a candy store! Trump relishes in having a foot in the door with this distinguished global newspaper (even if his other foot is in his mouth).
Trump disparaged mainstream media as 'the enemy of the American people'. But even Trump knows that is the best way of reaching the American people. He'll never stop using the press the way he uses Twitter: as a free platform.
The American people are counting on you to use your power to bring to light all that Trump is trying to keep us in the dark about. The free press keeps the United States a free country.
132
Trump has always been a glutton for publicity throughout his life which was mainly promoted in tabloids. He could have never envisioned the attention mainstream media has devoted to him since announcing his run for office.
Considering his checkered background of lawsuits, bankruptcies, bankrupting others, mean spirited TV show, Trump University, access to Russian money that kept his organization afloat, Obama's birth certificate, exaggerations, lies, among other things.... they were sporadically reported if at all.
The time the media had/has spent would be more productive researching if Trump, the current PRESIDENT, could pass a SECURITY CLEARANCE. That result would have put a screeching halt to the primary circus, the national destruction and credibility internationally.
4
Told you to focus on the news events not the Trump stink bombs.
Trump is destroying our country and all the press can do is go for the clicks when it should be educating our citizens.
But, alas, the Times can't even cover the NY State legislature let alone the major policy disasters occurring around the country 24/7. Heck, it can barely address the primaries and special elections.
7
I see how we got here. The press thought that if they reported all the crazy, enough people in the right places would do something. But they haven't. It seems that nobody is offended anymore. What if all the news outlets agreed to cover Trump 1 or 2 days a week? In Trump's mind, that is the worst thing that could happen to him!
2
Abbot and Costello? Mutt and Jeff? Dumb and Dumber? These two defy any comedy duo comparison. Unfortunately though, I believe they are having the last laugh in thinking that the majority of Americans actually believe anything they say. Their act has become borderline farce. How long before they resort to a pie in the face with the expectation that we will laugh at that?
With Trump's "expertise" in the entertainment business, he should be aware that his very predictable act is getting old and stale. What happens when his audience really doesn't care if/when Mueller's team presents an extensive and powerful list of potential crimes? Even Gunsmoke eventually went off the air and very few cared about the end of Marshall Matt Dillon.
1
What if there is a truly great leader out there? Someone scandal-free — good and good for everybody. A uniter, a smart and safe diplomat, a truly smart leader that is inspirational.
But then the press is too busy covering Trump & company, his latest horrible scandal and egregious behavior, to give a voice to that potential great leader?
The problem with the press is they only cover Trump. And the problem with the people is we keep clicking on those stories. I have actually signed up for and pay for news now (NYT et al.) I clicked on this story and all the others. Save me!
I am craving the sane voice of another actually real leader. Obama was the best. George Bush looks like a dream now.
I wish the press would change the conversations. Give us hope and find those great people to write about and hear about. We need them. Only the press can shine a light on them.
4
How can we ever forget the words of Les Moonves, the venal CEO of CBS who said during the presidential campaign that "Trump might not be good for the country, but he sure is good for CBS. So bring it on Donald, bring it on!" ? That just about says it all when it comes to the symbiotic relationship between the sociopath in chief and the media moguls like Moonves who are hugely responsible for Trump's victory. Whether they like it or not, these despicable guys need each other. Period, end of story.
3
We can only hope it’s sooner rather than later.
"Leslie Moonves on Donald Trump: "It May Not Be Good for America, but It's Damn Good for CBS". This is old news Ms. Dowd but somehow it is still relevant. The best thing the WH press core could do is not attend the Sanders' dose of daily lies. They could just review them on the Fox News(?) channel. It was just reported yesterday that Sanders gave the WH counsel, Don McGahn a cussin' for not giving her enough information on Rob Portman to tell a better lie.
1
Not everything with Donald is fraudulent. His medical condition is. His intelligence is. His business acumen is. His sense of his own importance is. Taking credit for the Olympics and Korean detente is. Even his family is.
But some things are real. Racism, sexism, religious bigotry, immigrant bashing, belligerence and instability come to mind as things about which Donald is utterly sincere.
In our amusement about Donald and his antics, let's keep an eye on the insidious harm he does to the people of the nation and the world.
5
There’s one thing we need to give Trump credit for aside from driving the media insane.
By managing to insult and threaten so many people and institutions in so many ways, he’s given us the kick in the pants we needed to focus on what’s important and make some real and lasting change.
1
The PT Barnum circus got old, the trump circus has gotten old. I miss the calm cool collected Obama. I even miss the GWB gaffs. Please end this nightmare Mr. Mueller.
2
What with the elevation of Capitalism above Country, the once-vaunted Fourth Estate may have seen its heyday ... you cannot DO democracy when it's merely another commodity for sale, affordable only to a teeny slice of very affluent fellow Citizens.
Corporate Rule is NOT democracy.
The 'Gruesome Twosome.'
Cheers!
1
Enough then about all of the latest Trump outrages. We know why he says and does what he says and does, so stop covering him. We are much more concerned and interested in WHY the GOP Congress continues to avoid doing their Constitutional duty of holding him accountable in any way and actually appears to be complicit in allowing this travesty to continue, damaging our democracy and further dividing us as fellow countrymen and women.
258
Sheila accountable for what? doing exactly what he promised when he campaigned. Please tell us what he has done because he hasn't been charged with anything. He has gotten North Korea to end their nuke program at least for now, he has made Europe pay their fair share for their defense through NATO, he has gotten the illegal immigration under little control, he has lowered the corporate tax rate to 21% from 35%, he has gotten companies to reinvest here instead of in Mexico etc..
2
When Trump is forced to resign, it will not be with an apology or admission. It will be with a whine to his base that he has no choice but to resign because "they" will not let him do his job. His leaving will not heal us, it will divide us further, because that serves him better.
5
The Trump Show: a TV mini-series about a vile, over-the-top comic-book villainous character, who dashes around insulting people and causing damage wherever he goes. Acting as president (and I mean "acting as"), Trump makes a mess of everything he does, and delights in humiliating and firing good, intelligent, ethical and constructive people.
Spoiler alert: there is no plot, no theme or redeeming message and value in this rotten-tomatoes show. Plus, there is no change in the main character that we are forced to follow every day for 4 long years--since it is the only show on television and in the news.
So, I hope every day that Trump fans, the GOP, and the media will tire of this deranged dictator, his destructive antics, and his made for TV horror show. And, that sooner rather than later, they will come to feel like they are watching old Bill Cosby TV re-runs, which they once adored and now make them feel queasy, disgusted, and scammed.
Amen
7
Thank you for validating Michelle Wolf's criticism of the press. Her words should be kept in the mind of every journalist, even--or especially-- the most prominent ones. Now how do we all recenter our core beliefs to begin with a fundamental value of the truth? We've gotten far too acclimated to lies all around us. "That's just how it is." If we don't value truth as the single, most elementary expectation of ourselves, our children, our colleagues, our employers, and our leaders, we can't know anything. We're savages.
154
Michelle Wolf...we needed a comedienne to woke up the media as they enable this Trumpian farce with the obsession they have with the buffon.
12
“That may wind up happening with Trump,” D’Antonio says. “One day he might walk to Marine One stark naked and we’ll all just say: ‘This is the end. It has finally happened.’”
And, when this happens, our instincts will be to look away. But will we?
1
When Sarah Huckabee Sanders walks into an empty press briefing room, then maybe the entire news media, print, TV, radio, tired of the lies, half-truths, fake statistics, will finally realize their proper roll in this Shakespearean tragedy.
9
We are not addicted to Trump, but the news services are. Saying we are addicted is like the media saying we were all glued to our TVs watching OJ's slow-motion chase. Everything else was pre-empted and that was all that was on. Most of us were waiting for our programs to return and hoping OJ would just pull the trigger and end it all.
We do not have to know every single attention-getting stunt Trump pulls, nor every time he temporarily hires another incompetent lawyer or department head, nor every time he throws a temper-tantrum. I think it was Ford who used to call so many press conferences that the news services stopped coming. It is time to give Trump that same treatment. Most of the news about Trump is not important, he just likes to be heard. Instead of hanging on his every word or action, the media should ignore most of it until something that is actually important happens. Even if it turns out that some of the payments were illegal, the GOP will rally to support him and Trump will just pardon himself.
8
Now, who doesn't like Donald Trump--really? He is clearly a genius, a gift from the gods, the best reality show ever. He is a cocktail of brilliance, bravado, insanity, impulsiveness, venality and a strange love for others and himself--a good and bad angel rolled into one. He needs a Shakespeare to tell his story.
1
Trump is just a cartoon character, Maureen.
Trump is president NO. He says NO to turn the media ON.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I think it is that simple, but the press can't figure this out.
But can't other people create their own cartoon characters to get more attention?
Cartoon characters do not have to represent real people, as long as they get attention. Hillary could have used some cartoons. And no drama Obama could have experimented...
3
The US is already breaking up into distinct economic and political regions. The West Coast has more in common with Asia than most of the rest of the country. California and Washington combined now produce @ 1/4 of the US GDP.
If the Federal government continues to operate against the economic interests of states, (liberal states), they will continue to separate legally in line with their interests.
The secession of states will be more economic and invisible than political and played out in America's reality show politics.
5
Would that that stark naked moment comes quickly--if and when Trump gets voted out (of course the Republicans will never impeach him). But what if it doesn't? What should be concerning us is that he will never go quietly and the media will never let him. Think about the poor next President and what will happen when Trump does ever louder and crazier things to keep the spotlight even when he's no longer President--and when the press follows along behind him pushing every one of his crazy stories, just as they did when he decided to discredit Obama both before and after he became President (He was born in Kenya; he isn't really the President; he is a birther, I have sent people there; they are finding things.) Trump will still haunt Hillary, Comey, Mueller, anyone in his path to get attention, and his loyal followers will be right there panting for more. "He's a dog!" exclaimed one of them to me recently. "But he's OUR dog!!!" After this joy ride that Americans have been on for so long now, we should worry how they will ever be able to get over THEIR addiction, never mind Trump's.
4
I really do think it is too facile to accuse the mainstream media of "war-profiteering" when it comes to the coverage of Trump.
I kinda' see the argument, but ultimately reject it.
Trump, as the saying goes, is "both the fuel and the spark." He's a news-worthy spectacle all by himself.
As a candidate he represented, in many ways, our darkest fears as the demagogue with barely-concealed autocratic tendencies who, Sampson-like, threatened to bring the architecture of our democracy crashing down about our ears.
The press had an absolute obligation to cover this menace. Not to do so would have been journalistic malpractice. If you're a journalist, and you're not going to cover Trump, find a different line of work 'cause you're like an internist who doesn't treat the flu.
And I would argue there is continuing civic obligation to never avert our eyes from this grifter, who's working some con or other at every moment, to all our detriments.
4
Jimmy Piersall was a troubled young man who never climbed the backstop. That was theatrical fiction.
Maureen, of course it'll be quite a sight to find "Trump walking to Marine One stark naked and we'll all just say....It has finally happened." as you quoted Trump's biographer Michael D'Antonio.
Or I can always quote from another book I read that talked about "a king who had no clothes to begin with."
So by listening to any gossips that opens with a fully clothed Trump to another Trump whose soul is bare naked, we get a picture of a man who is literally standing on the door step of the Special Counsel's office but refusing to knock on the door to be let in.
If this is the state of our so called head of the state what can we expect from the ordinary criminals of our country whose only crime was probably stealing a loaf of bread. Or stealing a wallet from a man. Or snatching a handbag from a woman.
No matter what our country's criminals do, they do not invite our country's old enemy Russia's counter-intelligence officials and a govt. lawyer in a meeting in Trump Tower just to find dirt on his opponent and presidential candidate Hillary which Trump confessed to the reporters on Air Force One that it was him who wrote the letter of invitation. Not his son Don Jr.
So no wonder that his steps will always stay frozen outside Mr. Mueller's office because he and his current lawyers led by crooked Giuliani know that going in for that interview with the former F.B.I. Director and his team of highly trained sleuths will be like walking into a tunnel with bursts of flame all around.
2
Let's drop all pretense that Mueller's investigation is about "collusion"--if it ever was. This is a political coup attempt by people who think they know better than everyone else. All this Democrat political chicanery is slowly starting to see the light of day and it is not pretty. It was never supposed to be made public when Hillary won the "sure thing," but then "Ooops, hadn't thought of that one" occurred when the "impossible" happened. Mr Mueller could save himself his last shard of self-respect if he just came out and told us that the investigation was to find something--anything--to discredit, disrupt, or destroy President Trump and his administration. It was not about--never about--"collusion" with any Russians.
It isn’t Trump, it’s us. We love free entertainment, the spectacle of Trump. Past presidents would pop up every once in a while but not do anything that interesting or understandable. If Pence was president he would be impeached for being boring, his series would be canceled. The Trump show is all sex, violence, greed, pure evil in the perfect villain. Trump allows us to talk about something other than the weather or our disappointments in our lives. Without Trump we would have to face reality. Sad.
Maureen Dowd, Michelle Wolf and a number of commenters here are making sweeping generalizations about "the media". What media? Fox News and MNSBC, the National Enquirer and the New York Times — they are all media, but world's apart. Who is Dowd talking about?
There is a tone here of "nothing means anything". Does the last year of editorials in the NYT have no meaning, no purpose but to lure subscribers and offer click bait? I don't believe that journalists are simply trying to sell stories. I believe many of those following Trump are genuinely concerned. Yes, I would like to turn the news off at least every other day, but I don't. I do have addiction but it is not Trump addiction, it is internet addiction. Regarding Trump, we are watching the closest thing there has ever been to a fascist takeover of the United States. To shrug it off, to ignore it and say nothing is to normalize it. Dowd and Wolf have some truth in what they say, but they omit a lot and paint a distorted picture. Also, I am very anti-Trump and greatly dislike Huckabee Sanders and Kellyanne Conway, but I also disliked Michelle Wolf's performance and turned it off. There is a fine line between humour and ridicule. I love SNL skits, but they have some substantive content to them. Real humor should not make us crass and cruel.
2
I'm not amused or riveted. I'm tired and appalled. Each bit of "breaking news" about little donnie trump is just another teaser, interesting for the details, but never decisive. Tell me when he's gone. That's what I want to hear. Get the con man off the stage. Send him wherever he belongs, which is certainly not the White House. The rest is just chaff in the wind.
3
The DNC decided in the 2016 election to play the long game, because they believed that they already had the short game wrapped up.
Trump is a buffoon, but was able to appeal to people who had previously voted for Obama by running on a platform that included immigration and trade stances that were virtually indistinguishable from DNC positions for most of the 20th century. Lest people forget this, he may very well win again in 2020.
Well, he's obviously headed downhill. The Fox and Friends call-in told us that much. The question now is the rate of descent.
2
Morticians profit from death; doctors from illness, and so on, ad infinitum. The option has never been to not cover trump. There's no way to cull the downside from the upside, nor to cover trump without rewarding his ravenous need for attention. The issue is to cover him well, which media has generally done after a poor start. The most egregious offense the media has committed was the false equivalency between trump and Clinton, the misguided practice of trying to appear to strike a balance when there was nothing remotely equal between the offenses, the baggage, the behavior of trump vs Clinton. Every release, every discussion of 'the emails' was presented as evidence of high crimes. In truth there were a handful that amounted to no more than some water cooler grousing between people working on a campaign.
4
Every time I hear or read something about this Stormy D. thing I shake my head, because why would any woman allow themselves to be touched by that creature. It makes me recoil in disgust. At 130K he got off cheap, and she sold herself out like all the other women. I don't think even a million would have done it.
The saddest part about all of this sordid period in the life of the US is that the country has been taken over by psychologically damaged people. These people who really, really do not care about anything or any person other than themselves. They say that fear makes you stop thinking clearly, and this is the result.
People, try to overcome your fears and start to think critically and suscinctly about what you hear, see and read. Don't let your emotions take over, because politics is a game where cool heads prevail. You have lost so much already...
3
Michelle Wolf was right about the mutual benefit derived between media and Media Hound. I think the media should collude and decide not to broadcast the ludicrous "White House press briefings" anymore. They are nothing but lies and "refer you to the President's lawyers...." It gives a forum where none is worthy. I also think the reporting about Trump & Co. should be reduced to simple reporting of facts ("he said this..." He met with....') because the intense, constant attention is just feeding the beast. What NEEDS intense attention are what Pruitt is doing TO the environment and environmental regulations! Urgent and constant attention to that vile destroyer is imperative. Zinke, likewise. Ignore the bloated narcissist as much as possible; turn the bright lights on that monster Pruitt! And fast!
1
Take a look at arms exports. The Pentagon had a record year. 2017 was $76 billion booked. Some deals won't close, but this is an all-time US record.
The fear and threat of war, stirred by arms sales (planes, tanks, missiles, et al.) to the Asia and Middle East (regions one and two), is time for alarm. If you riveted by sex, crime, and lies you might miss the big bang!
2
What Michele Wolf neglected to say during her routine was "vote". The American voter bears most of the responsibility for what we're witnessing. As further illustration, the turnout for the Arizona bi-election was 34%, which pundits will argue is normal. There is nothing normal about what is taking place politically right now.
4
Dowd and Wolf are right that media outlets - and many of us - are too fixated on Trump and especially on matters of his personality and mental state. The biggest problem I see from all that attention on Trump is that it is diverting attention from, and serious discussion about, all the extreme damage his cabinet is doing. The regulatory relaxation we have witnessed over the past year is the real scandal in DC. And most of that is getting no real attention in the press. What happens to Trump will still happen to Trump, whether the press reports it or not. But what's happening to our environment and to citizens will do long term damage. We need to hear more about that. We need the long laundry list of regulatory roll-backs and soon - before the mid terms.
14
It's about time! Combined with Nicholas Kristof's column today, the news media is finally starting recognize the growing national backlash to the "all Trump, all the time" news coverage and to admit its complicity in creating and maintaining the Trump phenomenon.
As is now clear to just about everyone, the Trump candidacy was virtually created by the cable networks, who imported Trump from the ranks of reality-TV and then unfairly subsidized him with an estimated $2 billion of free unlimited and unedited air time for his prime time political rallies and his unlimited phone call-ins.
In exchange for ratings and revenue, he was given preferential treatment by the news media. Mainly, he was allowed to be covered and evaluated by the lower moral standards of an entertainment celebrity, rather than those of a traditional elected official (no tax returns, etc.).
Given the celebrity/politician double standard of media coverage, none of the 17 conventional politicians who ran against him ever had a chance.
There are many villains in the debacle that was the 2016 presidential election, but no one had their thumb on the political scale than the entertainment and ratings-driven national news media.
211
They are still subsidizing him. Televising his “rallies” live. What is that about except for sensationalism, pure and simple.
16
Hillary wondered what happened you. It's been a few days since you invented another excuse for your loss rather than facing the truth.
2
When I first read that Mr. Giuliani was to act as Trump's attorney in this high-level criminal investigation, I thought not about his long-distant past as a prosecutor, but rather about his two recent runs for the presidency, both of which ended disastrously, and about his self-aggrandizing campaigning for Trump in 2016. What stood out about these incidents was, first, that, like Trump, Giuliani only cares about himself, and second, that Giuliani is, again like Trump, not firmly affixed to the solid earth of facts and truth.
In the last five days or so, Giuliani has amply demonstrated both of these limitations. What defense attorney declares "facts" to the news media? If a real defense lawyer made such statements on behalf of a criminal client, he would be in serious trouble. The question immediately arises, is Giuliani a witness or legal counsel. Did he declare these things on his own knowledge or based on privileged communications from his client. In either case, he can no longer represent the client. But Giuliani likes being in the spotlight, likes being on Fox News, given lob ball questions so he can reply expansively.
Trump deserves Giuliani, and Giuliani deserves Trump.
12
"...we’ll all just say: ‘This is the end. It has finally happened.’”
And then you'll all cut to a commercial, and come back, and show the footage again. No-one will actually do anything about it, because it will sell papers and grab eyeballs.
Before Reagan, there were laws in this country for TV companies -- whose licenses let them profit hugely off the public airwaves -- requiring them to give Equal Time to opposing candidates (imagine if Hillary's speeches had repeatedly been run in their entirety, like Trump's - more folks might have realized how earnest, honest, wonky and competent she was, and how silly the email controversy) and requiring them to abide by the Fairness Doctrine (meaning MSNBC would occasionally air a legitimate conservative, and Fox News would occasionally air... the facts).
We need to reinstate these long ago FCC policies... as laws.
29
Cable news services like MSNBC, CNN and Fox would not be subject to the Equal Time and Fairness Doctrine rules were they re-instituted. You yourself give the reason why: those rules were applied to broadcast licensees in return for being licensed to use the public spectrum. Cable services are not broadcast in the same way and are not licensed by the FCC the way television stations are.
3
Further, technology now allows broadcast channels to be mutliplexed.
The "Fairness" Doctrine was a rationing scheme for a time that TV signal was scarce. But even if you're rabbit-ears only, as I am, signal is no longer scarce - and therefore does not need rationing.
what difference does it make what the technology is now? why couldn't we institute rules that apply to all broadcasters (cable or air or internet) of news and opinion shows?
@Doug Terryus
I know how you feel. Since the ascent of trump and the republicans in this country my lines in the sand have repeatedly been pushed back.
Right now my newest line is if either Blankenship in WVA or Arpaio In AZ is elected, I will officially give up on our democratic society.
12
On pay per view,the big fight, Mueller vs Trump. It is a perfect way to settle down and unite this divided country. Otherwise blood in the streets. So, let’s hope they work out a compromise. For example, a big fine on the Trump organization or Trump promises not to run again. It will be a compromise. No indictments, no jail. It will be soon now that Rudy is involved. Everyone will take this compromise as final and the country can go on. It’s funny how America always figures out the best thing to do, whether it’s jurists or voters. We are the fairest country in the world.
4
No doubt the relentless non sense going on between the news media and Trump has nothing to do with reality. Trump used the media shamelessly with "his turn up the hate" presidential campaign which sank his Republican rivals and Hillary Clinton. Trump certainly owes Mark Zuckerburg. The news media owes Trump. Rachel Madow has become huge star by relentlessly putting out hyperventilated hysterical garbage about imaginary Russian interference that has been shown to have had no material effect on the election. Mueller's investigation pulled a Ken Starr and was saved by a Trump sex scandal.
7
" Russian interference that has been shown to have had no material effect on the election"
That's not true.
2
"imaginary Russian interference" - 18 indictments and guilty pleas so far is real.
"has been shown to have had no material effect on the election" - can't be proven either way so this is a lie.
It will be interesting to see the right wing spin when the indictments are for people named Kushner and Trump.
3
For Gun's sake, just admit that she frightens you. She doesn't hyperventilate, and she's not hysterical.
And I'll save you a reply: She's not "shrill" either. She just
doesn't play for your team. Scary scary woman!
1
If Trump did show up at the Oval Office stark naked, three things would happen. First his approval ratings would soar. Second, the next day the hosts of Fox and Friends would show up on stage also stark naked. And their approval ratings would soar.
And last, after a few days, lots of other people would start walking round naked. And carrying their guns since there is no longer a need to conceal.
31
I do like this response -- except for the picture it created in my head.
Imagine the next cabinet meeting -- or performance by Hizzonor Giuliani. Sarah HS and the Press Corps.....
16
America's Nightmare? Trump is saving journalism, U.S.jobless rate at lowest level in decades, stock market at record highs, peace breaking out in Korea, ISIS destroyed. Sounds more like a win-win for everyone, even inside the Beltway.
5
national monuments destroyed, endangered species denied, climate change - no problemo. womens rights, planned parenthood, dead (as are babies and mothers, with pp denied) clean air, clean water, who needs it, income equality, all pay their fair share, who cares, fix the roads, who cares, fix the bridges, who cares, fix the inhumane treatment of prisoners and ice detainees, who cares - @david sperling, what ARE your priorities - you don't have any children?
3
Yes, and a continuing trend from the Obama administration.
Hype. People are falling off the employment roles because they gave up and there are no jobs for the uneducated and truly poor who are being required to find jobs with their non-existent skill set or they will be booted off support system. Waiting for new problems to rise up at this one. Stock market at record highs...what goes up also goes down. Korea...let's wait and see before he gets brownie points for this one. ISIS destroyed. There is always a new group of unhappy people who are more than willing to buy American, Chinese, and Russian weaponry. It's always wacka-mole time here on planet earth.
1
Neither the press, or a great number of the American people want to admit that they were "played" by Trump. He is a master at keeping himself in the news, and paradoxically, keeping his opponents in the news in a negative way simply by lying and calling them names. He has become addictive, and that is exactly what he wants because he himself is addicted to seeing and hearing about himself endlessly. I still find it hard to realize that so many people were, and still are, duped by this man, but we do have to blame the press quite a bit for keeping his ego fed.
17
Trump voters didn’t care if his tax statements were available before the election. Gee thanks.
13
MIMA, you are correct, I (for one) didn't care if I saw Mr Trump's tax returns. I was encouraged to have a President who had risked capital, employed many, and sold product in our free enterprise system. The previous guy at the 1600 Pennsylvania address had never so much as run a lemonade stand. And, guess what? The economy is humming. Score (a big) one for President Trump.
3
Obama saved an economy in free-fall on the verge of collapse and left office with a strong economy with falling unemployment. That employment continued to fall under Trump to date is called momentum.
The tax cut may have pushed the market up higher, but Trump's incompetence related to tariffs is likely to cause great damage in coming months - stay tuned.
Kim is playing Trump essentially buying time and perhaps some economic benefits by making promises and stroking Trump's ego.
Finally, and most important, Trump is doing long term damage to the American legal system, American democracy, the environment, and a number of other components of the American system.
1
Which is exactly what his uber-wealthy backers want.
Irony. MD spent countless hours trashing Hillary over minor issues, catty, helping to create our current crisis in government.
Perhaps if MD had thought for half a minute whether she wanted Trump to destroy the Supreme Court, she would have treated Hillary a little better.
40
My takeaway from Maureen's column and its attendant comments is that the Dems' latest strategy is for the media to ignore Trump in the hope that he wilts like an American Idol winner.
Good luck with that.
Meanwhile, we need to find a way of wrapping up the Mueller investigation. It's been a crutch for the Dems for too long now and has "exoneration in September" written all over it.
4
Our addiction to trump news will end the day we hear: "President Trump removed from office."
And then hopefully, we can move on to addressing the issues that made millions of people vote for this vulgar snake oil salesman.
25
The Trump tale is not so lighthearted as Dowd is framing it here. He is a virus. Virulent and lethal. Yes, we can, if we squint see little vaudeville two-steps of slapstick when he and America's Mayor start squirting their seltzer bottles at one another. But we must never forget that Michelle Wolf called him a monster. And that's what he is.
34
Michelle Wolf has been condemned by the National Correspondents Association.
We always want to believe in the con man. Then it comes to a point when we have to face the facts that all this pretence was not for real and we become angry at the con man. The con man has to leave the stage as a hated man.
9
No, we don't all want to believe in the con man.
1
The "media" and its Op-Ed elite could do the country a huge favor if they limited coverage to 3 hours/week. The donated value of the 24/7 coverage must be a publicists' dream. If it sells ads it must be OK, right?
5
"Donald Trump is damaging the country and civic discourse, and undermining the First Amendment."
This is the Maureen Dowd equivalent of the guy who killed his parents and then pleaded with the judge for mercy because he was an orphan.
We needn't have endured the damage to our country and civic discourse if the likes of Dowd hadn't ragged on Clinton almost to the point of hysteria (and, yes, I have chosen the term precisely because of its connection with female insanity).
22
Pity Maureen led the charge on slamming Hillary years before Putin joined in. If Hillary hadn't been unfairly portrayed as something she's not for over two decades, we'd have a perfectly competent President and and an entire administration peopled by experienced technocrats and policy wonks.
38
The Jimmy Piersall movie Ms Dowd refers to is 'Fear Strikes Out' . I also remember when playing against the Yankees, Piersall hit a homer and ran the bases backwards. He did kooky things just like the current president of the U.S.
2
Better a little "kooky" and not getting points for style, instead of dastardly things like we endured the previous eight years. How again did the IRS favor one group over the others? I remember someone saying, "if you like your doctor ... if you like your plan ... the average American family will save (a bunch of) money." How's that working for the country?
It seems as though the Trump stories being covered have stopped being important, it's how they're covered that is debated. For example, both supporters and opponents seem to agree that the liaison with Stormy Daniels happened and that Trump paid her to keep quiet so the story wouldn't become an issue during the election. Not much debate about that. What each side disagrees on is how that news should be covered. The media itself has become the story. Depending on your outlook, either there's too much coverage, or there's too little coverage. Some people call for more underlying explanation of Trump's issues, some think the media dwells too much on him and not enough on "real" news. But, whatever side you're on, the subject being covered seems to get lost, and Trump has made the media itself the story. Influencing the election and campaign financing violations play second fiddle to how they are covered in the media. A clever ploy by Trump that has worked exceedingly well.
5
The gruesome twosome, whose reputations have grown darker since the days when they swanned around New York as larger-than-life figuras
That was and probably still is Maureen's New York. Thankfully it was never mine. Except of course in having to endure and resist the damage that they did.
3
The real problem is that more than 10% of Americans voted for him.
13
Way more voted for him and sti8ll support him.
The logomachy never ends, and the needle never moves: 45% have voted and will vote for Republicans, and the same dynamic applies for Democrats.
The Independents have the power. I wonder, though: Do they read the NYTimes and WaPo, or watch FOX and listen to Rush? Maybe they do some of both. Or neither very much.
Independents must see two immovable, brainwashed political camps with nonstop cheerleading broadcast in various media with news and opinions that change no one's mind: a sound and fury signifying nothing new or even important.
Yet what can be done? Probably until somebody has a viable idea on how to break out of these vicious propaganda circles, we will remain where we are: dead-in-the-water. Waiting for Godot, are we?
Politics should be a high-minded, reasonable search for effective and efficient answers. Instead, we have a barroom brawl where cool rationality is totally replaced by flaming emotions: Hit me, and I'll hit you back ten times harder. It's a mind-game that never ends.
4
Good points. I would add another "until" which is until everyone votes. I am not even sure there is such thing s "independents." I am independent of party but I definitely have my policy positions and lean liberal. But I will vote for whomever espouses and pursues the positions that are important to me. Too many people stayed home from the polling booth. Your point about "breaking out of vicious propaganda circles" is part of it. Until people sense a leader who is authentic and pushing for the good of the citizenry and not just spouting party lines, many will continue to stay home. (We had that type of candidate in Bernie, but oh well. The point is, they do come along and the country is ready for it.)
1
I supported Bernie, too; now I fear that he is way too old -- he was too old the first time. Besides, I doubt American will ever elect a socialist as president; maybe I'm wrong. The leftward most viable candidate gets my vote.
I've given up searching for a statesperson perfect in all ways; now I look just for honesty and competence. Bernie had both; HRC was competent; Trump was neither.
The media has so poisoned the well that it's difficult to find or even believe truth anymore: The MSM is primarily profit-driven; the wingnuts are just wacko. A "pure" medium is hard to find and probably could not sustain itself: Often the truth is boring and complex. The odds seem stacked against the good guys and gals winning. For it's a snake pit.
We voted Trump in to take back the country from the elites, and he is on track. I love my lower income tax payments. Mueller and the Dems are now being revealed for the criminals that they are. We're a year and a half in - Hillary LOST get over it!!
1
You are kidding right? Unless you mean "the elites" = "people who read, respect education, women, democracy and the environment," Trump and his administration are hoovering all our resources and handing them over to the richest people in this country.
And that's my definition of "the elites." People who are grossly and disproportionately wealthy and powerful and who have no accountability to our ideals and or political system, and most of all - they don't care one whit about you or any other "little" person.
1
The NYT and most other media consistently fall into the trap of playing by Trump's script. They intensly disect his tweets and focus on his character flaws instead of thoroughly covering the negative impacts his policy measures such as tax cuts for the rich will ultimately have on his core group of supporters which are mostly members of the middle class with average to low income. These people don't really care about his scandals and affairs but they might care if Trump's policy actions worsened their lives.
5
Well, at least you had the civility to cover up before speaking with your mouth full.
Yes, the media helped elect Trump, but only because it was Trump. The issues his supporters had and have—erosion of living wages, lack of health care, the scourge of prescription opioids, and the loss of faith in our institutions—did not come front and center in the opinion pieces of leading journals. The people who voted for him had just run out of options with the GOP leadership catering to Wall Street, Fox News blaming Obama for every ill, and the Democratic Party recycling politicians from the 1990s (except for Bernie—hobbled by the conventional wisdom that he could not win).
The cirque de Trump has garnered clicks, but the lives of the masses were not front and center in our media. Now that Trump is in the center ring the focus continues to be on him. Will he be indicted, impeached, or (implausibly) embarrassed are the questions of the day. The plight of the plurality of voters who elected him are around, but on the fringes of coverage. On cable and the news feeds, the producers and reporters beat the drum of Trump, Trump, Trump.
Serious issues call for thoughtful responses. We won’t get them from Trump and his symbiotic clowns. Nor from much of the press. Everyday broken news masquerades as “breaking”. Ultimately, it'a only a diet of circus without even the bread.
3
While the press burns Trump is fiddling with the economy, unemployment and a foreign policy. Can't imagine the catatonic state you all will be in if he actually pulls off this Korea gambit.
From the crowds he draws to their cheering affirmation the November elections will be very telling. Maybe then the witch hunt investigations will be revealed for what they are...a cover up for the Obama/Clinton crimes. Maybe then we can call it like it is "the cartoon press"
1
I’m actually with Wolf here. What I fear the that in a few years the media will wake up from nausea inducing navel gazing and realize the real disservice they have been doing to the Americans public.
The breathless reporting on every DJT utterance obscures the day to day assault on the environment, public institutions, the lower classes, the economy, rule of law, consumer protections, jobs, foreign policy, etc.
10
Unfortunately, it goes on and on. It's not fun -- he's doing alll he can to make climate change worse, he's made America a rogue state, he and his party (whoopee!) are dismantling all the functions that made American government human and fomenting disorder and hatred instead of calm and generosity.
Please turn it off! It's too scary.
8
Your analysis of the complicity of "journalism" with Trump is right on target. And it is interesting that Ms. Dowd, the Times columnist probably most associated with treating politicians as celebrities & politics as entertainment, shoud be able to see it & name it. Which gives me hope. We all know what we're doing to the country, even as we do it. Even as we click on the story about the porn star instead of the story about Yemen. We have become part of the machine that sells fake politics back to ourselves. We need to change the rules. Break up the media corporations. Reinstate the fairness doctrine. Restore the opposition between journalists and power.
5
It's the media's responsibility to cover the president.
No matter how awful he or she might be.
Trump is the problem.
Period.
4
There is great harm in the media's obsession. As it chases down every lie and misdeed, it mistakenly believes that they are the lead news. But, by now, the accumulation of so much folly devalues the next scandal. Going from folly #1,000 to #1,001, adds little to popular understanding and so is marginally newsworthy. A squib would do -- "Giuliani contradicted Trump today regarding the payment of the $130,000 by claiming Trump paid it himself."
There are so many stories that are more important to me and should be in the top slots in place of the Trump overkill.
3
Early on in my career someone gave me some sage advice: Never give voice to a problem without giving voice to a plan for solution.
But here we have both Dowd and Kristof pounding away today at the obsession with Trump coverage none of us can turn off, but that only feeds the beast. And both of them acknowledging the role of the press in both creating this monster in the first place and making him stronger by the day. And neither of them with the merest hint of a solution.
So what, pray tell, is the New York Times, the titan of the mainstream media, going to do about it? And what, pray tell, can we, your no-longer-so gentle readers--whose own obsession feeds yours--do to help?
7
Maureen , you and the rest of the press contributed to this waking nightmare by making hay while eviscerating Hillary Clinton simply because you didn't like her or because you could , The public is easily convinced . Poison pens do matter. As far as the man who would be king is concerned , he probably could walk into a nudist colony and not be noticed , but there are some of us who saw his nakedness . Pure naked ambition at any cost to the rest of us .
11
The central idea, always missed by the press is Trump is a substitute for an effective debate on issues of national importance. There are more important public problems like healthcare, defense, energy, transportation etc. but the press and voting public are locked in a Trumpian death spiral. It is a negative feedback loop where our nation is happily neglected. The sheer absence of significant national discourse makes me believe that Trump is not only a more "fun" topic, but that the U.S. can no longer speak thoughtfully about complex problems.
16
@Tom Stark
I think this is an important insight but I don't think that its just Trump or Trump as a fun topic, we stopped having effective discussions on national importance long ago when Congressional obstruction replaced discussion, when opposing beliefs and ideas became invalid and when the only progress considered was based on ideology rather than pragmatic solutions to national problems. When ideology rules there is no thoughtful discussion.
4
How's this for the naked truth, unemployment is at 3.9%, lowest since 2000, he's been talked about for a Nobel Prize, this circus might just have staying power.
28
The employment figures are a lagging indicator based on the Obama policies. Talk to me 12 months from now, when stagnating wages continue, GOP immigration policy has strangled industries that rely on really cheap labor, and the huge tax breaks for the rich drive the economy into the dirt the way such policies have every time they have been employed.
72
If my mother talks about me for a Nobel Prize does that count? Unemployment is low but job creation is lower than expected and lower than in last Obama years.
58
You're absolutely right about the Trump Economic Miracle. A new trillion dollar debt to be paid by the lower 99 percent can do nothing but help us all. As for the Nobel Peace Prize, sorry. The Swedes and Norwegians are notoriously sane people (some say too sane). Unlike a third of the American population, they haven't fallen through the looking glass.
46
Although neither one of us watched Ms Wolf's performance, I am sure my wife would agree with Ms Wolf when each morning as she asks, "Must you really read this stuff?" as I scan through the NYT, WPO, Guardian, etc. about the latest Trump-escapades.
Unlike the WH correspondents I don't get paid (although I do pay) to read the drivel they write. Why?
It's not about watching a train wreck, it's about seeing just how low Trump and his supporters have sunk. About how low they have brought this country.
It is hard to believe that we as a country could have sunk so low.
335
I agree with your wife. I don't want to read this stuff; it only makes me unhappy. But here I am, reading "this stuff".
4
Wolf nailed it, and so did Dowd. Manic coverage of Trump by the media serves two masters fairly well- it boosts viewership/readers, and, crazy as it seems, has been boosting his ratings - w/ his base - as well. His antics attract more attention than any other politician - and he got free press and a free pass during the campaign because he was good for entertainment -- and the other pols ( needless to say) were not.
There has been some fine investigative reporting-and i'm sure those writers are frustrated with the lopsided attention on the sensational stuff.
It's pretty outrageous that members of the press assailed Wolf for being out of line: I guess it isn't just Trump who can't stand being needled. ( and I suspect it is because - you know, even female comedians are supposed to stifle themselves ( nod to Archie B) .
17
"We have always prided ourselves on our "herd rationality" here in America --- there may be kooks and cons, we told ourselves, but the overwhelming majority of Americans are steady, sensible, and skeptical. That's just not true. The disillusionment gets worse every day.
That most dedicated Trumpers are undereducated and gullible is a given".
Yes, Trista, that IS the problem. Even if Trump does climb into Air Force one naked, as Maureen suggests, or starts to speak in tongues, or shoots someone in the middle of Fifth Avenue, these people will still support him, because he serves them psychologically, symbolizing the response they wish they could make to their secret, bigoted, fear-of-a-black/brown/female-planet-in-which-they-aren't-first-in-line-for-the-sinecure selves.
These people are in a mass anger delusion, and strong meds, or even electroshock therapy, are called for.
The recent Korea optimism and small upticks in take home pay due to the tax bill's underwithholding have even expanded Trump's favorability a little. One wonders what it would take to wake up these people. (Will it be lack of a refund and an actual tax liability in April '19? That IS after the Congressional elections, of course.)
Yes, reporting on Stormy tends to attract eyeballs, and reporting on policy wonkishness, like regulation rollback, tends to close them. But I wonder what Cronkite or Murrow would have said about the fourth estate's abandonment of the dull but meaningful stuff.
13
The circumstances of the media's role in putting Trump in the White House have always disturbed me. There used to be a level of seriousness at which money didn't matter, and other things were more important. I'm not sure that level exists any more.
It's hard for me to imagine that the shell of what used to be the Washington Post would break a Watergate-type story. It's just as hard for me to imagine today's NY Times publishing the Pentagon Papers.
Now, everything in this country is simply about money, 24/7/365, for pretty much every person and entity out there. Karl Marx's worst predictions of capitalism seem to be bearing fruit.
13
Media made Trump. Trump is money for Liberal media. Meanwhile Liberals lose every major election and most statewide elections. Americans ARE Trump. The few who are not, we are simply deluding ourselves that Trump will lose. Trump IS America, he cannot lose by definition.
8
Not so fast, if it were not for a quirk called the Electoral College then Hillary would be President now and FOX would be having their payday.
Precisely! Trump IS America. Well, the 95-plus percentage of America that isn't a city. The Left's problem is assuming that that 95-plus percent is populated by ignorant louts who haven't the sense to make their own decisions and, accordingly, try to cram their city-slicker mores down the throats of the rest of us.
Sorry, but that's not going to work. We're not going to let it work. If y'all want to establish Lefty "Utopias" in your cities, go right ahead. We've no interest at all in trying to stop you. All we want in exchange is a similar consideration: an agreement not to try to impose your Lefty dystopias on us.
I wonder how reporters will vote in 2020. The prospect of a Democratic President will excite liberal reporters, and in theory instinctively put them into leftist activist mode. But when they tally up their own personal interests, will they vote Trump? After all, ratings, Times digital subscriptions and the like are really Trump driven. How many readers and viewers would be excited by President Kamala Harris? President Cuomo will most likely also have a Special Prosecutor on him soon into his Presidency, but he has the charisma of a sanitation union leader. Who knows? In a rare case of bi-partisanship and mutual interest, we may see Rachel Maddow and Tucker Carlson voting the same way. In Trump World, anything can happen.
2
Yes, Cuomo does have all the pizazz and lightness of being of a Sanitation Union guy.
1
The only thing trump cares to do, as it relates to Daniels, is to "deny" the event occurred. Just as he kept "denying" Obama was born in the US, he points to his denial as "truth" for his own purposes. Everyone knows he had the one-night stand, but he continues to deny.
Maybe we will catch a break and Melania will move out of the White House.
9
Trump and the media have a mutually beneficial scheme going on here. Because of Trump, the media sells a lot of its product and Trump gets the attention that he so very much craves. The victim is the United States of America and its people.
9
In fact, if DJT's presidency were to be judged by how much coverage he gets in the media, he is head and shoulders (and more parts) above everyone else.
I read foreign news sources every day in the hope that I can keep up with the issues of our time.
12
Wolf was correct on most points during her biting takedown comedy routine at the press corps dinner. Yes, the press was culpable in helping get Trump elected; (that includes Maureen Dowd who helped lay the foundation for a Trump win with her volumes of anti HC rhetoric in these columns).
These days the press has the problem of having to fulfill two roles..1.traditional journalism which is essential to democracy and 2. entertainment journalism.
My father was a journalist in the days when journalism was more of a calling. There was no social media to amplify the dramas of politics and life. Only the morning/evening papers and the nightly news. People relied on honesty of reporters and purveyors of the news. Dad lived by honesty and journalistic ethics that required him at times to go up against his newspaper's advertisers to report accurately what was happening even when it made them (the advertisers and readers) uncomfortable. Like the time he wrote in his daily column for the Atlanta Journal uncomfortable truths about racism and the KKK picketed the Journal and advertisers began pulling ads and he was told to tone it down...and he didn't. He lost his job but not his soul.
I am grateful for Michelle Wolf and others with courage who face down the current administration with uncomfortable truths. It would be a really good thing if journalists and the news world would focus less on sensationalism and more on ethical journalism and truth telling for truth's sake.
30
Jimmy Piersall also hit a home run and then trotted around the bases bassackward. (Two days later, he was fired from Casey Stengel's lovable Mets. Would that we had that option with The Donald.)
4
At least Piersall was celebrating an actual accomplishment - it was his 100th career home run.
1
Remember the Teflon Don? He was untouchable until he wasn't. They finally got Capone on tax evasion. Mueller would have ended this investigation of he didn't have anything. We must be patient.
8
If people like Maureen Dowd hadn't been so obsessed with tearing down Hillary Clinton over the most trivial of issues, and treating Donald Trump like a sideshow instead of a serious threat to everything this country ALLEGEDLY stands for, we might not be in this sorry state today.
And if we're looking for co-defendants, the BernieBots who either voted for Stein or didn't vote at all should also be in the dock. And yet many of them still seem to think that a few Goldman Sachs speeches are the equivalent of an entire lifetime of racism, xenophobia and personal corruption. I'm not sure how we're ever going to get rid of this monster when so many people are determined to muddy the waters.
48
This is an absolute correct assessment of the campaign.
Hillary by every measure was a better choice and better for the country, but the media was nitpicking her for ever minute thing, and allowing Donald Trump to cake walk with lies, and fraudulent claims about her, and about himself.
Bernie Sanders and his supporters, both acted like spoiled children and rather than being whole hearted supporters of Hillary, were bitter and reticent in their support.
Bernie's speeches were more about his ego than a full throated endorsement for Hillary, unlike what Hillary did for President Obama in in 2008.
Jill Stein a fraud, who has been exposed as a Putin collaborator, these were Trump's best allies.
6
Reading James Comey's book has given me great insight into Rudy's tenure at U.S. District Attorney for the Southern District of New York. This will not end well for either Trump or Rudy.
Rudy's just as attention grabbing and self-centered as Trump and, if possible, equally unbalanced. We are in dangerous times with these two. God help us.
12
Thank you for helping us see through all of this. Even though the crisis is real, it helps us all to laugh about it.
After following Watergate closely, I assumed that we could never have a president as crooked as Nixon. I was wrong!
Let's promise that we will never elect someone like this again.
New rules for presidents:
ALL financial information (including tax returns) must be disclosed when one runs for president.
Business ties must be severed when one runs for president. No "blind" trusts controlled by family members are permitted.
Presidents are not above the law. No more using "executive privilege" to avoid telling the truth. No rules that a sitting president cannot be indicted.
Appointments of close relatives (including sons and daughters in law) as advisors will NOT be allowed.
We are not electing a "CEO" for president. She or he works FOR us, not the other way around.
Voters, please hold your officials, conservative, moderate or progressive to telling the truth.
22
I would also suggest that candidates must pass the highest level security background check
2
You make it sound as though the journalists love this rush of sleazy news from the OvalOfiice and that we love reading it! Not so, I often feel sick to my stomach when I read the news and I am certain some of the journalists feel that way too.Trump drives the news cycle the way the Second World War did or the strife of desegregation in the South.They were calamities and Mr.Trump is also. Controversy and destruction sell papers or digital news.I am happy that journalists have found their voices defending the first Amendment and that they are prospering but as a country we are paying a high price- a price similar to the calamitous Vietnam War.
9
Could we stop with the moral outrage? The preaching to the choir. If one doesn’t understand just how morally and psychologically bent trump is there’s no likelihood a bulb is going to switch on from columns like this. The Times would be of greater service to its readers if it devoted entire issues of the Sunday magazine to what’s being do to the EPA or Dept. of State, for example. A nice introductory essay about why the department or agency exists followed by explanatory pieces about just how it’s being destroyed. Perhaps every other week until the destruction is mostly covered and explained. Please.
16
If Hillary had been elected, Maureen and others would be attacking her nonstop, and the media would be focusssed on whatever scandals they could find. Remember when the big concern was whether the Clinton family would step away from the Clinton Foundation after she was elected? Which seems laughably minor now.
The difference is that Fox News would have led the nonstop charge against Hillary. But the media would have piled on either way, especially columnists like Maureen. She didn't approve of Obama, for heaven's sake. Maybe he was too decent and honest? I miss decent and honest.
27
My own opinion is that behind all the non-disclosures, playmates and porn stars, are dozens (or more) abortions, and women intimidated by Trump's thugs into having them. Beyond that, hidden families and illegitimate (sic) children. And then beyond that, those children, LGBTQ and otherwise, confronting Trump on CNN.
At some point Trump will have resigned the presidency, but that will only be a couple of episodes in the ongoing reality show.
4
Rudy's career as a prosecutor says much about his ups and downs in politics. Turn back to his 1990 grandstanding prosecution of Imelda Marcos in Federal court in Manhattan, which he successfully sold to the media as being about her collection of shoes. After spending, according to defense lawyer Gerry Spence, millions in preparation, the jury acquitted her on all counts of racketeering and fraud. According to Mr. Spence, Giuliani never had a case anyway and knew that but found grabbing headlines irresistible. Trump chooses his lawyers carelessly, and predicting that America's Mayor will soon get his facts straight can't make our president very comfortable.
2
The thing about con artists is that they are convincing. The thing about their marks is that they are often too embarrassed to admit that they've been conned. The thing about Trump is that he knows it.
8
The movie about the baseball player Jim Piersall is "Fear Strikes Out," starring Anthony Perkins of "Psycho" fame. Pierall, despite his bi-polar issue, had a long baseball career in the majors--17 years, from the Boston Red Sox to the California Angels. It's quite a stretch to compare him to Donald Trump: one is a tempest and the other, a Category Five, spreading disaster all around. Stormy Donald.
3
She's quite right in blaming the media for Trump's staying power. The media now is like Trump zero attention span and under NO circumstances will they stay on a story to the end.
Why isn't the police torture house in Chicago still in the news? Why were there no prosecutions? What about the phony crime lab in Massachusetts that falsified evidence for THOUSANDS OF CASES which BY LAW means all of those cases are defunct and those convicted must be released. However they won't do that making their crimes even worse yet not a word from the media and this has been going on for years. And lets get down to the subject as to why the entire media REFUSED for 35 yrs to report crimes especially murders by cops. The still rarely report crimes by cops. Why? In fact the media has neglected pretty much everything to focus on Trump's ravings which are fueled by the media itself.
2
I am so tired of the press, so tired of hearing about this administration 24/7. May as well indoctrinate Americans with public loudspeakers in the streets. When will reporters start publishing stories about what other people think? People of other political persuasions who have valid ideas about how to govern? Ensuring that Americans are exposed to all sides and become free to choose. For every article about this administration, the press should be obliged to print at least four on other political views. The less attention given to his antics, the better for the country.
6
Speak for yourself, Maureen. Yes, there are news people who profit by pandering to readers’/viewers’ reliable hostility to public figures (when was your last attack piece on Hillary?). But there are also a lot of working journalists exposing industrial-scale malfeasance, corruption and incompetence that voters must be aware of if our democracy is to survive. I happen to think this is one of journalism’s finest hours.
9
I think most of Americans are Trump-weary. But it seems that most of the news printed, televised, tweeted. texted and posted on websites is all Trump, all the time.
In order to not be aware of what is happening, we would need to live in a sandpit, head first.
But if we ignore it we are in even greater trouble.
One thing that Trump has shown us all is how government really works, and just how much power all elected officials in Congress have and how they wield it. Much of it to the detriment of the Country.
Even if the press is profiting because of Trump and his cronies self=serving and lying, we do need to know it so that we can take steps in the coming November elections. This awful knowledge is necessary to regain our Country.
3
For the average American, the people who truly appear to be nuts are the media and the Professional Class elites, who live and operate in a privileged bubble, write and talk only to and for each other, shape truth (when they are not outright denying there is such a thing) to buttress their own comfortable certitudes, practice extreme apriorism and fetishism regarding all things Trump, and enjoy a level of public trust that hovers around 6%, just below that of emails from Nigerian princesses and gas station sushi.
3
The Trump and Judy show is not about making the world more intelligible, it’s about making it more dramatic. They are doing what The National Enquirer does. The National Enquirer appears to be the contemporary standard for journalism. It is showing print media how to survive in an increasingly digital age. The New York Times, Ms. Dowd reveals, has also dabbled in the “make it (the news) dramatic,” but I assume she believes it has not given up its “make the world intelligible” standard of classic journalism.
I’m not so sure. What I don’t see are analyses of the role of the rest of journalism in managing “the news,” which is tantamount to saying, in a media saturated age, that it is not engaged in making the world more intelligible for those who are saturated. It is, rather, engaged in making the world more intelligible for those elites concerned with managing the world, those who are saturating it with the goal of managing it. From the classic journalism standpoint it has strayed at one time or another, admitted by Ms. Dowd, from informing a democratic populace to managing it. A democratic populace doesn’t need to be managed—its members can do that on their own. The Times has substituted, from time to time, the dramatic for the news. It has also failed from time to time to provide the intelligibility needed by a democratic people.
Trump’s campaign wasn’t taken seriously by the media. He was thrown softball questions. He rambled off topic in his usual “word salad” unrestrained. Too often a “journalist” didn’t ask an obvious follow-up question and I was left screaming it at the television. Trump made grandiose claims and promises yet was not asked to expand on of his statements, to provide specifics.
The media helped elect Trump.
Trump continues to conduct press interviews like they’re a promo for the next episode of a reality show. “Stay Tuned” for the next really big announcement!
Is there no journalist up to the task of making Trump stay on point?
6
Excellent. Well written analysis of the narcissism at play in Trump World.
Also, I especially like that Ms. Dowd acknowledged Michelle Wolf's spot on skewering of the media. Trump has been a ratings gift from the gods; cable news stations and even our venerable NYTimes have used him relentlessly.
I think Maggie Haberman was dissembling when she tweeted about Wolf's performance. A lot of truth was spoken that night; the media just didn't like what it heard.
2
Trump is not, never was, nor will be the problem with American economics/politics. It's all about the knowledge. America has the least educated population in the G20.
When Trump is gone, the 65% of Americans without 4 year degrees, (with 75% of those in debt with non STEM degrees), who can't get jobs in the 21st century economy, will still be here.
They will pray to Jesus for help, read the National Enquirer and watch Fox to know who to blame when their kids are homeless, or dead on the streets.
3
Trump has gotten the attention of most everyone, Americans, citizens of every nation on earth and Republicans.
We have devoted more than enough attention to Trump. Much more attention needs to focus on Republicans.
Many pundits, pollsters, the media and even some Democrats have given Republicans a pass. They portray them as aggrieved, forgotten by Washington, the common man angry with bureaucratic ineptness and disgusted with how money oils the gears that move Washington. They wanted to be heard so they voted for Trump.
Sorry, that no longer floats. Republicans are angry, many left behind in an economy that is quickly transforming and upset by Washington's failure to solve their problems, but (and this is a big but) Republicans have also shown they really like Trump. They are fine with his sleaze and vulgarity; they are okay with his possible collusion with Russia; they couldn't care less that every other word out of his mouth is a blatant lie; they don't care that he puts himself above the law.
The Republican Party elite know they are playing with a wildfire that could consume our democracy. They have groomed their Republican zombie base to hate government. And they do. To the point that civil society, law and order, decency and cherished values are of no consequence.
In other words, Republicans are Trump; Trump is the essence of the Republican Party.
America cannot survive with 40 percent of the population devotees of the zealot and creator of alternative reality.
2
Nobody in the media asked Trump or Giuliani the question if Stormy Daniels was lying, and trying to extort money from Trump during the 2016 election campaign, why didn't they just call the police instead of paying the money? Answer: Because it was all true.
3
And yet Ms. Dowd is still writing about Trump. The media is like an addict who is completely aware of their own addiction but continues to abuse the substance anyway. I can't really criticize though. I read the column after all. Donald Trump is addicted to praise. However, I doubt he's going nuts. He's mental problems are well ingrained. He's obviously learned to successfully dysfunction within their parameters. Money helps too. Trump has bought his way out of most the problems his pathological narcissism has brought on himself. The media though is slightly different.
The media isn't going away and Trump can't own all the media. I'm sure he'd like a TV where FOX was the only station but that's not happening. Even when the digital transformation fully materializes, there's still going to be competing alternatives. Netflix versus Hulu and so on. Since Trump can't buy the media, Trump attempts to manipulate the media. This strategy dates back to the 80s with Trump's arrangement with tabloid news papers. The strategy has now evolved into a something of media saturation effect. You could almost call Trump a denial of service attack on truth. If you can't control truth, just bombard the mechanism that delivers truth with so much absurdity and lies that no one can enjoy truth. That's Trump in a nutshell. He's not crazy either because his strategy seems to be working. Working enough at least.
1
Many of us do have a Trump "addiction". That addiction can be compared to seeing a train wreck and we are unable to look away.
If Trump acted normal, acted somewhat presidential and had no numerous skeletons in the closet for Rudy to reveal, we would go into withdrawal and many reputable publications, such as this publication, would have a drought on their hands.
1
“One day he might walk to Marine One stark naked and we’ll all just say: ‘This is the end. It has finally happened.’”
Yes, Ms. Dowd. That could happen one day. But I fail to see much humor in that. I see him as an arsonist that one day will set the whole world ablaze, just for the thrill of it.
Watching the news last night, showing Mr. Giuliani spitting on the Nuclear agreement with Iran, I am now convinced that, before he starts walking around stark naked, he will drag us into a major war. A war that our future generations will pay for it dearly. And, rest assured, that the recompense for such a mindless war will not be financial only.
3
How the press deals with a demagogue suffered because it was broken down to
1) how the media superficially deals with a TV personality (gossip, shows, ratings, audience reaction);
2) how the press gently deals with a millionaire (plush homes, lifestyle, glamour shots, philanthropy; wife or family featured and posed, like old society pages);
3) how the press piercingly deals with politicians; and
4) how social media responds to unprecedented propaganda - Russian, right wing, and other.
Ms. Dowd has usually blended her approach, but for Trump she kept to 1 & 2. In 2015, she wrote of him:
"I enjoy Trump’s hyperbolic, un-P.C. flights because there are too few operatic characters in the world. I think of him as a Toon. He’s just drawn that way. And his Frank Sinatra lingo about women aside, he always treated me courteously and professionally."
She was harsh with Hillary and with Obama, serious politicians with serious policies ideas and serious Ivy League law degrees behind them. But Trump was presented as a "Toon". Her personal treatment from him as a columnist canceled out his abusive treatment of other women across the decades. She wrote that Trump can "go badly astray" as he did with Pres. Obama's birth certificate - a racist lie which she doesn't call out. She referred to his jibes at women possibly hurting Republicans with "some women". She wrote "Sometimes you need a showman in a show."
So forget the "we" here. Take responsibility for "me".
8
When John McCain selected Sarah Palin as his running mate, I knew we were in trouble. She quickly gained rock star status and overshadowed McCain himself. Her whole conceit of "going rogue" was energized by the press corp tripping over themselves to report on the latest pronouncements from this superficial person. McCain had the gravitas but nobody cared. His selection of Palin diminished him in the eyes of many. It was a tragic mistake when one considers his life of service and sacrifice for his belief in democratic values and collegiality.
Now, with Trump, we have Palin writ large. Our President is superficial and a hollow man. He knows how to become a chameleon when he needs win over people. His gift is sales and entertainment.
I believe there will be a growing hunger for a leadership that exhibits more gravitas, a leadership that know how to anticipate the future and plot a course that will go beyond the zero-sum strategies that are currently infecting the soul of the people.
2
Wolf & Dowd are right. Trump has been used by the MSM - and I'd add, the donor class of the Republican Party - as a means to their (different) ends. Without them he'd be just another wannabe celeb desperately seeking attention.
1
The fish stinks from the head down and the media follows the bouncing ball to sing the lyrics. Read a good book, go for a walk and wait for things to play out.
2
How ridiculous is this: 2 columnists (Dowd and Kristof) both write columns saying the press pays too much attention to a certain person, then use most of their columns to talk about that person?
Simple solution: take your own advice, stop focusing on the circus that the current administration manufactures to distract you, and start talking about what the White House or current administration is doing.
See? That was easy - no mention of the name that seeks attention. Focus on the important message: the current administration is hurting America and working Americans through destructive policies, in taxes, financial deregulation, relaxing of environmental policies, etc. etc. etc. There is so much real stuff to talk about - please start talking about the important subjects.
6
So curious that even journalists and op ed writers, teevee pundits and even tweet monsters who decry the bad smelling misdemeanor of non-stop Trump coverage never stop their "coverage" of the outrage. Is it not possible to put the toothpaste back in the tube? Is that the end of our ability to take a real bite out of reality? Ms Dowd is correct, and guilty. It might be time for root canal.
1
I wish for once the members of the press, who are riding the wave of heroism at the present moment because of the atrocity that is the Trump presidency, would genuinely do some soul searching. Ms Dowd begins the column as if this is going to be the moment when she assumes responsibility, then quickly moves on to the usual ranting.
Why not use the power of your words to do a deep cleanse and truly analyze the press's collusion in these elections?
The only true mea culpa I have read is the one by Matt Taibbi. He acknowledges both the arrogance and elitism of the press.
Rather than remain objective about all candidates, they get in bed with whoever is most like them (Clinton) or in the case of Trump, encourage a disaster in order to sell papers.
They are also quite adept at destroying or attempting to destroy viable candidates who do not fit their mainstream profile by facilitating a news blackout (Bernie Sanders) or by subjecting them to unfair ridicule (remember Howard Dean's laugh played over and over on TV ).
In Ms Dowd's case, her unexplained hatred of Hillary Clinton caused her to unleash a tirade against the woman almost every week and gently fawn on Trump (and I am not a Clinton fan but what is right is right and what's wrong is wrong).
Had she made an articulate and reasoned case against Clinton I would have had more respect for her.
I want to see some genuine soul searching among journalists. These types of columns are worthless.
5
has saved our sanity is not Hannity but the mute button whenever real news is being interrupted by the fake news president. In a normal news week it would be interesting to see if anything is happening at the White House maybe once, but every hour of every day seems to be either Trump or the talking heads trying to unscramble what he or a surrogate said.
2
Mr. Trump is the embodiment of the internet itself: a walking talking landscape of of unpredictability where there are no rules, no boundaries, no hierarchy, where one can say anything and not really have to worry about consequences. THAT is why we all are fascinated, in a macabre sort of way, by Mr. Trump.
7
You make a good point. Also, Twitter is sure keeping its head down, isn't it? Twitter's as much responsible for the Trump presidency as anyone and must be super grateful everyone's mad at Facebook at the moment, and obsessed with where Amazon will locate its second headquarters. I don't think Trump could have been elected without his tweets; he couldn't have mobilized his base any better way. They won't read more than 140 characters anyway, or 200 or whatever it is now.
1
The problem with Trump is that he has such a loose association with facts that getting him to realize that the game is over is impossible. Whatever happens he spins it away and his followers think that whatever he says is great. Hopefully the Mueller inquiry will be able to do this.
4
It may be true that the press played a significant, if not starring role in Trump's (R) ascendence and election.
He is now the leader of the Republican Party, however, which also controls the intended congressional "check and balance" to the presidency. It is only Congress that can defang a sitting president.
Yet it is the Republican controlled congress that is standing in resolute support, allowing Trump to destroy our standing in the world, attack our institutions of democracy and justice, and debase the presidency.
The press would do well, in every single story regarding Trump, to always remind its readers that Trump is not alone, and would not be able to continue his vulgar attacks on democracy without the express complicit cooperation of the Republican Party.
The Republican Party must be held to account.
22
But the first thing Michelle Wolf said was:
"Like a porn star says when she's about to have sex with a Trump, 'Let's get this over with''.
- and can you believe it - when I quoted that in a comment to the NYT it was... ''deleted'' - like the NYT doesn't want to hear that quote?
15
so - as I forget -
Who wants to get it over with?
2
You said it well and have included in your piece plenty of reasons why we should pay close attention to what is happening in our country. Early in his campaign when he boasted...." I know more than the generals..." I decided he would not be good for America and someone I could not support!
7
In defense of the news media, it gets too depressing to read only about Scott Pruitt's efforts to destroy our environment, Ryan Zinke's efforts to sell out our national parks to the dirty fuel and mining industries, Betsy DeVos's efforts to destroy our public education system, Mike Pompeo's working for Benjamin Netanyahu instead of for the United States, etc. etc. Sometimes the Trump scandals are easier to digest and provide a needed reprieve. Also, we are learning about intimate aspects of running government that were never before extensively reported.
58
Could it be that the snap has already occurred and the sick man imagines he is president . This can't be reality!
8
Alas. Dowd proves the truth of Wolf's comment. This is nothing but repetitious feel-good stuff who now buy the NYT for their opoid fix.
10
This certainly may be true for those glued to the constant 24 hour babble being broadcast on CNN, Fox, and MSNBC. But for many of us, it is like watching a train wreck that we know is coming in slow motion. It horrifies us knowing that our democracy is on the precipice of a constitutional crisis if Trump refuses to testify when Mueller eventually subpoenas him.
1
Are we all becoming addicted to the daily (hourly) chaos? Perhaps. I lull myself to sleep with the sanguine words of Rachel Maddow once her nightly show hits the podcast. Somehow she is able to transfigure our nightmare into a palatable story as she weaves it into historical context. Yes, Trump has been good for the media and thank the heavens for their tireless efforts. Without them we may all be in straitjackets.
27
Sadly, if Trump walked naked onto Marine One or Air Force, his cult of supporters would shed their clothes.
He is a one-man wrecking ball of moral values, bringing us all down into the muck with him.
62
As Maureen says, the press (it's love affair with Trump's newsworthy outrages) is partly responsible for our national nightmare. Hard to unravel in what proportions each of the following contributed:
- Comey undermining HC
- press never missing a chance to undermine HC
- Russians undermining HC
- pollsters providing invalid election predictions
- GOP voter suppression efforts
- our medieval non-representational Electoral College System
HC was flawed, but the lesser (by far) of 2 evils. She never had a chance.
73
Sorry, Hillary had a big chance and a big "leg up" from both the DNC and the NYT who was in her corner before the primaries even started. She assumed she was so obviously better than Trump that she could ignore the upper mid-west and try to court Republicans instead. That was her choice and not even Bill thought it was a good one. Please don't deify her. It isn't needed and it doesn't help.
It's NOT the media's fault. We bought the papers, magazines and watched the cable blurbs and news. They gave us what we wanted, but if the truth is being told, I had no idea things would end up this bad. I remember thinking when he won the MA primary, that my neighbor state has lost their minds! I never expected him to keep winning and I definitely was comforted by Obama's words that he had faith in the majority of us, not to choose Trump. Yet, the majority didn't vote for him and he still won! (Of course, it may have been with illegal help.) There is no way he should have been a serious contender, if the Republican Party had properly vetted him, so I blame their leadership. I also blame them for NOT caring enough about our democracy to hold him accountable. Plus, as a former teacher, I blame them for not spending money to educate the masses, but instead giving their billionaire donors a tax cut. Our schools are falling and failing to prepare our children and grandchildren for this digital age and the answer to this administration is to ban those from other countries that might compete in the marketplace with our citizens for the best in technological innovation. "The Naked Truth" can be laughed at, but it also needs to be acted on. We must never let this happen again. This is no joke.
64
In the paper's two indexes, the Sections index and the Home Page index, which runs across the page, add two new categories: Trump and Guns. This will allow readers to quickly go to the articles related to those topics. The Trump category is mentioned in jest, with unfortunately a serious drawback: on the one hand it plays into his need for publicity. But on the other hand it helps keep us informed of his atrocities. The Guns category I've thought would be a good idea for some time. This is an issue that should not go away and hopefully our new young adult's involvement will result in changes, especially in the state legislatures and in Congress.
11
Reporters are to Trump as Willie Sutton was to banks. They are pulled relentlessly into his orbit because that is where the stories are.
Our ancient ancestors once gravitated to the Great Salt Lake in Utah because of the wealth of dead insects on its banks which they could eat to survive even though the nutritional support they provided was meager.
Currently, reporters also seem to favor an easy diet of Trumpian news over a nutritious one. But, if we have learned nothing else, we should remember today's boom will be tomorrow's bust. Furthermore, there are often unintended consequences of booms. The explosion of the mouse population in the Southwest led to both hantavirus and plague outbreaks. What effects our syzygy with Trump may cause is to be determined.
7
Actually, insects are an excellent source of protein , better for your health than chicken
At about 2% protein, grasshoppers are meager in comparison to, say, quinoa at 18% protein.
Socrates is 100% right. He and other commentators should stress the difference between SPENDING and INVESTING. The latter provides a mostly profitable return, (although sometimes the 'profit' cannot be measured in monetary terms. Back to the New Deal: constructing a power dam (today: wind turbines) first provides work and income. The money goes for food, school books, new shoes, gasoline,, even for Disneyland, etc. Second: the turbine generates electricity, and that makes many other jobs and investments possible.
Time to invest in the infrastructure.
Yes, Socrates hit the ball out of the park. Maybe there is some joy in Mudville after all. It's when Trump slinks back into his hole.
9
Maureen would have us, in the end, reduce Trump to his desire to keep us "riveted." That reduction qualifies with two doctors health reviews that reduced Trump's weight, and his hidden income taxes that will reduce his wealth.
It takes always his constant demand that he wants to "get involved," to increase his power: as with the ability to send US residents into flight, with the loss of families, homes, business, jobs and assets, and taxes; the ability to ban abortion and deny women their authenticity; the ability to spend billions on a wall as a monument, promise to force Mexico to pay broken. Trump's administration led the world in arms sales--2017 was a record year, $76 billion booked.
The entertainment, the scandal in office of sex, payoffs, silence, lies and crimes, is a deflection. The media might be or his rabid fans, but many--most!--of us are not entertained or "riveted!"
29
This, just in from The Guardian (from the Observer):
"Aides to Donald Trump, the US president, hired an Israeli private intelligence agency to orchestrate a “dirty ops” campaign against key individuals from the Obama administration who helped negotiate the Iran nuclear deal.
People in the Trump camp contacted private investigators in May last year to “get dirt” on Ben Rhodes, who had been one of Barack Obama’s top national security advisers, and Colin Kahl, deputy assistant to Obama, as part of an elaborate attempt to discredit the deal.
The extraordinary revelations come days before Trump’s 12 May deadline to either scrap or continue to abide by the international deal limiting Iran’s nuclear programme.
Trump’s dirty ops attack on Obama legacy shows pure hatred for Iran deal.
Jack Straw, who as foreign secretary was involved in earlier efforts to restrict Iranian weapons, said: “These are extraordinary and appalling allegations but which also illustrate a high level of desperation by Trump and [the Israeli prime minister] Benjamin Netanyahu, not so much to discredit the deal but to undermine those around it.”
One former high-ranking British diplomat with wide experience of negotiating international peace agreements, requesting anonymity, said: “It’s bloody outrageous to do this. The whole point of negotiations is to not play dirty tricks like this.”
[https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/may/05/trump-team-hired-spy-fir...]
48
Walter,
Well reported. Read further in today's Observer for Sarah Churchwell's column on Trump and one of the most succinct headers ever.
Also, read Carole Cadwalladr's reporting on Cambridge Analytica. Absolutely brilliant journalism.
I wished the media would have dissected Trump's doings before the election, as they dissected Hillary's. Still today, shallow coverage of his tweets win the everyday news.
82
When 911 happened, in addition to sharing all the dismay and anguish with other Americans, or most people in this world for that matter, I had two distinct thoughts. 1, I knew George W would get his second term; and 2, I thought America's love affair with all those them reality shows would be over. Alas, I was right about 1 but dead wrong about 2. America has survived W but is getting killed by our love affair with reality shows and their high drama.
Trump is the ultimate misbegotten: the high maintenance drama queen. There is only one catch. He has power to blow up the world in ways more than one. Especially when you have the Republicans and other deplorables - the racists, the NRA and the leeches - to egg him on.
At the end of the 20th Century, the social conservatives were supported to be willing to give up the economy so they could put W in the White House. They got their wishes. The economic world blew up in 2008. After 8 years of hard work, with no help from the obstructionist Republicans, President Obama managed to bring the world back from the brink. Then the same bunch of social conservatives decided to sell their soul for a promise of personal financial gain. Life has come a full cycle.
So Michelle Wolf is right not just the journalists but also a lot of Americans in general. They say one thing but do another. Trump, Pruitt, Mulvaney et al rob them blind and they don't care; but darn it when a black man or a woman care about America. That is reality show, folks!
62
The antidote would be Social Security and Medicare...if reported. Trump's major demographic is 68 and older....
1
I thought during the campaign in '16 Trump would finally say or do something that would so upset the country, or repulse anyone with a sense of decency, that it would be over. I was wrong.
I thought something would come out about him, like cavorting with porn people, that would so shock the nation that his resignation would be demanded by 96.2% of the public. I was wrong.
I thought his ignorance of history, government and world affairs would outrage anyone who made it past the 10th grade. I was wrong.
As it turns out, there is a sizable portion of the public who really, really like him insulting everyone in sight and see it as a sign of strength. Just as there were people who hated and feared Obama so much that nothing he could do would please them, there are people, many, for whom Trump can do no wrong, ever. Belief is stronger than truth, rumors better than facts.
Still, I wait. We are only a little more than one year into this circus and there is plenty of time for Trump to reveal, in some undeniable way, how unprepared and unqualified he was to assume the presidency.
My abiding faith in democracy and in the ultimate wisdom of the voters is being given the ultimate stress test every day. Yet, even some of his supporters now realize he has no intention of fulfilling most of the vast promises he made when running. The clock ticks on whether we can survive to that ultimate moment of truth when most will see the lies and myth that got us into this mess.
95
Well said.
Sadly, I think it will come down to personal economies. If one voted for Trump, has one's life improved? All the disgusting behaviors will be forgiven if Joe Sixpack's life has measureably improved. I wish that for him. But I am also realistic enough to know that presidents can't just flip a switch and improve people's lives. It's a selfish thing. Joe doesn't care that our president is failing at world leadership and he is speeding the demise of our planet. Just show Joe the money.
In other words, Joe will ultimately think Donald failed him.
Then it's just a question of when the piling on will begin. We love to build them up but we love to tear them down more...
1
Well said. That clock is ticking. Personally, since I'm of an "advanced age," I just hope I don't die while Trump is still in office. It would be such a sad way to leave. ;)
2
It is by now so far past the point of where he revealed he was unqualified and unprepared. The only thing to do is to mobilize the portion of the voting public not swept up in the personality cult of the orange one to outvote and flip Congress in 2018 and in 2020 hand the orange one the most epic defeat in generations.
1
"It's just cat".
I'm going to borrow that one.
15
The simplest proof is James Comey. Our ultimate irony is that Donald Trump is the only one who got to call him a slime ball, and some of the rest us who wanted to went to Comey's defense instead.
6
One would have thought that the enormous mental pressures of being at the center of Trump world would have brought on a major health incident by now in the physical person of Donald Trump. But he seems immune to these pressures and just wolfs down another cheeseburger.
So maybe like the one-hoss shay, Trump will just collapse someday as all the working parts exhaust themselves in unison.
10
Well, there is a lot for the media to digest. Never before has a doofus who lies been in the circle of honorable leaders --presidents.
It is fascinating to watch such an unprepared man floundering around and claiming he likes chaos to cover for the fact he simply has no idea what he is doing. None.
He has warped our sense of what is good and virtuous (for a moment), as the president and elected officials are usually the best of the best, that's why we elect them and admire them and follow them.
Here is a guy who is the worst of the worst, and loudly so, and so it is one part fascination and one part stopping him and curtailing him until We The People can put capable folks back in place.
The media is doing an outstanding job --New York Times, Washington Post, Brian Williams, Nicole Wallace . . .
This is a story of the system working, America working, we are just midstream, in the nerve-wracking part, as the body politic learns how to confront --and then force out-- this toxic virus (and into the toilet).
38
WE know, don't we. Those of us who have had the talks. He "who must not be named" is just another damaged human being who is "addicted to excitement in all his affairs."
Our job is to keep the focus on ourselves and our goals....reclaim our sanity...amplify the good in our lives...work to preserve it ...and leave him to his own self-destructive habits.
Too bad about that position of power thing...just don't give him any more...
7
This is a constitutional test of the power of the free press that operates as capitalists. The White House Correspondence. Dinner sure looked well-heeled, prosperous from the TV coverage. Same with the political power brokers that were laid out in fine-fashion. As GS said, there's no there's there.
Trump bamboozles, discombobulates and plays the press like a flautist in an orchestra with perfectly timed notes that penetrates the soul. The press is his yoyo, his bouncing ball, his instrument.
6
When Donald J. Trump claims He would love to sit for an interview with the Muller team and reject the advice of lawyers but then fails to do the sit down, it is because the Trumpian persona must always have someone to blame when things go haywire -- and for this clone of that Broadway King of Siam, the King is never wrong, is never to blame. If He is faced with fact-fill allegations of head-to-toe corruption, who will be blamed? Make a list.
The Trumpian worshippers seem to roll and revel in His ability to get away with -- whatever, including about-face statements and bold-faced lies. Perhaps those devoted followers cheer and applaud because their secret desire would be to ignore ethics, mock morality and do as the Master doeth.
If it is finally revealed that Donald J. Trump and his Empire are corrupt beyond even Maureen Dowd's imaginings, will the cheers ring louder through the fetid halls of our Hollow Man and the ending of His World?
Doug Giebel, Big Sandy, Montana
9
Just remember, the crazier the Trump story gets - and its already pretty crazy - the even crazier it is that anyone still supports him and yet 80% or more of the Republican Party still does. Now that is completely insanely crazy.
52
Yes the Repubs are crazy. Crazy like sneaky venal foxes. As long as they support Trump, they can keep profiting from all the de-regulation and undoing of all those pesky government agencies that might require fair play in the land. The true crazies, his base, believe that by lining up with the Bully Boy, they'll be protected. Now that's
crazy!
1
This is the thing about Mueller that drives Trump crazy. Mueller doesn't react. There he is again in that photo, just plodding stoically across the page on his way to another witness interview.
45
Exactly, What drives a person with a temper absolutely bonkers is the failure of the person on the other side to react commensurately. Or to react at all. Eyes straight forward, Mr. Mueller. We (the People) have your back.
2
Thank you for highlighting the single most important point Michelle Wolf made. Seemed like everyone was too scandalized about her suggesting that SHS burns facts for free makeup to take any notice.
24
Maureen is correct that the media needs and loves Trump, no matter what they say about him. What worries me is they might help him get re-elected.
I hate to say it, but I also think Trump will survive Mueller and Stormy Daniels. It probably is up to electorate to rid our nation of a man who never should have run for political office. Get him out, and then he can be happy defrauding contractors, banks, and university students.
20
What happens in a country where you have a President who lies, cheats on his wife, doesn’t pay his taxes, spreads vicious rumors and innuendos to advance his personal agenda, engages in corrupt business practices, encourages hate groups and divisiveness,
calls for the jailing of patriotic and hard-working government officials, questions the basic tenets of our democracy, violates long-established ethical conduct guidelines and visibly enjoys getting away with it?
I believe what you get is hundreds of thousands of other Americans -- no, make that millions of other Americans -- saying to themselves “If he can get away with that, why can’t I?”
40
It is hard, but for parents with an infant who screams for hours in the middle of the night, the best pediatrician advice is to ignore the squalling baby. The baby, says the doctor, has learned to manipulate the world to attend to his egomaniacal needs by throwing tantrums until someone comes to placate him.
We should seriously consider taking this advice for our biggest baby, President Trump.
Trump discovered long ago that the key to controlling a situation is to make yourself more unpredictable than the people who are opposing you. They confront you, and rather than trying to reason with them or compromise, you simply go crazy--go on the attack, scream, yell, blow stuff up and resist, resist, resist. If they go to 10 you go not to 11, you go to 20.
He is a 71 year old baby throwing continual tantrums.
We are not used to crazy people in office. So of course we are horrified and fascinated at the same time. Maureen is right. If journalists went away, Trump would be more or less the same.
Except, would he?
Like one of those sci-fi monsters, he feeds on attention and emotional turmoil. If we ignored him, he might wither and die away. He has gotten himself in the position most conducive to slaking his bottomless thirst for attention and chaos. No one has been able to isolate him from the crowds, or the press.
Parents find that they can't take the pediatrician's advice. They can't ignore their screaming baby. But maybe we can summon the strength to ignore Trump.
23
It will never happen.
Sadly.
"Just let the evil manipulative baby scream" went out with the pediatric dinosaurs a few years ago as an effective parenting strategy.
Yes, he's infantile and manipulative, but it's a terrible metaphor.
Brother .. this from the woman who bragged about her their phone conversations and how Trump was her good buddy. And also dragged Mrs Clinton through the mud in every column for years on end.
94
Don't forget her loathing of President Obama.
3
Yes the media could have been tougher on Trump but lets not pretend that the media doesn't reflect the culture it is a part of.
DJT got elected. He received votes from Americans. Lawful votes.
The disgrace of this presidency is the country's disgrace. No one will save the country, not Mueller, not the media not a Republican controlled Congress.
It is up to the voter to vote. Less than 26% of the voting population elected Trump. 45% did not bother to vote at all.
Just vote.
46
I used to be a fan of CNN when it was the upstart network that actually covered world news instead of gossip and Trump. I feel like I live in some horrible "reality" show.
I no longer have any illusions that Trump will be impeached, that Congressional Republicans will acquire backbones and consciences, and that our citizenry will actually become better informed. I am tired of the media darlings who have become "stars" for hashing and rehashing the same stories from their armchairs, talking over each other, and constantly revealing "breaking news" (= Trump's latest scandal) all day long.
I am tired of the incivility, the lies, the leaks, and the snarky editorials. Trump knows how to manipulate the media. What if journalists started looking at how this joke of a president is dismantling our democracy instead of running after the latest shiny object that Trump dangles in front of them?
38
Anyone who says the press has a liberal bias is sadly mistaken. The press has a "controversy" bias. The press has a "shiny object" bias. The press has a "big story" bias...All the while of the previous election, the press was virtually salivating at this political neophyte/businessman/New York tabloid/playboy-type who could possibly win the election. It was really, in the mind of the collective press, the story of the decade, or this century. The country became fascinated. Millions wondered, "Can this guy win? What will he say next? How will this play out?" As a country, we VALIDATED Trump as a political/moral equivalency to a lifelong politician steeped in the law, in serving in government, and in dedication. We have enabled this corrupt, whining, incapable, deceitful president, and he took the power vested in him and grabbed it.
27
Ok, MoDo, excellent column, I actually laughed out loud for a change. Michelle Wolf didn’t offend me but her comedy might have been too close to the truth for some. It was quite clever though.
12
I would be fine with the media paying so much attention to trump if only they were the ones asking the hard questions and demanding answers rather than basically sitting like bumps on a log asking the questions they have been told to ask and then not even blinking an eye when they are so obviously being lied to. The WH press conferences are the biggest joke imaginable.
17
Everyone loves a scapegoat!
The arch enemy of all that's good and just, gives the crowd an opportunity to relieve themselves of their existential guilt and enjoy a sense of togetherness.
Exploitation of preconceived ideas or cognitive biases towards the marked individual make dividing them out, a small effort play.
Yes, in that way, Trump, trumps the field. Not, that Rudy's a poor choice, but their fingers don't match!
2
I was barely able to get past the headline on this commentary, containing as it did three words that should never be that close together: Dowd, Naked, Trump.
To put it simply, we have allowed a man who recognizes no constraints on his behavior (other than whatever Putin has on him) to occupy an office for which he is manifestly unfit.
If that were not enough, there's the fact that he's filled his administration with people of like character - and revealed the Republican Party is fine with all of this as long as they get their tax cuts.
If Trump vanished tomorrow and took all of his deplorables with him, the US would still not be able to look itself in the mirror.
Trump has revealed that American "Exceptionalism" is and always has been a lie - the rot has always been there. Now it has bubbled to the surface of the swamp that keeps expanding...
19
Mo, your skewering of the media is right on, though we all know that you have previously been front and center as a big part of that Trumpcentric chattering class.
Nonetheless, you speak the truth here and a big question remains as to how to deal with this crazy conundrum. Donald Trump is our elected president and his daily decisions are significant. The news cannot simply ignore him. But the question of how much attention should be paid to his daily low rent utterances, either on twitter or elsewhere, remains an open one.
And we all need to acknowledge that he is very adept at controlling the news cycle. The guy is really a formidable opponent of democracy and our current form of government. He is letting us know that our structure has some fundamental weaknesses.
7
But his low rent utterances are the official policies of the United States government. Trump is like a malignant brain tumor: he can't be ignored, because the only outcome that way is death.
In defense of the Fourth Estate, I'm sure many reporters and editorial writers would love to just overlook some of the antics of Trump but the president of the United State possesses so much power, he or she cannot be ignored. After all, pundits and reporters must be exhausted at this point. Trump is jaded and his tortured ego wallows in all the attention even if it is negative.
We're stuck with a sick president and the press has no choice but to continue reporting on his outrageous behavior. The press coverage of presidents has always been microscopic.
3
You cannot bring President Trump down. He is unstoppable and unflappable. He is succeeding beyond our wildest dreams and this drives his critics crazy. Nobody saw his triumphs coming to the extent that they have occurred and he keeps on winning in spite of his foes. He has the Midas touch and that has been a positive for our country. Let's hope he keeps up the momentum for the sake of our country.
If, by our country, you men wealthy oligarchs here and in Russia, I would agree. For everyone else, Trump is an unmitigated disaster. Those who cannot see that reality are too far gone down the rabbit hole to make any sense.
3
Madam: "Too hot to handle." "He doesn't have any." That's what he is, no enigma about it, a fat cat who has aspirations to be an actor, who plays the role of "the savior of democracy", whilst kow towing to the Mandarins who run the Pentagon, in lock step with ..."you know banks and newspapers." The sobering part of it all is that with all the smoke and mirrors, or at least so it seems, the chances of war are diminished. But how can that be when the military expenditures are rising mightily, and the lust for the natural resources of other countries is increasing, as the fantastic number of cars continues to rise, along with the price of oil, thanks to his sword dancing partners. There are, of course, other things which make this picture so grotesque: "Il Capo di Tutti Capi" and underboss take time to explain "The Origin of the World". This has all the makings of a sham dictatorship. It is no sham, however, when diplomats labor to create a treaty limiting the possibility of development of nuclear weapons by a theocracy, one which had 290 of its citizens murdered by a U.S. Naval ship, equipped with state of the art radar, inside its own territorial waters. "An Airplane Accident", you think that's funny or riveting, or, perhaps, de rigueur? Then check the date--"Coastline of Britain". Bizarre.
Like the piece and especially the possibility of melt-down as an end to the circus but I suspect there's a kind of deliberateness here. What happens to our perceptions when are continually fed what we know is nonsense and then have to use that very nonsense as an argument for pointing out the next outburst is in direct contradiction--confusion within confusion.
And then, horrors!, The search for what this is all meant to distract us from seeing--certainly it's there right in front of us. We are helpless to ignore it and have no tools to protect ourselves.
1
Thank you for this piece. The day after trump was elected I stopped watching all television news. They helped get him elected and Michelle Wolf was right in her assessment of the media- they sold their soul just like the Republican Party. The only way to gain back trust is for more media giants to acknowledge their participation in this national tragedy that is our president. We are stuck with him too folks- he will not get impeached, we will be haunted by this spectacle for decades if not much longer. We have a president immune to shame- it is now up to citizens to shame him by ignoring him and voting him out, and calling out the media and the Republican Party. I hope we're up to the task.
10
You quote Michael D'Antonio, a biographer of Donald Trump, as saying, "Without the drama and the crisis and the powerful opponent, he’d be just another guy."
I get the idea, and I don't especially want to catch Mr. D'Antonio out, but I must say that, no, Trump would not have the honorable if humdrum distinction of being just another guy. He'd be the same woefully inferior guy whose quest for self-esteem had reached a dead end.
If only the current President of the United States were at bottom just another guy -- say, a haberdasher from Kansas City, Missouri -- capable of rising to the challenges of the office. For that matter, just another guy who sets an example of decency to his neighbors without ever leaving Queens, New York, would be an infinite improvement on the Donald Trump who skulks behind a screen of drama and crisis.
If Trump himself is afraid of being seen as just another guy, he can relax. No such luck, for him. History is going to shine a light down into his hole and see him as he is.
3
Not only 'obsessed with Trump', but if truth be told, the media actually were key enablers in getting him elected. And while the media continues to obsess to this day, the damage to this country going on behind the curtain to the environment and the social safety net and our education system and international relations and even the economy in the long run and ... goes largely uncovered. I guess that sort of stuff just does not sell.
As a septuagenarian, I likely will not be around when historians get around to analyzing his presidency, but today I feel it will not be kind. The emperor truly may not have any clothes.
11
Yet Trump's approval rating keeps rising! Maybe because we like more money in our paychecks, peace in Korea, and finally an unabashed capitalist who is Making America Great Again!!
A few bucks for working people and a huge deficit for their kids. Catastrophes in environmental realities and degradation of education. Double exclamation points indeed for the capitalists.
3
We may like those things, but we don't have them - only the illusion of them. Trump is defined by failure; his minions are failure junkies.
2
Why don't you do yourselves a big favor and read Luigi Zingales' 18 November 2016 NY Times opEd, "The Right Way to Resist Trump.?"
Mr. Zingales, a University of Chicago Business School Professor from Italy, predicted that Mr. Trump might become President six years ago based upon Italy's nightmarish experience with Silvio Berlusconi. Berlusconi shares many unsavory character traits with Mr. Trump and was Prime Minister of Italy for nine years in spite of rampant corruption. He stayed Prime Minister for nine years because of total incompetence of his opposition, which bears an uncanny resemblance to the current opposition to Mr. Trump.
As David Brooks pointed out a few weeks ago, Mr. Trump is remarkably resistant to the apoplectic, apocalyptic but ineffective moralistic attacks that have characterized the left. If current trends continue, he will be re-elected in 2020. If this suits you, then fine. If it doesn't, then a change of strategy is in order. I suggest that you read Mr Zingales' OpEd.
3
I wonder if it would be possible NOT to think calamitously about Trump every single day. People didn't think of Martin Shkreli or Bernie Madoff -- other toxic, larger-than-life men -- day and night, week after week, month after month. I think the answer is that Trump in victory is a trauma to the psyche: The success of an absurd incompetent should be impossible, and therefore impossible for the mind to completely digest. No different from seeing a jumbo jet fall and crash at your feet.
5
You are right: Michelle Wolf was spot on - the lies, the co-dependence.
At the risk of lower profits (it is going on Season Three, after all), how about the NYT, other papers and news networks start sending their lesser-named journalists and reporters, such as interns and new hires, to the WH daily briefings and the President's coming and going Q&As. It's well established that factual information is always limited, Sander's refers questions to other sources anyway, and the President is just looking for the coveted attention. There is and will be no news here - stop rewarding bad behavior.
That might accomplish a few valuable things:
it will put the Breaking News mentality back into perspective; place those creating the unnecessary chaos on notice that they will no longer get all the free top flight attention they've been given to date; it will give experienced journalists and reporters time to do investigative work necessary to keep this administration and capital hill from truly becoming the new normal. Save the journalist, reporter and opinion 'stars' for the WH only when it can demonstrate it deserves that level of professional access.
5
Absolutely nailed it. Michelle Wolf spoke the truth and it was an important one. These news fakers and master manipulators are trying to cast a spell, but it won't last. While it is true that the trump/media relationship is, at times, toxicly codependent, there is no question that solid journalism has been a beacon in these turbulent times, shining light on the dark, dark world of trump.
7
For a while I couldn't stop watching CNN. I agreed with everything the pundits said. The more they opined about trump, the madder I got. It started way back when he first announced his candidacy. The more outrageous he was, the more he was covered. It seemed as though every tweet written was broadcast. Hillary was usurped in the news by trump's outrageousness. Everyone seemed to be mesmerized by his insults and taunts.
Fast forward- I no longer watch CNN the way I did. I'm tired of 'breaking news'. Breaking news has seeped down to local news and it seems every news event is 'breaking news.' I'm tired of trump. I'm tired of his tweets, his lies and his scandals.
Don't get me wrong, I will do everything I can to bring about a change in Congress. I will call, march and hand out flyers to get Dems elected in Nov. I will work to defeat trump and his agenda.
The 24 news cycle was ingenious when it first started. Now it seems that in order to fill the hours, even the most mundane was become part of the news cycle. Trump figured this out and has worked the system to a 't.' We can't ignore him since he is in the Oval Office, but that doesn't mean that everything he utters is newsworthy. Truth be told, most of what he utters is not. Take away the attention, and he will fold. Can you imagine what would happen if nobody showed up to listen?
3
Trump is not insane in any traditional sense of the word. He IS a narcissist, with an attention deficit disorder. He has too much plausible deniability re the potential charges Mueller might bring against him. The new campaign-finance allegations will not be the end of his Presidency, either. The only way I see him being removed from the Presidency is if, and when, he has been conclusively caught in a criminal undertaking involving the finances of his pre-Presidency business ventures. I'm guessing he would resign from the Presidency if this happened, rather than allowing himself to be impeached.
5
If we're obsessed with Trump, it's because he is the car accident in the middle of the road that we can neither look away from or drive around. We're stuck on a one-way street doomed to sit in one place until he either flames out and disappears, or we do. I don't like this movie and I want my money back.
8
I am sick of the whole thing, not sick to my stomach as I expected most of this, but sick of hearing about it. I watch the first 10 minutes of the National evening news and that's it. I do read the papers but skim the political articles. To me, it's all about the elections in 2018, 2020 and beyond. That is what is important now, not Trump's Tweets or other machinations, or even that great Liberal Saviour, Robert Mueller, as Democratic elected officials at all levels can put a stop to all this nonsense pretty darn quick, including a new President in 2020.
4
Except, it is the job of reporters and the news media to report the news. Trump's habit of using twitter daily means that his tweets hit the news daily. He keeps himself front and center. And his tweets are not only outrageous but key to his feelings and now considered official WH statements. So, lets not bash the messenger because they're making money off the message. I thought Michelle Wolff was right on but she's a comedian. You're not, Maureen.
2
Michelle Wolf's comments were spot on, however, we (the people and the press are only conduits. Trump is ranting practically 24/7, he is the man in the WH, he does hold the very fabric of our democracy in his hands. We need to know what he is saying.
It's true that with each lie and contradiction there is the danger of overload, but seriously, the American people must know what this quack is saying.
2
You make it sound like Trump is some kind of raging beast who has no control over his excesses and lies and threats, etc. when exactly the opposite is true. Every thing he has done since the decision to run has been carefully thought out and executed and with a little more time he will get what he set out to get from the beginning and that is total control of the country. He's getting there. He's got the absolute support from his hard base which is about 35% of the country and he has the support of another 30% who are people who would never admit publicly their agreement with his views but hold those views nevertheless, and they of course would be bigotry and hatred towards blacks, Hispanics, Muslims and other minorities and that broad support, in addition to his support from the trembling cowards in the Republican party plus his dismantling of the Dept. of Justice and the FBI and the replacing the top members of the Judiciary.
Go ahead. Laugh. You won't be laughing when it happens.
265
Whether or not you think Trump has control or not, your estimation of his support is probably overblown. Remember, he did not win the popular vote even at his peak and, absent gerrymandering and the electoral college he would not have been elected. Try not to confuse racism and greed with a well thought out political agenda. It is insulting to more Americans than you may think.
51
Is that a trial balloon? What's your source for the other 30%? Seems you are trying to suggest that another 1/3 of the population secretly supports him. There's no way 65% of this country is on board.
47
I would like to agree with you but I find it so hard to imagine any sane human being actually choosing to embarrass himself and everyone in his local sphere (and the entire country) like this. I have thought about this for a long time and originally thought like you. But over time, I just couldn't believe this was all a put-on. I think it is more like a perfect storm - his crazy, erratic behavior is accomplishing more than he could ever have planned and acted out, if he were sane.
27
To say that the media made Trump is like saying the fire department made life wonderful for arsonists. The media is allowing itself to be used, even victimized, by the Tweeter-in-chief. But what else can be done? Keeping silent will crater the democracy, keeping attention focused might save it.
10
Thank you Maureen for your inspired writing, that of a true wordsmith.
The picture accompanying the article speaks to whom these two are, the Huckster and his Chum. Who is whom is a toss up, as both vie for top honors for being the most artificial person with false smiles and disingenuous resumes, but the nod does seem to go to the Pretender in Chief. After all, no one does fakery and pomposity and righteous bombast better than The Donald.
On another note, are other commenters experiencing distress at the narrowed column width for writing comments and choices between only the 'newest' and 'oldest' comments as appears with this OpEd? I've noticed that Ms. Dowd's column which generally generates into the hundreds of comments, and those of other writers on the Times with this new commenting format, are seeing greatly reduced comments.
Also oddly, the 'old format' which still shows Reader's Picks and a more aesthetically pleasing layout for comments is still present to the left of center for the front online page for articles with comments, but the opinions to the right of center has this shrunken format.
8
It is hard to improve on the majority of comments here tonight. My personal favorites, Gemli, Socrates, R law and a couple of others have done a masterful job of of describing the national Fabricator in Chief and his sycophant press imitator.
Keep in mind Mo, you and many other news people of all stripes have allowed him to convince a significant portion of the public that you yourself are liars , that you make up fake news stories just because you do not like him, and they believe it. He has brought them to think the justice system is fixed and is trying to gain control over that also. He has convinced these intellectual midgets that he should have the power to control all those things the Constitution says he does not have.
None of you seem to have the freedom to call him for what he is, a sociopathic, narcissistic Fascist, the leader of a authoritarian movement financed by the likes of the Koch Brothers, the WSJ and now someone like Giuliani has veracity among them.
You sand your fellow journalists are our voice, most of us do not have the skills or the connections to have op-eds published, not that I would not like to but do not have the resources to do so, to gather all the facts, and to present a dissertation.
So speak up, you and the rest of and throw off your timidity, challenge the bluster, let the world know what a danger he is to all, not just us.
40
Thanks for highlighting Michelle Wolf's comments about the media: This nightmare wouldn't exist without two lanes. Trump's power is completely dependent upon nonstop coverage from Fox, CNN, and MSNBC, who in turn depend upon a steady stream of scoops from old stalwarts like the NYTimes and Washington Post.
It's a win-win cycle: Trump coverage brings in more eyeballs and thus higher ad rates. Free market capitalism is just great, especially when we apply it to colossal media conglomerates and an attention-obsessed national leader. So much for all those originalists we keep appointing to the Supreme Court: our founders could never have seen the nightmare that is Trump coming.
41
Instead of recycling spinwash of Giuliani/Trump/Stormy Daniels from the day before, last night Rachel Maddow focused on the quiet and subdued Rod Rosenstein who this week made two low key appearances, one for Law Day, the subject being: the Separation of Powers. Rosenstein showed his sense of humor when his audience laughed at the topic, and he questioned them about why they were laughing.
What the media needs to focus on is the peripheral damage to our Justice Department by Trump and his lock step enablers, all of whom want to dismantle one branch of our government using the Republican Nunes tactic of impeaching Rosenstein if he doesn’t hand over documents pertaining to Mueller’s on-going investigation.
The media focus should not be on Trump but on how his attacks on the media and on the Intelligence agencies is weakening the foundations of our republic.
227
"Chaos is always getting unleashed. Turbulence is always brewing." Or in other words, "Things fall apart; the center cannot hold. Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world; the blood-dimmed tide is loosed and everywhere the ceremony of innocence is drowned. The best lack all conviction while the worst are full of passionate intensity."
44
I love the Yeats poem, "The Second Coming."
That it suits this horrific era we are in with such perfection is satisfying, in a dark, miserable way.
1
The entire Trump Administration is made from the ashes of "burnt facts".
From burning President Obama's Hawaiian birth certificate into a his deplorably racist Birther-Liar-In-Chief campaign to the 2000 documented lies he told during the first year of his fake Presidency, our Derrière-In-Chief's reign of feign is a giant funeral pyre for truth, honesty and human dignity.
The naked truth is that between good ole boy white supremacy, misogyny, fake religiosity, right-wing voter suppression, and Twidiocy, it doesn't take much to con a nation out of its common sense and elevate award-winning incompetence, corruption and sociopathic greed to the captain's chair.
The right-wing undemocratically installed Bush-Cheney with such catastrophic consequences that it temporarily scared the racist American 'heartland' out of its racism.
But after the black guy humbly cleaned up the white guys' filthy diapers and Made America Great Again, the old White R Us-Jesus R Us caucus got cocky again about their White-Wonder-Bread cultural stupidity again and thanked the black guy by electing the Birther-Liar-In-Chief just to show all those pointyheaded Democrats that their ignorance, racism and misogyny was just as good as actual knowledge, civil rights and respect for women.
The Birther Lie worked.
The Hillary Salem Witch Trial worked.
The Fake-Christian Crusade worked.
The 1% Christmas Gift Tax-Cut worked.
The Three-Card-Monte worked.
The Republican Trump Toilet worked.
Heckuva' job, GOP
534
This could be my favorite, nicely structured!
39
Yes and yes. What's most dismaying about Trump are the people who take his lies as doctrinal guidance for their own belief systems. We have always prided ourselves on our "herd rationality" here in America --- there may be kooks and cons, we told ourselves, but the overwhelming majority of Americans are steady, sensible, and skeptical. That's just not true. The disillusionment gets worse every day.
That most dedicated Trumpers are undereducated and gullible is a given; but now that they are his, what will he do with them? Since he is cunning but lazy, he may just run out his time playing golf, holding rallies, throwing tantrums and bickering. He doesn't want the tremendous demands and burden of an actual war. But those right-wing judges he keeps appointing will be hurting us long after Trump is gone.
47
Yes, the fact that all the lies WORKED is what galls me daily. America has been a Zombie Democracy, an undead horror, since Bush v Gore gave 5 men the ability to choose a president over the wishes of the majority of the American people. Obama's election was only a blip on the festering undead ichor of the American Experiment. Trump is the final chief vampire slavering over the carcass of American "exceptionalism."
35
Of course Trump is crazy, and the press is profiting from him.
What's needed is less poking fun and more making sure that the President and his friends pay the price for their numerous crimes. That means jail time as well as fines.
If our courts fail us in this endeavor, we might as well give up on this country, and look into cheap land in Moldavia or Uruguay. Enabling a psychopathic child is just as bad as being one. Trump and half his cabinet, a third of oil company management, and many of our Republican Congressmen belong in prison.
They should count themselves lucky if that's the outcome. Remind them what happened to the Bourbons and the Romanovs. This time, though, the crimes are far more damaging: enabling a lunatic while pumping oil, destroying forests, bombing random countries, and occupying dozens more. For what? Money? Golden condos? Young and beautiful hookers? We'll be doing them a favor by putting them in jail.
73
Do any of them really care about their children or grandchildren ? Do they think money and palatial walled communities will save them ? do they really hate being with the rest of us ?
2
"Donald Trump is damaging the country and civic discourse, and undermining the First Amendment."
Yes, we are seeing serious damage to the country, to civic discourse, and to the First Amendment.
No, Trump is not doing that all by himself. He's got lots of help. It seems near unity, everyone pitching in to help.
Not one of the parts of our country seems to see its own role, but they all see everyone else's role very clearly.
36
This sounds a little too much like Trump's "On Both Sides" rhetoric.
There is plenty of blame to go around.
But not in equal measures.
4
Exactly right. It's not all Trump's fault. The mainstream media, Google, Facebook, with their rampant bias, censorship and failure to investigate (state) crimes bear responsibility for the degradation of our 1st amendment rights. Maureen Dowd and her New York intellectual friends are above the fray. Morally superior.
24
Unfortunately true. The whole structure is collapsing.
All the dirt that has accumulated over the past 20 years is all coming up in a flood of sewage.
I am holding my nose but it still stinks.
Ms.Dowd. You forgot to include the WH Press Secretary here.
When Michelle Wolf said everyone is obsessed with Donald Trump, she may be right. Because, each day's news is all about him.
There is not much talk or debate about people's health care anymore.There are more important matters the daily news should concentrate on.
A lot of times, when Mr. Trump tweets, he is provoking a response. He knows for sure the press will react. And, this goes on and on.
At least for a day or for sometime, the newspapers should just ignore what Mr. Trump has to say, unless the subject matter is of real importance to the people and country. The press should get used to it, and so will Mr. Trump.
100
Thank you for suggesting the media should ignore him if not for a week, at least a couple of days. Just think how it would drive him crazy, but it would give us news junkies some relief.
9
No one is yet talking about this, but as a retired attorney, it seems to me that Giuliani needs to recuse himself as Trump's attorney, he has now made himself an important witness in the case by divulging conversations with Trump on relevant details.
He has also, arguably, breached attorney client privilege by sharing that information with the public.
242
He should probably be a subject of the Russia investigation as well. He was bragging about "October surprises" before they happened. The people he's now disgustingly calling "storm-troopers," ie the FBI, may have tipped him off.
That's a nightmare in itself.
5
“One day he might walk to Marine One stark naked and we’ll all just say: ‘This is the end. It has finally happened.’”
No, it would not be the end, as Ms. Huckabee-Sanders would proclaim such an event to be normative for any president.
149
She'd say he was wearing an orange colored suit, but the press is too prejudiced to acknowledge the fact.
2
If Wolf and Dowd had said that the press needs Trump to survive, then it would be a very sad commentary on the state of the country. For Americans to need the ultimate bright shiny object as a daily, hourly, distraction that diverts our attention away from the serious issues that face the country and world would be to condemn our national character.
Wolf simply said that the press “loves” Trump because he has driven subscriptions and book sales and the very needed attention to our great papers and magazines, staffed by skilled, knowledgeable people carrying on a profoundly necessary function who need to survive not only for their own sake but also for the sake of our nation.
Our free press is under attack, however, both from Trump and elements of the right that try to suppress those who speak the truth, stand for responsible fair policies, and fight oppression but also by the take-it-all-for-granted lazy attitudes spawned by the digital age in which many think things of great value should be free. Not only our press, but also our artists and musicians are fighting to sustain themselves and what they believe in.
I think that most of us are not so weak-minded that we crave bright shiny objects to make us read good news and opinion sources. I think many are willing to support the free press and the arts because they reflect who we are with all of our flaws and virtues. Trump has simply shown us in stark relief what we truly cherish.
26
Maureen - Just wanted to say I almost always love your columns (including the Clinton-bashing ones, although I voted for her since for me there was really no choice) and enjoy the laughs provided by the columns and the comments.
We need the laughs to keep our sanity.
8
Maureen, this painfully true work of art makes me yearn for the days when out government generally functioned quietly in the background, and people who craved phony second-hand excitement turned on their TVs.
I sure miss Obama.
287
Obama did work very quietly. FBI was doing everything very quietly. They had to because it was illegal.
Obama and the FBI did not do anything illegally. I think you are referring to the Bush Administration. You don't follow things too closely in India do you? I have followed politics daily since 1965.
Everyone has blame in this game. Cable news viewership is up, everyone discusses either love or hate for the man, it's a horse race of when will he go, what will Mueller find. Or it's a love fest of destroying all we used to hold dear, like laws and civility and humanity.
The Democrats failed by running a candidate with high negatives and thought they were making history without stepping outside their comfort zone. The Republicans failed by choosing to win at all costs, failing in their fiduciary duty. Everyone became pay to play.
Voters, tired of self-serving politicians, went for a Reality TV player, mistaking it for Reality. Then got addicted to the show. Suddenly reporters wanted their opinion, to hear their anger. Everyone started getting the attention they craved to fill a 24-hour news cycle.
Eventually this preening show will end, the dust will settle on the multiple books written and people will return to their lives. Older and wiser? Exhausted and lethargic? Or just as George W. Bush was considered the worst president ever, that turned out not to be so.
It's up to every voter to push back against entrenched interests that do us harm and support the good people ready to step up.
43
I heartily disagree with Ms Dowd's assertion that Trump is damaging our country. On the contrary, his train wreck of a presidency is testing our mettle and ability to withstand a national hurricane but we will endure and come out better for it.
13
Oh really? With respect tell it to people whose families have been destroyed; tell it to the environment, already badly damaged. Tell it to the people of Puerto Rico, American citizens whose beautiful island was ravaged first by hurricane and then by Trump. Our economic health is harmed perhaps irrevocably by the "tax cut."
No. There is no silver lining here. Too much real damage is being done.
6
In other words, the old saying applies ?
That which does not kill us will only make us stronger.
Keep hope alive...keep hope alive
It would be nice if the media would ignore Trump for even a day. I fear the constant “Breaking News” mantra is becoming the true life version of the boy who cried wolf. Trump feeds off the attention. It is his lifeblood, and if the media would take it away I think Trump would go away. Or maybe he would just do something outrageous to get it started again.
35
Trump may be greatest clickbait ever, and he may be a career-defining ''windfall'' for journalists, but he's also seriously undermining the institutions and ideals that unite us and hold our country together; and he's a threat to what little democracy we have left.
72
I am working hard on breaking my trump addiction, I’m beyond the disbelief that this man is making the US the laughing stock of the world. I’m still incredible how people will vote against their own best interests, but I’m loving the mute button on my tv remote. I can’t stand the sound of his voice.
And as I’ve said from the moment trump announced his candidacy for president, if the media would collectively ignore him for 48-72 hours, you could totally unhinge him.
155
I, too, used the mute button ... a lot. It takes a lot of dedication because his voice and horrific comments occupy much of the news.
5
I use my DVR to record the news (PBS Newshour) and just fast forward through his drivel. He makes no sense, repeats himself endlessly, using the same ten or so phrases over and over and over...you get the idea. I do the same thing with any of his supporters as well since they only recycle the same talking points.
4
I’ve turned off the news channels, no political TV, ever. Instead I read The NY Times and the Washington Post on line. The blaring talking heads get none of my time. Occasional dips into BBC. One can be well informed without the noise.
57
I love the BBC....a world view....a graduate degree in geography, history, human nature, and scientific inquiry all over my night radio.
3
Agree but I tend to follow the BBC NY Times and. Washington Post as the reporting is more balanced than most others.
The noise coming from Washington D.C. tends to drown out so much of the many major problems facing our species.
We truly need to get a grip!
Thank you Maureen,
From this side of the border I see most America believing Trump is wearing the most beautiful and magical clothes and only those incapable of understanding the mystical American Prince not being able to see Trumps transcendental accoutrements.
The truth is that after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 the GOP decided that America had to die. When the alt-right led by Goldwater, Nixon and Reagan took over the GOP Donald Trump would be the final act. America was all about truth as in "We hold these truths to be self evident".
There is no more truth in America and that didn't start with Donald J. Trump.
In 1964 the USA said all men are created equal which ran afoul the creed of much of America.
Today you have a Supreme Court majority which does not believe all men are created before the law.
Today you have an executive that believes in Generals, Admirals and billionaires.
You have legislatures have a majority that think your constitution is not their constitution and your laws are not their laws.
Donald J Trump is simply an undertaker who refuses to acknowledge death. The USA is history and denial will not bring it back to life. There will be no rapture, America will not rise from her ashes and Republicans and Democrats will never reconcile. The lies did not start with Donald Trump and they will not end with Donald Trump.
35
You are describing DEMS and Hillary who think they are above the law. They made a mockery of the FBI and the tolls at their discretion. And here we are with the President "Guilty needing to prove himself innocent".
As for USA it is still the leading nation that everyone wants leading with its bag full of dollars. The USA has been used to help pay the expenses. Take for instance the Environment. Other nations can clean up their own back yards. You don't need a Paris accord that taxes US citizens, who are far ahead on environmental issues.
1
I guess they only get fake news in India. Trump's excesses are all the DEMS fault, right? Only one party is mocking the FBI, and it's the party of Trump, the GOP. I hope access to intellectual reasoning improves in India, or that country will fail as well as America.
5
The press had a great deal to do with Trump getting elected. They covered him 24/7 while he was campaigning. We were all complicit because we watched, like watching a train wreck unfold before us, from which we could not avert our eyes. TV news shows ratings soared, newspapers were read online and off. The carnival show continued unabated with never a thought of the consequences by the press, nor most of us that such ongoing publicity might actually lead to the election of such a vile human being. Surely, we thought, voters would not put such an amoral man in office. Then came the terrible night of November 8, 2016 when the awful truth could not be avoided of where all that media attention had led. Trump was declared President by astonished and sober news media talking heads. The gloom was palpable, as well it should have been.
We are reaping what we have sown. We are saddled with a man for whom the word "truth" has no meaning nor value. No surprise he chose an inept lawyer to represent him now that Cohen is facing possible criminal charges. Ineptitude seems to be a requisite for any position in the Trump administration. Giuliani put both feet in his mouth with his revelations to the shocked (because he was out of the loop) Hannity that Trump had given Cohen the money to pay Daniels. Then Trump did the usual, first confirmed, then withdrew that confirmation that he had made the payments. Tweedle Dum Giuliani is probably slated for being tossed off the troika.
24
Sure the press had a lot to do with Trump. Here are some of the issues that we heard during the campaign and Hillary looked worse than Trump
Sex: Trump abused women and so did Hillary who attacked the women that were abused by Billy. Both Billy and Trump could have abused women in the WH. It would be very tough for Trump with his aged bone and a spotlight on him.
Taxes: Trump was not paying enough taxes but the IRS was auditing his returns and they were good because they accepted them. So he paid his taxes whatever he was expected to pay.
Bankruptcies: They happen when you start businesses. For every one business that went bankrupt, Trump has 5 successful ones. They all created employment, even the bankrupt ones.
Successful History: Cant deny the success of Trump even with all the bankruptcies. He is just a handful of billionaires with a great family including two ex-wives who appear happy and well taken care off. As for Hillary, what a mess of a job as Secretary of State and then after with a Clinton Foundation. Got rich late in life thanks to the paybacks and the talk circuit.
And now the liberal media will say nah to everything he does including his successes with the ISIS (Obama said cant be won) and North Korea to speak of two.
Trump sees himself as an Al Capone figure who can not be touched no matter what he does. Capone also loved the press who ramped up his image to a degree that we still tell stories about him and his quirks and violent temper. He also believed that he could murder anyone at will, often did so and only built further his image as someone who could take what he wanted without cost, something that those who idolized him dream that they could do as well. The truly powerful in this scenario are those that are above the law and laugh at its quaint restrictions.
Eventually Capone was not brought down by glamorous police agents uncovering his worst crimes, but by pencil pushers studying his tax returns. Capone finally spent ten years in jail for tax evasion. Trump may eventually face the same fate, but the question is still, why do so many idolize and even forgive would be Godfathers like Trump who sneer at the truth and every value that supposed value loving people think they believe in.
42
Did you and Nicholas Kristoff, and perhaps Ross Douthat, collude on the content of your columns? You talk about the (almost shameful) symbiotic relationship between many in the media's success and how it hangs on his every pronouncement, no matter how ridiculous, Mr. Kristoff bemoans the media's addiction to Trump, and while Mr. Douthat's piece on Trump winning does not mention the media, I imagine that he would agree that the media's obsession with him might actually be helping him.
So much of what Trump says is of such utter nonsense or so lacking in decency that it's worthy of being reported only in the basest of tabloids, yet it gets continuous coverage everywhere. Wouldn't it be nice if the media focused more on what he does as opposed to what he says? But that, I fear, would take much more discipline than the media possesses.
32
My interests and my job have me reading non-US and mostly non-English journalism six days a week. In those publications ...
... early-on Trump was "above-the-fold-page-1" news every day;
... then he dropped to "under-the-fold" more often than not;
... then he could be found on page 3 often enough and now he appears occasionally on the "limbo page" i.e. p. 4.
How many currently paid-up or new subscribers might the NYT or any other daily publication lose if they started systematically to put Trump-news on pp. 4-6 (on paper) or in a little box of links in a lower corner of their homepage?
There are so many other things for reporters to report about -- Trump is simple -- assign him to the cubs.
37
Trump is on the front page of the Guardian and near the lead on the BBC Online pretty much every day. A quick check showed an article on his NRA comments on the Frankfurter Allgemeine, the lead article in Le Mond and there is a below the fold article in La Republica about McCain not wanting Trump at his funeral. I don't speak any Russian and I can't read Japanese or Chinese, but I would bet that Trump is prominently displayed in their major papers as well. Like it or not, Trump is the President of the most powerful and influential country the world has ever known, and his insane and inflammatory tweets and off the cuff comments are going to be reported.
1
The Press' overreach normalizes Trumpian hyperbole. His attention-seeking antics are only eclipsed by the media's silly obsessions with Stormy & Russia. Journalists as stars and journalism as entertainment for ratings is the reason Trump remains relevant.
6
"...the media's silly obsessions with Stormy & Russia."
There is nothing silly about Russia or the media's obsession as you call it.
28
Michelle Wolf got it exactly right! The media loves Trump. He is one constant man bites dog story after another.
Most of it is trivial and focused on his antics, really a waste of the country's time.
I've been taking longer and longer breaks from media and articles that focus on Trump. Maureen Dowd's writing, however, is usually hard for me to resist.
21
The wonderful historian Barbara Tuchman put this matter a lot more elegantly when she pointed out in “A Distant Mirror” that disasters, calamities and the grotesque always become the stuff of history, while calm and prosperous eras get the short-shrift. Augustus ran a good empire, but Caligula and Nero get all the popular attention. I also refer you to Orson Welles’s great speech about cuckoo clocks in “The Third Man.”
22
A column that ostensibly takes the media to task for focusing on substance-less Trump coverage, ends up being about....substance-less Trump coverage.
Since you mentioned Michelle Wolf, Maureen, let me remind you how she ended her Correspondent's Dinner appearance: "Flint still doesn't have clean water."
Now, I get that your beat is primarily palace intrigue, and I don't expect you to write about Flint, but as for the wider media in general...how about covering the fact that an American city has no drinking water? Or the fact that Puerto Rico, an American territory, has deteriorated to the point where basic services such as electricity are intermittent? Or the fact that ICE runs inhumane detention centers - the sort of centers we'd be screaming about in terms of human rights violations if they were taking place in other countries? There is a shift taking place in the United States wherein minority or marginalized communities have seen a substantial increase in hardship and suffering - and a significant decrease in standard of living - and the media has virtually ignored it.
I live in New York. I know a few news media types. Professional, educated, white. Mainly concerned with "issues" that affect them and the establishment. It is no wonder people don't trust or like the news media. They continuously go out of their way to ignore large segments of the public.
57
I don't fault the press for covering President Trump, Ms. Dowd.
I fault the press, and you, for going along with his dumbing down off America, for not holding him accountable before he became president.
You treated Trump like a benign, harmless fellow during the 2016 campaign. Here is a good example from April 2016, "Trump Does It His Way:"
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/03/opinion/sunday/trump-does-it-his-way....
You were so gentle with him when he was being so awful. It's perplexing, especially when you compare the tone to your Hillary columns.
You did this before with W Bush in 2000, where you seemed charmed by W, amused instead of bemused.
So, here we are.
It's beyond disheartening, and exhausting, to see what's happening to our country.
I got into an argument earlier this week with the woman who cuts my hair, and is a Trump supporter. She literally doesn't care that he's a liar, that he slept with a porn star, that he paid hush money, that he supported Nazis and a pedophile, that he's dismantling the EPA, that he's enriching himself through his office, that he colluded with Russians, that some of his former aides have been indicted, that he gave a tax cut to the richest 1%.
She repeats the Trump talking points verbatim: Witch Hunt, Fake News, Hillary's emails, Deep State, No Collusion, "He's accomplished more than any other president in the history of our country."
You and the media could have cut Trump off at the pass, before this Trump cancer spread.
469
Great comment V.
Consider changing hair cutters.
91
But for so many in the press chasing the Clintons for 20 years was more fun.
Heck, the press refused to use the word "lie" in print to describe Trump's lies until after the election.
48
Sounds like the woman who cuts my hair! Evangelicals around here, some in the pulpit, speak in a code, saying, "God can use a bad man". Evangelical leaders surrounded him on Prayer Day. David Brooks on the NewsHour said, " Things are going OK with Korea, China, the economy." As the NYTimes Editorial points out, despite Trump's own egregious profligacy, he is presiding over a campaign for abstinence! Perhaps it doesn't hurt for the media to examine their role in Trump promotion, but even Fox this week was a valuable vehicle in revealing the Giuliani debacle. I subscribe to NYTimes because it is a necessary player in investigative journalism, as is WaPo.
33
I spent a year visiting Homer Bigart at his home in New Hampshire. We lived next door. Nice man. We talked politics. I learned a lot.
Ms. Dowd I have been reading your thoughts for years. Your review on Secretary Clinton for years has been negative. I know she was not the best choice, but she is a smart and talented woman. I know because I married one.
I no longer watch the news. I read it.
My American flag on my porch will not rise until this so called man is gone. We will then begin to rebuid our childrens future. Peace.
97
What most astonishes me about Trump is his naive arrogance. Most people are afraid of what they don't know, but not Trump. The image in the mirror has convinced him that his omniscience can solve all world and domestic problems.
After about 2,500 years of experience with global trade, much of it horrendous, the countries of the world concluded that an international body might actually be the best way to balance competing national interests and resolve disputes that once led to slavery, wars and depressions.
Along comes a failed casino operator and business con artist to assert that he will restore America to past greatness by defying international rules and unilaterally imposing tariffs on key trading partners. So far, the partners have maintained a polite but firm distance from his demands, while domestic sectors tremble at the consequences to his pugilism.
But Trump seems not to know is that the US is no stranger to protectionism. We maintain a 25% tariff on imported pickup trucks to protect a domestic sector so huge that the venerable Ford Motor Company has staked its future on it.
As Trump is fond of saying, "we'll see".
23
A headline with the words 'truth' and 'Trump' in them is fiction at it's finest.
44
"A headline with the words 'truth' and 'Trump' in them is fiction at it's finest."
Also an oxymoron.
10
Public Service Announcement:
We interrupt this week's Dowdian-Trumpian soap opera to remind semi-conscious American citizens that there's a perfectly good country rotting beneath their feet.
America's infrastructure scored a D+ in its nationwide report card last year.
For perspective-challenged Americans - and for plain old-fashioned idiots - what this means in simpleton terms is that the nation's roads, bridges, tunnels, airports, levees, schools, rail systems, water systems, sewer systems, utility systems, ports and transit systems are collapsing from a lack of funding and adult supervision.
In addition, voting rights have ironically collapsed in certain Make America Great Again States, thereby collapsing American democracy into a pile of burnt Grand Old Propaganda.
I realize infrastructure is 'boring', but it's actually the basis of a decent, modern civilization - and horror of horrors - it must be paid for with - horror of horrors - more taxes.
Infrastructure investment also creates an enormous number of jobs for the middle class and it also improves the quality of life.
Unfortunately, this country - led by Daycare Donnie and his Reverse Robin Hood Sunshine Band - recently invested several trillion dollars in billionaire infrastructure and zero in actual infrastructure.
This was the Republican way of telling average Americans to go straight to hell.
Turn off the Trumpian-Russian-Republican soap opera, America, and start investing in yourselves.
November 6 2018
1057
Infrastructure is a valid use of precious tax dollars but not when its simultaneous goal is the support of $50,000 pothole fillers/Democratic voters. Let’s resume the draft, include every eighteen year old male who attends public schools and once our military is fully staffed with $25/month conscripts, place the remainder in essential state, county and municipal agencies.
4
$25/month conscripts? Is this 1944? Soldiers pay (to include benefits) is over $100K cost to the Gov't per year. And they are not trained construction workers, road pavers or bridge builders, which is what we need. Good Grief Gotham!
Dear Socrates,
It is always a delight to read your comments.
I enjoy very much seeing your contribution.
Thank you for sharing with us.
152
To fault the press for its intensive coverage of this bizarre pretense of a national leader is unfair. Where would we be without responsible journalism? Most likely in the dark.
Trump's deceit has broken the presidency, paralyzed Congress and trashed the rules that are supposed to apply to the coverage of presidents and their administrations. He has brought mendacious, deceitful incompetents into his administration, and if he had any sense of honor he would be offended of what they've done to his reputation, to 99 percent of America's taxpayers and to the credibility of the office he defiles.
How, then, should the responsible press address this bizarre phenomenon of a damaged personality in the Oval Office and his enablers on Capitol Hill? I would suggest with vigor, determination, and a laser focus on the facts -- The "Who, what, why, where and when?" of traditional bedrock reporting.
If networks or newspapers or magazines occasionally get it wrong, so what? The byzantine intrigues taking place under the Trump umbrella are bewildering even when parsed and organized in print. When media make an error, they generally own up to it, apologize and move on. Trump & Co. never do. If indeed we're in a war for the soul of American democracy, which I believe we are, then subject to the traditions of responsible journalism I say go for it, no holds barred.
106
I take Dowd's criticism of the press to stretch back to the campaign itself--when the "responsible press" did so little to pressure Trump and reveal the emptiness of his bloviage and diatribes.
CNN, for instance, would set up its cameras and let them run--with no commentary whatsoever--"covering" a Trump campaign stop live. It was like watching C-SPAN--i.e., a public service announcement for Trump's campaign. Watching these ultra-long segments while working out at my local gym drove me crazy. All I could think: CNN found a way to boost its mid-day ratings.
Frankly, I now find my faves on MSNBC bordering on tedious. Every hour on the hour they report "breaking news" about yet another Trump corruption. Every segment features start and ends with a love feast between the anchors and a long parade of journalists rhapsodizing over their discoveries. The mutual crowing sounds tinny to me, though, because it begs the question that Dowd asks in this column: where was all this due diligence during the campaign?
I'm glad the responsible press has come back to its senses--and duties--to explore, expose, and explain the truth about how power works. Our democracy needs deep, incisive, reliable, fact-based reporting more than ever. But let's not fool ourselves. The "responsible press" cut Trump too much slack for much of the campaign. Consequently, the "responsible press" played a not-so- invisible hand in shaping the outcome we're mucking through now.
13
As I wrote earlier about Michelle Wolf, there has always been something slightly unsavory about reporters dressing up in their tuxes and low-cut gowns pretending to be movie stars and to schmooze with the politicians they are supposed to otherwise be objective about in the press.
You and Wolf are both right.
These are the same reporters that Sarah Sanders lies to day in and day out, and yet they swarmed around her after she was called out about those lies -- to offer their condolences! Then they asked their professional organization to apologize as well. The only thing controversial about Michelle Wolf's performance was the media's over the top response to it.
I know we no longer have separation of church and state in Trump's America, but what ever happened to separation of press and state? It's no wonder people distrust the media.
238
Our constant obsession with "the media" is what's wrong. I know that there is no going back and that Pandora's box is wide open now, but I so wish for the days when we had a 30 minute national newscast and a newspaper that you had to get off your porch. The hair-trigger nature of the modern internet-fueled media environment has created multiple monsters, from the Kardashians to Trump -- and none of it is good.
132
The minute this country started to take anything the Kardashians did as interesting or noteworthy was the moment I knew we were cooked and not in a good way. We have been dumbing down for a long time. There seems to be little space left to go.
14
There is no doubt that the constant coverage of Trump's campaign stops by CNN and others gave him huge exposure. Television and viewers saw Trump as a circus oddity, and his incredible statements created expectations of other and more absurd statements. And all were eager for more and the audiences grew and saw did the crowds.
Even now, each thoughtless tweet, each lie and boast is dutifully reported. Yes, under the guise of its responsibility to report, the press
and even you, Maureen, are helping to amply his mendacious voice.
53
Michelle Wolf is absolutely correct about the media. Before and after the election, trump has enabled them to sell their papers and their air time. And you, Ms. Dowd, did your share before the election to make "after" possible. Thanks a lot.
602
"...He’s helped you sell your papers and your books and your TV. You helped create this monster, and now you’re profiting off of him...."
This is the stark naked truth. In 2016, the NYT endorsed Hillary Clinton and then proceeded to undermine her with endless headlines about her emails. The paper of record seemed more interested in "clicks" and generating revenue than the real issues of the campaign.
Compared to the relentless reporting about emails, the media went easy on trump, never hammering away on a single issue but jumping from one to another. His failure to release tax returns, his fraud exemplified by trump U etc. have proven to be a mirror of much more serious issues than emails.
Whatever Sec. Clinton's shortcomings may have been they were minor compared to djt's and the media in my opinion failed to do due diligence.
806
The head of CBS said Trump may be bad for america but he is great for CBS ratings.
The head of CNN said Trump received $2-3 BILLION in free media time. Hillary had to pay for that time.
34
What with the elevation of Capitalism above Country, the once-vaunted Fourth Estate may have seen its heyday ... you cannot DO democracy when it's merely another commodity for sale to a teeny slice of very affluent fellow Citizens.
Corporate Rule is NOT democracy.
22
Do you think her emails were not newsworthy? Should they only of printed positive things about her?
"“One day he might walk to Marine One stark naked and we’ll all just say: ‘This is the end. It has finally happened.’”"
It will never happen. The strange haired one is too vain to appear naked in public.
102
You're absolutely right. He won't even appear without a suit jacket or trenchcoat on.
4
When you go berserk, anything is possible, and djt is at least eighty percent there. And I could have lived the rest of my days happily without this particular image!
11
Naked? Only when “the Emperor” has no clothes!
When will this circus ever end?
4
Is this supposed to be Maureen's idea of a mea culpa? She's "informing" us that the press has done The Donald's dirty work by falling for his attention-getting antics. Funny: I don't see the words "I'm sorry" in there anyplace. Personally, I think she assigns far too much credit to Boss Baby's ingenuity for her own inability to keep his nonsense out of the headlines. My own feeling is that Donald Trump hasn't the vaguest idea of what he's doing and genuinely believes that there's some ultimate truth to be found in every one of his tweets and policy decisions. He's less malicious than he is malevolent, and the press needs to find a way to quit him without enabling him. Stay away from his tweets and from Sarah Huckleberry's daily excuses. Confine your coverage to the stuff he actually does (or threatens to do in his own White House briefings) and stop spending time on useless speculation. If he really is seeking attention 24/7- when he ought to be reading and listening and running the nation- why should the press "collude," intentionally or otherwise?
698
"He's less malicious than he is malevolent," It is all that and so much more.
22
Exactly, stu! The media needs to get a grip on itself. Every tweet is not a nine paragraph story. And every stumbling excuse from Huckabee Sanders is not worth several minutes of air time. We need a VIGOROUS press, not just scribes recording all this nonsense.
18
America's mayor, like Trump's lawyer, and just about everyone who has, so far, been willing to be seen with Trump in the light of day, is turning out to have many of his characteristics: completely self-absorbed, greedy as all get out, less than ethical to completely corrupt, less than professional or a complete nincompoop, less than honorable to brazenly white supremacist.
Giuliani has most of these characteristics, with nincompoopism being the quality we were treated to this week, as he bungled his way through an interview on Hannity.
Rudy hasn't really lawyered for decades and, when he did lawyer, it was on the side of the likes of Mueller. Trump's mistreatment of the better lawyers he retained is Giuliani's gain, for now. Will he beat The Mooch's record for least amount of time spent in Trump's White House employ? Stay tuned!
Maybe, now that all the good lawyers are taken, Trump will be desperate enough to grovel his way back to Chris Christie? It'll be a hoot to watch unfold!
---
https://www.rimaregas.com/2018/05/03/blog42-announcement-medical-hiatus/
69
I enjoy your comments. Get well soon.
3
Wouldn't it be deliciously ironic if Fox News ultimately led to Trump's downfall?
First, there was Trump's bizarre, incriminating phone in to "Fox and Friends," which his friends at Fox clearly wanted to end.
Now, Giuliani spilled the beans on Trump's hush money to Sean Hannity. We don't yet know if that was Rudy's way of getting in front of the inevitable uncovering, or if he has loose lips, or even if this is him spiting Trump for not giving him a Cabinet spot.
But we know that once Pandora's Box is opened, the contents can't be put back.
Fox wanted to give Trump and his team unqualified air time, and they are all reaping as they have sown.
188
Possibly less ironic than obvious, that Fox the enabler becomes Fox the interventionist. Trump didn't create Fox News and all cable news has benefited from the constantly flying facts. During the infamous phone call the camera never wavered from the hosts and their expressions were priceless, embarrassed that someone so unhinged represented our country. If anyone there has any conscience left, it may become less slathering adulation and more reporting actual news. That's the real irony, if fair and balanced actually happened.
42
Yep, it's called poetic justice. The irony of Fox News ultimately leading to Trump's downfall would indeed be delicious, like those tastiest of tasty banana splits that we use to devour with decadent pleasure and perhaps for some, still do. Maybe, just maybe, it can happen...
3
This man is not a celebrity brought to us by tabloids or reality tv, he is the President and he’s not doing the job even barely. The government is not adequately staffed to assure that it is working according to the laws. He will not listen to advisors who know more than he does because he cannot understand them. He has no leadership skills and he does not keep his staff informed about what he wants. Trump draws attention but he’s like a drunk speeding along busy streets. There is going to be an accident and a lot of us may be harmed.
412
But he IS doing his job; as a republican, his job is to dismantle the government. How could you say he is NOT doing his job?
11
He believes that no one knows more than he does, so he doesn’t need to listen to anyone. And for the record, this dry drunk careening down the street has already harmed innumerable people and gleefully hopes to harm more. So do members of his cult. He is a true juggernaut.
10
@ Susan: it's not just his "base" of so-called average Americans that are the problem, it's the rich oligarchs who want him to stay there to enact their scorched earth financial and anti-federal government plans. He, like the rest of the GOP enabling Congress, are totally owned by these rich jerks.
I just noted in the comments to the Kristof article that Michelle Wolf was right. And I recall a column about a Modo phone conversation between her and a "dreamy" or perhaps "drowsy" Trump.
You media guys did create this monster. You didn't want an effective Hillary Clinton Presidency and Republican obstruction. Tea Party Resistance had become an old story. Even Glenn Beck was starting to turn left.
You wanted a reality show. You wanted gossip and sex from the guy who told the nation during a debate that there was no problem with his "hands."
While you are all laughing over the latest tweet, Nazis marched in Charlottesville, families are being torn apart and people feel more open to express their racism. Flint still has lousy water but you media are debating whether Trump had a "tryst" or an affair with a porn star. Or if slavery is a choice, expressed by Trump fan Kanye West.
I miss the Obama years.
1494
Sorry, it's not the media. It's us, a significant amount of America that has chosen this "reality". Trump is so unimportant and is in the position as leader of the free world because we refuse to take an honest look at ourselves.
96
When Trump announced his candidacy after slithering down an escalator in his faux golden tower, I had a sick feeling in my stomach because as a senior American, I know this country and I don't mean that as a compliment. I knew bigotry was alive and well, and American voters fall for the exact opposite of the last president year after year, Then there is the celebrity factor, another blot on our culture. So while I wanted to believe the polls and I worked throughout the campaign for the Democratic Party, I was unsurprised, yet sickened by Trump's slim victory in three states. I too miss Pres. Barack Obama, yes he wasn't perfect, but he was way more perfect than most. He was also not from the elite, he was from the middle class and he became president because of his charisma, his intelligence and his genuine goodness. That is how I see it.
547
Miss the Obama years? I thank the higher power, whatever that is, for Barack Obama, every day.
My grandkids actually got to witness a smart, caring, classy leader of this country before the present scoundrel entered the White House. At least I can continually remind them about President Obama and his values. And I do it often.
107
"Before I get to America’s Mayor and America’s Nightmare ..."
Hold it, Maureen Dowd: make that, "America's Nightmare I and II.
It didn't take Rudy long to soil himself, on none other than FOX by maligning the FBI he used to oversee. And it certainly didn't take him long to forget whatever law he used to practice.
A headline-grabber he, like his new "boss" (for how long, is anyone's guess), he never misses a chance for outrage, so like Trump, he stays in the media's crosshairs.
About the only think I liked about Michelle Wolf's remarks at the Correspondent's dinner was her brutal truth about the self-dealing and unhealthy codependency of these two entities.
I wish the media would forget the flim, and even the flam, and focus on Trump's destructive policies, lies--especially when repeated, keep calling them out--and his very bad political appointments.
I wish the media would keep hammering home the effect of Trump's lousy economic policies on American homes.
And above all, I wish the media would stop reporting on the president's twitter feed because nothing of import ever, ever comes of that.
The only way to break cycles of codependence is when one party stops showing up.
It won't be Trump assuredly. So, I say, deny him a little gratification and stop covering him at his rallies, his speeches, his press conferences.
The only way to cause Trump pain is to stop awing at his antics.
563
I heartily agree that the press needs to top reporting on DJT's tweets.
31
They can't stop covering him. He's the President of the United States - they have no choice! And he now has a place in history so we'll be hearing about him until we're dead - so get used to it. My recommendation is to intermittently go on a 'news fast'. It's hard to do but good for your mental health.
14
All of Michelle Wolf's remarks were spot on. Nothing she said was worse than anything that spews from the sewer that is tRumps trap.
15
As I sit here in my shorts, responding to responses to my Saturday comments and commenting on Sunday columns, op-eds and news pieces, I’m forced to lodge a formal protest. Use of the words “naked” and “Trump” in the same sentence is not a use well-calculated to help a reader enjoy a glorious Saturday afternoon. And, wouldn’t you know it, I’ve run out of Zantac-150?
Stormy wasn’t paid ENOUGH, by a long shot.
Yet for all the disdain Maureen expresses about the attention paid to Trump, I note that her entire column today is dedicated to … Donald Trump. I’m sure he noticed that, too.
The whole mess with Rudy needs to play out. He is capable of Machiavellianism, but he’s also prone to Rudy moments. What will determine which this was is the outcome: if Mueller can no longer use the Stormy matter in all its serpentine developments, to damage Trump beyond how he’s damaged himself, then Rudy will be requiring of his NEXT client that his normal hourly rate of $1500 be bumped to $2000. If Mueller can credibly still use it, Rudy will need to explain-away for years the bus-tire tracks all over his body. We can afford to be patient and see.
We can afford to be patient because this is all really about mere entertainment: the House is not going to impeach Trump for a spanking and other aerobic activity, or for the payoffs to mask them.
Trump walking naked to Marine One? Excuse me, I need to make a mercy-run to Walgreen’s for some Zantac-150.
33
His walking naked to Marine One or you sitting there in your shorts: do we all get a choice? If so, it sounds like the climax to a William Castle horror flick.
93
"As I sit here in my shorts, responding to responses to my Saturday comments and commenting on Sunday columns, op-eds and news pieces,.."
Go outside. Move around. It's a beautiful day. Even in New Jersey.
49
Good post.
Pick up some Tums, too. You may need them.
10
"Donald Trump is damaging the country and civic discourse, and undermining the First Amendment. But this Batman cartoon villain with an uncanny gift for cliffhangers and lurid story lines is buoying journalism, giving us a reprieve while we figure out how to save ourselves in the digital age."
In DC Comics the press is always a force for good. Reporters work with Batman and Superman to bring down the Joker, the Penguin. Now we have The Trump. And reporters have done much of the leg work to help our Superman, Mueller (and his team), find truth. So we also have rising stars -- superheroes in their own right, I'd argue -- at Vanity Fair, NYT, WaPo, New Yorker, WSJ and others. We celebrate them because they fight for the truth when power is trying to muffle the it. I don't fault the press for making money, signing a book deals, becoming famous. That is a sign of a healthy 1st Amendment, a healthy 5th estate. It's a good thing when truth-seekers become our heroes. Obviously, we'd all rather have this free press culture, with reporters as celebrities, than what goes on in Russia, China, Iran, North Korea. Michelle Wolf makes a point, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I'll be the first to buy Maggie Haberman swag at my local Target.
55
Thank you for posting your comment. Good point!
2
The accompanying photo of Tweedle Dumb and Tweedle Dumber suggests that the country is not in the very best of hands. One is a temporary employee who grins insipidly while the other is caught with his mouth open in mid bellow. Nothing comes out because there’s nothing in there.
It begs the question: How will we tell if the president goes over the edge? To lose one’s mind requires that one had a mind to lose.
Michelle Wolf nailed it. She was criticized for being inappropriate and vulgar, but I think she just scratched the surface. An honest response to what oozes through the White House would require new vulgarities that haven’t been invented yet. Compounding the old reliable ones doesn’t quite do the job.
I’ve heard loud, sputtering strings of such words while watching TV, but I’m the one yelling them. We need someone to take up this challenge and come up with a vocabulary that fits this man who has none.
The honorable press might have done more to protect America from itself, but even this august newspaper could talk about almost nothing but the daily outrages that emerged from the hollow head of this ignorant, vulgar doofus. Instead of marginalizing him, it endeared him to conservatives in the heartland. Now the brainland has to suffer the consequences.
I don’t care what the president did. He was elected by people who didn’t know he was a bad idea. They’re the ones who are guilty, and the president is the punishment.
1066
I would love to read a column, just one, highlighting up and coming stars in the political universe instead of the same old tired Trump is a ________ you fill in the blanks column.
We need a hero to emerge and move us up and out of danger. An unheard of comedian is not enough. Parody is not enough. Screaming is not enough. What we really need is strong leadership. At this point, I could care less what side it comes from.
103
What if we borrowed it from Canada? From France?? that's about as far as I can go - all the rest are not much better than what we have (except Merkel, of course. she's still a star with a brain, but she's taken . . .)
The new vocabulary would need an author as talented and creative as Lewis Carroll, as in his "jabberwocky" or Anthony Burgess's "Nadsat" from "Clockwork Orange", totally fitting his orange unhingedness at the helm. It's not the good ship lollipop, though he's been fleecing suckers all his life. I've wondered if Trump has communicated with his fellow crime actors using code, like pig latin. While appropriate I have to assume it's beyond him, otherwise he'd be tweeting in it. On the other hand there's always covfefe.
I'm unsure of Mo's point here, the press is supposed to report on the anomalies and curiosities of modern life, and make money doing so, why shouldn't they inform us of these daily manifestations of mental defects? It's the actions of those crime actors that stimulate our interest and thus sell more subscriptions. I don't agree Trump would wind up in the same place without journalists, how could we celebrate Humpty Trumpty falling from the wall without them? And without them we'd never get to see Rudy with egg on his face. Perhaps she's touched on the solution, emojis, as much as I hate them. Pictures tell a comprehensive story unconstrained by the civility required in print. They convey horror and disgust silently but effectively, the way few words can. Video is even better, it lets us see the unvarnished truth in a world where truth has been shot on 5th Ave. and kicked to the curb to exsanguinate. And then there's the ratings....
10
Mo, what makes you think walking naked to Marine One would be the end ? Who's going to do anything ?
Certainly not Mitch McConnell and his merry band of seditious GOP'ers - they sold their souls by abrogating their Oaths to pretend a 2-term Dem POTUS has no SCOTUS appointment powers past the 85th month of his 96 months in office; then they doubled down by announcing that if a Dem were elected prez in Nov. 2016, they wouldn't consider her SCOTUS nominations:
https://www.npr.org/2016/11/03/500560120/senate-republicans-could-block-...
His Unhinged Unraveling Unfitness is a Useful Idiot for this crowd (and the Koch Bros. Inc./Mercer/Sheldon Adelson cabal) for appointing Federalist Society dream list judges, and raiding the treasury to pass out $1 Trillion$+ in tax cuts to donors, as well as himself and legislators.
Next up: assaulting Medicare/Medicaid/Social Security because 'deficits' - whilst in red states across the country, teachers have been physically assailing the bulwarks of their state capitols to get decent wages.
Were this occurring elsewhere, our Banana Republicans would be roundly decrying 'corruption'.
So you and Michelle Wolf are both spot on as to the media celebrating the Circus:
"It may not be good for America, but it's damn good for CBS" - Les Moonves, CBS CEO, Feb. 29 2016
Only if the Pumpkin Bambino walks to Marine One naked, AND the market goes down, might we rid ourselves of him.
264
Not enough. He would have to praise Obama. Then ... maybe.
2
Maybe Maureen stumbled onto the one image that would lead to televisions being turned off (or channels instantly changed) all across the nation: the emperor literally without clothes.
Like a porn category that gets lots of clicks, all of them from one address in DC...
3
Trumplestiltskin and once was, Rudy,
Both earnest at bagging big booty,
Spinning lies into gold
And lo and behold
Are out of sync 'bout a porn beauty.
It's all about who did pay who?
And was it someone the Don knew?
Campaign contribution?
Act of absolution?
It's now what Don and Rudy rue!
184
That last line would scan better if it read. "It's now what the two of them rue."
1