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August 3, 2022

The GOP declares war on the mainstream media

By Rajan Laad

Back in 2017, Ohio GOP governor John Kasich appeared on Real Time with Bill Maher.  

Maher's show is often a platform for the most vicious voices on the left.  They often slyly hide behind "it's just humor" when they go too far.  Maher began with a backhanded compliment for Kasich, calling him "one of the good ones" (among Republicans).  This caused Kasich to beam with bliss all through the conversation, despite Maher's derisive questions and tone.  All through the interview, Kasich proceeded to water down and even renounce the principles of conservatism in an attempt to appease the left.

Kasich was not the only one; in the past, GOP presidential candidates such as McCain and Romney were compelled to squirm uncomfortably and laugh awkwardly in the face of the ridicule they received. 

They often chose silence in the face of relentless media attacks on them and their supporters.  They were desperate for media approval.  In the end, the media were able to define them, which contributed to their defeats.  This is not just restricted to "comedy" shows, but "serious" news shows as well.

Donald J. Trump put an end to this sad tradition.

The reason Trump has an unbreakable bond with his supporters is that for the very first time, they witnessed a GOP leader who stood up to the media not only for himself, but also for his supporters.  Trump confronted and ridiculed the media for their vicious lies.  He refused to help their ecosystems and contribute to his own destruction — i.e., instead of appearing at the White House Correspondents Dinner, where he would have received nothing but derision, Trump chose to conduct MAGA rallies.

The term "fake news" was concocted by Democrats and even used by Hillary to attack "alt-right propaganda."  In time, Trump co-opted the term and used it effectively to call out propagandists such as CNN and other offenders.

Trump used social media to reach out directly to his supporters.  During his first term, Trump seldom did any interviews with any of the mainstream news folks or on "comedy" shows.

The movement has clearly grown.

CNN's Brian Stelter recently lamented the fact that GOP leaders are not talking to reporters or coming on their shows.

New York Magazine carried a piece titled "Why Republicans Stopped Talking to the Press."

While it is essential to interact with those with whom we have healthy disagreements, it is futile to have exchanges with closed-minded people who despise your existence, your ideology, and your values.

When the media interact with GOP leaders, their goal is not to inform viewers or learn about their perspectives.  The questions will always be about White supremacy, QAnon, and other fringe issues.  The goal is to place the interviewee on the defensive, hoping a gaffe will be committed.  The other objective is to either extract a quote out of context or misstate a position.

The clip is played in adverts relentlessly 'til it becomes reality.  The goal is to make the GOP leader look like an anachronistic bigot or an ignoramus or, ideally, both.

Recently, Florida GOP governor Ron DeSantis's office declined an offer to appear on The View, questioning the hosts' motives for having him on the show.

The program sent the invite on Monday, reportedly telling the governor's office it would "be honored" to have DeSantis appear.

DeSantis’s deputy press secretary, Bryan Griffin, informed the producers of The View that his office will "pass on the offer" due to the co-hosts' past remarks about the governor.

Back in August 2021, The View co-host Joy Behar had referred to DeSantis as a "negligent, homicidal sociopath."  In June 2022, The View co-host Sunny Hostin called the governor a "fascist and a bigot."  In April 2022, co-host Ana Navarro said DeSantis's policies are "anti-Black," "anti-gay" and "anti-American."

Had DeSantis appeared on the show, he would have been outnumbered and shouted down by a hostile group of interviewers and booed by an antagonistic audience.  They probably would have lowered the volume of his microphone.  DeSantis had nothing to gain from an appearance, while the show would have received high ratings, which would benefit the sponsors and the hosts.

GOP leaders finally seem to have comprehended that appearing in the mainstream media is the equivalent of participating in their own destruction.

This isn't a new phenomenon.  The GOP has been wary of the liberal media since the days of President Richard Nixon.  "Never forget, the press is the enemy," Nixon famously told Henry Kissinger.  "Write that on the blackboard 100 times."  One of George H.W. Bush's campaign bumper stickers was "Annoy the Media: Re-elect Bush."

Yet Nixon, Reagan, and both the Bushes treated the media with respect.  It was a charade to show that democracy works.

Trump rightly abandoned the pretense.

This still causes some within the GOP to think Trump's temperament and confrontational attitude make him an unsuitable presidential candidate for 2024.  They think perhaps an individual who stands for MAGA values but isn't as aggressive would stand a better chance at winning "moderates," and the media won't be as hostile.

It is high time this group understands that the media do not care about individuals.  As long as the letter "R" appears after their name, they are attacked.  With every presidential election, they get more vicious and brazen. 

Their rage toward Trump was considerably higher compared to previous GOP presidential candidates because he won by defying them.  With Trump, the media breached all pretense of decency and neutrality.  They often used "we" while describing the Democrats and "them" while describing the GOP. 

A standard once violated will not be reinstalled for another candidate.  This is the norm.  They will be vicious, hateful, and mendacious, irrespective of whom the candidate is.  Even if a beloved Romney or Liz Cheney wins the nomination, he or she will receive the same treatment.  Cheney and Romney are useful idiots now, but they will receive humiliation if they attempt to challenge the Democrats electorally.

Back to Trump.

The bond between Trump and his supporters is not owing to any media promotional blitzkrieg.  Unlike Obama or Clinton, the media didn't prop him up.  Trump's supporters saw what Trump stood for and decided to back him.  The media hence cannot break the bond because they had no part in forging the bond.  In fact, the more they try to instigate a rift, the stronger the bond becomes.

GOP voters must shun candidates who crave approval from the mainstream media.  Such individuals are usually the first to capitulate the moment the media attacks become intense.  Next, they abandon their voters and side with what the media is asking them to do.  Hence, they vote for undemocratic mandates or send billions of dollars to Ukraine.

It is about time that the GOP focuses on building its own robust ecosystem.  Candidates running for office during the midterms must make a point to give interviews to conservative outlets.

The liberal media will obviously scoff, but scoffing is what they always do.

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore, CC BY 2.0 license.

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