Last updated on July 17th, 2023 at 09:56 pm
*The following is an opinion column by R Muse*
It is fairly accurate to say that nearly all Americans think that what is happening since Trump was allowed to legally inhabit the White House as “occupant,†is not normal. Trump supporters like that the abnormal openly racist Trump and his alt-right Nazi adviser are running the country into the ground, and his opponents are appalled at the “abnormal†frequency of Trump’s lies and childish attacks against any American who refuses to genuflect at the sound of his name.
These are not what anyone would call “normal times.†In fact, although even Republicans are growing concerned over the seriousness of Trump in the White House, a noted conservative media expert has called on the media to stop normalizing “the Trump†and start exposing his many abominations, including his “treason.â€
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According to a bonafide conservative writer and media consultant, Cheri Jacobus, “The days of pretending†that what is happening under Trump isn’t “serious†are over and that “it is time for a concerted push-back,†by a concerted media effort.
Ms. Jacobus’ conservative credentials are unquestionable, especially by the Trump or his people who will likely label her a dirty liberal. However, she was the GOP consultant who was once begged to head up communications for Trump and yet that didn’t stop her from taking to Trump’s favorite media outlet, Twitter, to deliver up “a laundry list†of suggestions to the media on how they can effectively push back at a White House administration that continues to attempt to delegitimize and threaten them.
As Raw Story noted, Ms. Jacobus proudly wears her “conservative in good standing†credentials plainly displayed at the top of her Twitter feed. She even provided a screen shot of the message from former Trump advisor Jim Dorian asking her to work for the Trump saying, “We need a top notch communications director.†As a “top notch communications director†Jacobus knows what it will take for the press to hit back at the Trump, and in a stunning statement from a conservative to “call out†Donald Trump’s treason. It is a statement that one expects to hear from non-partisan or liberal commentators and pundits, but never from a conservative operative.
Jacobus’ used the Twitter to verify that she “not only is not a part of the Trump team but that she is appalled at what has transpired during the presidential campaign and how the Trump White House has conducted itself.†As a conservative media person, Jacobus likely is familiar with Republican and conservative tactics of lying and subterfuge to conceal their true intentions from the media, so her prescription(s) for striking back at the Trump carry weight.
The essence of her “laundry list†is encouraging the media and press under Trump and his acolytes’ non-stop attacks is “to unite with others in the media to stop the bullying, and expose Trump’s treason. It is the “call out Trump treason loudly†that will likely invoke Trump’s wrath and frankly surprising from a conservative.
In a series of nine “tweets,†Jacobus laid out her counsel to the media to combat Trump.
1 – One of the positive aspects of Trump/Bannon extremism in the first 2 weeks is that it’s harder to deny the trouble we’re in & can act.
2 – The days of pretending that this isn’t serious are over. It is worse than what was warned about during the campaign. The press must unite.
3 – When Trump tries to shut down one media outlet, the rest must resist. When Trump tries to bully a judge, the rest must be louder.
4 – When Trump/Bannon overreaches, all must call them out. When they lie, all must expose them. When they are treasonous, say so. Loudly.
5 – When a Trump family member is in a meeting they should not be in, question it immediately.
6 – Interviews with Trump and his people should be pre-taped and fact-checked at the time they are aired.
7 – Ignore & block Trump twitter trolls. Don’t engage. They give media & lawmakers false impression of Trump support by viewers & constituents.
8 – Emails & tweets media and Cong get showing massive support for Trump are FAKE. Do not make programming or policy decisions based on these.
9 – Media should boycott the White House Correspondents Dinner unless Trump agrees to free & open press. This should not be negotiable.
If the media wants to retain a semblance of respectability, and maybe even preserve its existence and reputation, they will likely take heed and act on everything Ms. Jacobus called for. According to an increasing number of news outlets, it appears they are doing just that and it is about more than holding Trump accountable, it is about preserving America and freedom of the press.
Audio engineer and instructor for SAE. Writes op/ed commentary supporting Secular Humanist causes, and exposing suppression of women, the poor, and minorities. An advocate for freedom of religion and particularly, freedom of NO religion.
Born in the South, raised in the Mid-West and California for a well-rounded view of America; it doesn’t look good.
Former minister, lifelong musician, Mahayana Zen-Buddhist.
