Many Americans are secretly loving the Trump administration's media offensive, because for the longest time these organizations, they believe, have held a monopoly with their haughty attitude that they know better, says political commentator Lionel.
In the latest clash between the Trump administration and the media, several Western news outlets were barred from Friday’s off-camera Q&A session with White House press secretary Sean Spicer.
Outlets denied entry to the “gaggle” included the New York Times, Politico, CNN, the Guardian, BuzzFeed, among others. However, Trump-friendly conservative publications, such as Breitbart News, the One America News Network, and the Washington Times, were granted admission, as well as TV networks ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox News.
RT: We’re hearing two different versions here. The media say they were barred, but the White House says it didn’t block anyone. And that it was a different type of briefing – off camera, and held at the press secretary’s office. Who do you think is telling the truth?
Lionel: Nobody cares! Nobody cares! The mainstream media – the “lamestream” media, the alt-left, anti-Trump, fake news media, the media who has a lower respectability rating, below lawyers and used cars salesmen – everybody is secretly loving this, because for the longest time the American public has been held hostage by these people, who’ve had a monopoly with this haughty, hubristic attitude that they know better. Let everyone around the world know this. You have no idea: the 24/7 incessant drumbeat of everything that is anti-Trump. Look, I am not standing up for the man. I didn’t vote for the man, I am not here to push his agenda, I am telling you the facts. Everything about Trump: his family, his daughter, his sons, his hands, his color of skin, his wife, her perfume lines, her shoes, everything… “He is crazy, his hair, he walks around in a bathrobe…” There is not one story, not one story that any news editor said: “Oh, I am sorry, but this is too cheap. This is too low a blow. No, we can’t print this.” Nonsense! It has reached critical mass. There are many people, myself included, who love this, because we, the American people, have been held hostage…
CNN, for example, is 24/7. Not that they don’t like the president’s policies, they hate him. They revile him; they loathe him. And it’s not even tempered; it’s not hidden; it’s not camouflaged. It is so personal… I mean this is across the board. Do you know that it’s so bad that it’s even seeped down into interpersonal relationships? There are those who don’t talk to me because they think – God forbid – I am a Trump supporter. There are people on Facebook. This country is going crazy. There are families that haven’t spoken; there are divorces.
RT: Last week Trump branded several media outlets as “enemies of the American people.” Is that kind of language dangerous?
L: No. Somebody may say: “Do you think amputation is a bit extreme? Yes, but sometimes it is necessary.” Do you know how they are still pushing the “Russia stole the election” story? Do you know how long we have been doing this now? Do you know I am still waiting for somebody to tell me how Russia fixed the election, how Russia can tamper with the election? Nobody has explained it. It is like a myth, like Yeti, or the Sasquatch, or Loch Ness Monster. It’s this myth, this meme, this trope.
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.