In John Balentine’s column, “Make the media great again” (Nov. 4), he writes, “If nothing else, we should thank Trump for exposing mainstream media’s biases.”
Actually, what Trump did was reinforce the role of the media in preserving our democracy. He coddled dictators from Russia, Saudi Arabia and North Korea, who allow no criticism from the media. Remember when Saudi Arabia murdered Jamal Khashoggi, an American journalist, and Trump did nothing to respond? He bullied and berated reporters who asked him tough questions, calling them “nasty.”
Trump, himself, was very biased in favor of media that idolized him (e.g. Fox News and Rush Limbaugh). In fact, he awarded Limbaugh the Presidential Medal of Freedom, thereby endorsing a biased right-wing sexist/racist. An incorrigible liar, Trump constantly called anything he didn’t like “fake news.”
Give Trump credit, if you must, for being a masterful con man, but please give him no credit for “exposing media biases.” He merely exposed himself for being a truth-denying manipulator.
David Treadwell
Brunswick
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