Dems Once Thought It Cool to Call Out Journalists, Even Threaten Them

American Thinker.com ^ | March 13, 2018 | Jack Cashill

[Kaslin]

The media, the Democrats, and a few NeverTrumps are in a tizzy these past few days because President Trump dared to call NBC's Chuck Todd "a sleeping son of a b‑‑‑‑" and The New York Times' Maggie Haberman a "Hillary flunky."

Said NeverTrump Erick Erickson, "The fact is @MaggieNYTand @chucktoddhave better character, better morals, and are more honest than the President who is attacking them."

"@MaggieNYTand @chucktodd are not only great journalists, they are good people. This crass name-calling is beneath the office of the presidency," tweeted Jake Tapper.

Tweets like these ran in the thousands. A common theme was one that Tapper raised – namely, that name-calling is "beneath the office." A secondary theme raised by Politico's Susan Glasser in an interview with Todd is that Trump's "rhetorical assault" on the media was "unprecedented."

Whether Trump's comments are beneath the office is surely in the eyes of the beholder, but they are not at all unprecedented. There was a time not too long ago when Democrats in and out of the media celebrated "plain speaking" and at least one president who made speaking plainly a virtue.

That president was Harry Truman. In his fine 1998 book, Harry S. Truman and the News Media: Contentious Relations, Belated Respect, Franklin Mitchell traces the media's evolving response to what at the time many considered the "ill chosen words and threats by the president."

Truman was not at all shy about insulting journalists in private and in public. He referred to columnist Westbrook Pegler as "a guttersnipe." He called Walter Winchell and Drew Pearson "gutter columnists" as well. The Alsop brothers, Stewart and Joseph, he called the "All Slops." In private, he called columnist Frank Kent a "prostitute of the mind." In public, he called him "intellectually dishonest."

[blueyon]

to the media, how do you like it when the shoe is on the other food................

[AnAmericanMother]

Me too. He's cheering for Stormy Daniels.

I don't understand, given the conservative bent of most of WSB's audience, why in the world they keep that self-satisfied, obnoxious, fair-weather "Christian" on the air.

[daler]

Compare Erickson to Mark Levin, who was, for all intents and purposes, a "never-Trumper":

While still adamantly and vocally opposed to some of Trump's policies, he has since acknowledged and applauded DJT's bold support and implementation of much of the conservative agenda.

Like Levin, I too was originally a Cruz supporter who has since come to appreciate Trump's political savvy and achievements. In fact, I believe now that he's the only Republican who could've pulled it off.

Clearly, Erickson refuses to see that.

[WayneS]

When president Truman insulted journalists it was perfectly fine, because he was a democrat - and democrat presidents always have good reasons for saying the things they say, even if we peasants aren't smart and wise enough to understand those reasons.

President Trump's case is completely different, because he is a republican president, and republican presidents are mean and they only say such things in order to hurt people's feelings.

[WayneS]

I know that whenever I want the final word on someone else's morals and honesty I always turn to Erick Erickson...

...whoever he is...

[M Kehoe]

Bttt.

5.56mm

[UCANSEE2]

Ahhhh.... but the Democrats have no problem making nasty remarks about the press during The National Press Club’s White House Correspondent’s Dinner.

[octex]

Prez Trump’s comments act like paint balls filled with permanent dye to identify his critics and enemies!