In the Court of Public Opinion, the Media Must Get it Right
A number of major news papers and media outlets that were heretofore not in favor of House Democrats moving forward with the impeachment of Trump, are now editorializing in favor of the impeachment process.
The editorial boards of The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and USA Today, among others, have all published editorials in favor of the impeachment of Trump.
The common theme appears to be that abuse of power and obstruction of justice by a sitting president cannot long be tolerated or endured if our democratic republic is to survive.
The rule of law and the idea that not even the president is above the law are principles written into the Constitution and indelibly etched into the political consciousness of the American body politic.
The facts supporting the allegations that Trump has abused the power of office and obstructed justice are indisputable and, for the most part, uncontested.
Because the Senate Republicans will not vote to convict Trump on the evidence to be presented in the Articles of Impeachment, it is incumbent on the House Democrats to ensure that Trump is convicted in the Court of Public Opinion.
It is in this regard that the role and responsibility of the media must come into sharp focus as it devolves upon the media to take the utmost care to get it right.
The media’s presentation of the case against Trump must be accurate, clear, concise, and convincing. Nothing less than this will do.
An example of the precision that I refer to, and believe that is required, is this:
In attempting to extort campaign assistance from the head of a foreign government, Trump wanted to give the appearance that an opponent was under investigation for corruption by a foreign entity.
He wanted the President of Ukraine to announce that an investigation for corruption was taking place.
He didn’t want an actual investigation for corruption, he wanted the announcement of an investigation for corruption.
When all is said and done, the media should be a key component of the response to the question that was asked of Benjamin Franklin, the Father of American Journalism, at the conclusion of the Constitutional Convention:
“Well, Doctor, what have we got—a Republic or a Monarchy?”
To which Franklin replied: “A Republic, if you can keep it.”
