Election Coverage
Prepare for it. The coordinated assault has begun. They have selected their target and have marshalled the troops.
“They” are the anti-Trump media. Their mission, as it has been since the 2016 election, is to deny Donald Trump a second term. (To be precise, thwarting his re-election is a fall back objective. The primary mission had been to remove him from office, but that did not work.)
Their method has been to roll out a never-ending series of Trump transgressions. But what if the topic du jour fails to move the needle? No problem. Pivot to the next, and the next, and the next.
So, what is next? Terry Gross, host of PBS’s Fresh Air, gave us a hint. Tuesday’s (October 27th) show featured Evan Osnos, a staff writer for the New Yorker magazine. The show covered a wide range of election related questions. Forty-one minutes into the show, Terry Gross steered the conversation to the topic of violent extremism in American politics. Noting that political extremism was increasing, her guest asserted that “the overwhelming majority of acts of political violence in this country have come from right wing or far right actors.” He went on to speculate that “if Trump loses, he will become a rallying cry to groups who will say ….. that Donald Trump’s loss is invalid and that they feel an almost apocalyptic need to take up arms and defend themselves.” Scary stuff.
The show ended with Terry Gross saying, “Tomorrow we will talk about a Pro-Trump militia group that’s recruited thousands of police, soldiers, and veterans and what they might do on election day.”
And, lo and behold, others picked up the banner. The very next morning, Stephanie Ruhle’s segment on MSNBC Live opened with the banner headline, “Armed ‘Militia’ Groups Rising Across the U.S. This Year.” The message was clear. Trump supporters are predisposed to violent political action.
And so, the coordinated assault has been launched. Fasten your seat belts, more to follow.
Don’t be surprised if CNN jumps on board. And, of course, Sunday’s New York Times will likely push the same narrative. All designed to strike fear in the minds of sensible American voters and get them to the polls to deny President Trump a second term.
See my essay “Fear, Anxiety & Blame.