There you go again Sam.” No, this is not the famous “Play It Again Sam”, a Bogart quip from the 1942 classic Casablanca, but Ronald Reagan reacting to Sam Donaldson, his media critic, working for ABC News.
Reagan, of course, was President Reagan and he was deflecting a media critic. Look it up, he had a smile on his face. He rather enjoyed sparing with the news media. By the way, back then, the 1980s, there was no Fox News. There was just the big three networks—CBS, ABC, and NBC plus PBS. All employed hundreds of journalists who tended to be Democrats. As it is said, “Democrats are more likely to go to journalism school.”
Looking back it is hard to fathom today’s vengeful tones of President Donald J Trump. Perhaps unfair, but looking back I see Reagan, a secure man with self-confidence, using his theatrical skills to pair with his political ones.
Trump, too, has an acting background. But he seems insecure—indeed brittle—although tough for sure. Tough can be helpful when it gives you inner strength, but when it turns to vengeful attacks from the human embodiment of the government, it is problematic. It induces fear. The motivation is to check, not balance.
I was, in a much earlier life, a radio broadcaster. The stations were not of much financial consequence, but in each of their communities they were part of the news media and each relied on the Associated Press (AP). Yes the same news organization that is now being penalized by the President because in its style book the Gulf on the western side of Florida is called the Gulf of Mexico.
Incidentally, the Associated Press is based in the United States. Its main competitors are headquartered elsewhere—Reuters in Canada and AFP in France.
Frankly, I don’t care what the Gulf is called, but I do care that the President has chosen to kick the AP out of the newsroom because it won’t use his newly named Gulf of America. Is this censorship by exclusion?
The attack on the AP goes along with his Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair penalizing CBS and ABC at Trump’s direction or approval or both. And, President Trump by Executive Order claims he can now veto FCC actions.
Mr. President think back. On The Apprentice you expressed choice and the families of those you choose not to salute didn’t sue you for disparagement. You, of course, were not the government so you were free to discriminate—indeed it was part of the show. Now that you are the government, you might want to spend an evening with old Ronald Reagan video clips.
Civility is important. Turning neighbors against each other is toxic. You have the ultimate platform—the “bully pulpit,” as former President Theodore Roosevelt called it. “Bully” as Roosevelt used it meant ultimate. He knew and you know that each day your voice will command attention—that you have an immeasurable opportunity to shape public opinion and affect the culture.
The ultimate verdict on your presidency will not turn on tax or foreign policies, but on how you left the country. If democracy is irreparably damaged, that will be the lead in the history books. Recall: we are the UNITED States of America.
Al Sikes is the former Chair of the Federal Communications Commission under George H.W. Bush. Al writes on themes from his book, Culture Leads Leaders Follow published by Koehler Books.
