I’m sipping my coffee and reading about the latest drama in the White House, where President Donald Trump has decided to ban CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the premises. Folks, it’s getting interesting. Barack Obama has weighed in on the matter, saying he’s “not surprised” by Trump’s decision, and I have to agree with him. I mean, who didn’t see this coming? The former president made these comments at an event at Salem State University in Massachusetts, where he was chatting with historian Doris Kearns Goodwin.
The issue at hand is the idea of a free press, which Obama says is “foundational” to our democracy. He’s right, of course. The concept of a free press is what allows us to hold our leaders accountable, and it’s what makes America, well, America. But Trump, bless his heart, seems to think that he can just ban any news organization that criticizes him, and that’s not how it works. As Obama said, “You can’t do that and say that you are still living in a democracy.”
Now, I know some of you might be thinking, “But Big Elephant, what about when Obama was president? Didn’t he have some issues with the press too?” And to that, I say, yes, he did. There was that time when his aides briefly excluded Fox News from a group interview, and another time when he was criticized for not providing photos of his golf game with Tiger Woods. But let’s be real, folks, those were minor infractions compared to what Trump is trying to do here.
Trump announced the ban on social media, because of course he did, saying it was due to the organizations’ “constant ‘reporting’ FAKE NEWS!” And then he had the nerve to call it a “very simple ban.” Simple? Really? I think not. The three media outlets have already sued the Trump administration to restore their access, and I’m pretty sure they’ll win.
What’s interesting, though, is the solidarity among media organizations. Major TV networks have declined to replace CNN’s White House pool crew, which is a nice show of support. And Obama applauded this solidarity, saying that the issue of a free press is “not partisan” and that it’s something that should “rise above partisanship.” I couldn’t agree more.
As Obama said, “The issue is not the fact that (the ban) ultimately will be overturned. The issue is the brazenness with which any president could act like this, and the people in his or her own party not say, ‘No, you cannot do that. That’s not acceptable.'” That’s the real concern here, folks. It’s not just about Trump; it’s about the erosion of our democratic norms and the lack of accountability in our government.
In conclusion, the whole thing is a bit of a mess, but I’m not surprised. As Obama said, “This one’s actually in the Constitution. It’s pretty straightforward, right? Free speech, there’s a reason why it’s the First Amendment.” So, let’s all take a deep breath and remember that our democracy is stronger than one president’s ego. And who knows, maybe Trump will learn that you can’t just ban people from the White House because you don’t like what they’re saying. But I wouldn’t hold my breath if I were you.
Armchair patriot. Believes in the free market, cold beer, and that there’s always a guy named George behind every CNN segment.
Former remote-throwing champion turned #1 couch commentator on liberal panic in the media. Born in Texas (or so his mug says), he earned a degree in Fake Newsology & Beer Philosophy from YouTube University.
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