Eric Boehlert: CNN ad campaign gaslights Trump madness

[babylonsister]

https://pressrun.media/p/cnn-ad-campaign-gaslights-madness

CNN ad campaign gaslights Trump madness
Naive, inaccurate portrayal
Eric Boehlert
2 hr ago

snip//

CNN's ad campaign highlights a crucial, persistent failure of the mainstream media during the Trump era — to accurately portray today's Republican Party, now partly fueled by a crazed online cult called QAnon, and the almost incalculable damage the right-wing movement has done to our democracy over the last four years. Instead of blunt portrayals, we’re told via moving images of reconciliation, that the country just needs to reach out and heal itself.

That's not only naively inaccurate, it's a dangerous and false portrait of America today. The portrayal refuses to do the heavy lifting necessary to hoist up a mirror and to really look at what's going on in the name of Trump's cultish GOP. The press prefers to depict the country as divided yes, but reconciliation is within reach, if partisans on both sides are simply willing to compromise.

Here are a few snapshots from Trump's America, the kind that CNN glosses over as it suggests the country can now come together after the election season:

• Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon suggested that the FBI director and Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious diseases specialist, should be beheaded — their heads put on spikes — for their disloyal behavior.

• Days after the election, the police chief in Marshall, Ark., posted online, "Death to all Marxist Democrats. Take no prisoners leave no survivors."

• Republican Congresswoman-elect Majorie Taylor Greene, an avid QAnon supporter who does not believe that a plane crashed into the Pentagon on 9/11, has been on Twitter promoting StopTheBidenSteal.com, while spreading ceaseless lies about the election count.

• "The president wasn’t defeated by huge numbers – in fact he may not have been defeated at all" — Republican U.S. Senator Roy Blunt.

• "Republicans win because of our ideas and we lose elections because [Democrats] cheat" — Republican U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham.

• When a Minnesota Republican state senator and numerous staffers recently tested positive for Covid-19, the GOP urged its members to work from home. But Republicans never bothered to inform Minnesota Democrats about the potentially deadly outbreak within the state legislature.

snip//

There’s a political cancer in this country, and it’s spreading. It does us no good for news outlets to pretend otherwise.

[58Sunliner]

1. "ad campaign gaslights Trump madness"-and America.

[Orrex]

2. Regarding the last bullet point, about Michigan

The same happened in Pennsylvania a few months back. Republicans knew that one of their mob was infected but declined to tell Democrats, some of whom had serious vulnerabilities due to medical history or family members with immune system issues.

And, while the PA Repubs were sitting on this knowledge, they were actively campaigning against business closures and mask guidelines.

The entire party has wiped itself all over Trump's festering asshole, from Mitch McConnell down to the lowliest dogcatcher. The "principled Republican" no longer exists.

[spanone]

3. K&R

[malaise]

4. Important

K & R

[Andy823]

5. There is no more "republican" party

it's the trump party, or the trump "cult"! When trump leaves he will be the same asshole he has always been. He will continue to milk his followers for all the money he can. He will continue to spew his hate and dividing the country.

[Alhena]

6. Let's be honest, CNN long ago decided to become part of the Trump resistance

and I think it was justifiable under the extreme circumstances of the Trump presidency. They will have a hard time re-positioning themselves as an objective news source, though. Let's just be honest here - half of their articles on their website are in the vein of "Trump is an idiot, here's why ..." Somewhere like Politico can claim to be more objective.

[plimsoll]

11. I think your order is incorrect.

Trump declared them anti Trump, they tried to appease him, he kept at it so they reciprocated.

They were some of the biggest supporters initially with lots of earned time and still are, even if it’s negative. He stays in the news and dominates every cycle. It’s a win, and gives his supporters an object for their 5 minutes of hate.

[Yeehah]

7. Republicans declared war on liberals and have no desire to work cooperatively in a democratic system

Republicans are fascists who seek to destroy the USA and it's time for everyone to understand that. The fascists will destroy the USA, wrappped in the flag and holding a bible, while screeching, "freedom! liberty!," as they reduce the USA to a dictatorship.

[KS Toronado]

8. You're right on target

[iluvtennis]

10. +1 . nt

[xxqqqzme]

12. The quote often cites Sinclair Lewis as the author but with a slight variation

"When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.".

George Carlin - When fascism comes to America, it will not be in brown and black shirts. It will not be with jack-boots. It will be Nike sneakers and Smiley shirts … Germany lost the Second World War. Fascism won it.

[GeorgeGist]

9. News outlets are essential...

to the spread of disinformation.

[wnylib]

13. Despite FDR's popularity among

a majority of American voters, the nation was very polarized during the Depression between people who turned to communism for answers to the economic crisis and those who admired and supported Hitler's rise in Germany. Racism was so virulent that lynchings of African Americans became the source of the song, Strange Fruit. Popular US icons, like Henry Ford and Charles Lindburgh supported fascism and anti-Semitism, along with Father Coughlin.

Was it only WWII that prevented it from getting even worse? Didn't FDR's programs help to take some of the steam out of the anger and desperation driving those extremes by providing people relief and leadership?

Today the facists in government need to be ousted and held accountable. But what about the everyday person who feels anger, fear, frustration, and has been indoctrinated by RWers to blame government and minorities for their problems? Wouldn't it be wise to deflate their steam with stimulus programs, job opportinities in rural areas as well as cities? Broadband access in rural areas like FDR did with expanding electricity in his day?

That's what I understand Biden to mean when he says he will be president for all Americans. Win people over and wean them away from radical right leaders by addressing the real roots of their anger and showing rather than telling them how their leaders have politically used them without helping them.

That path does not require us to compromuse our values. It only requires us to address the situations that lead people to RW insanity.

[Hulk]

14. Since the days of Newt and Rush...

The last four years only climaxed the misinformation, conspiracies and lies. Hate is the meal of the day.

This pathetic draft dodging coward con artist pig only took it all to the bottomless pit. It was slowly on it's way with the fox/Putin network, the koch money advertisement of distorted half truths and outright lies, and the radio spewers of KKKristian hypocrisy and hate laced fear mongering.

It all started back in the days of Reagan, the two bit actor stuffed suit, and Clinton with the GOP attemoting every accusation they could conjure up.

[JudyM]

15. K&R

[Yavin4]

16. "If the Democrats weren't so woke, then everything in American politics would be just dandy."

So says the lazy mainstream media and Bill Maher.

[Blue Owl]

17. K&R