Trump's Chief Strategist Says News Media Should Keep Its Mouth Shut

[BeyondGeography]

Source: New York Times

WASHINGTON Stephen K. Bannon, President Trumps chief White House strategist, laced into the American press during an interview on Wednesday evening, arguing that news organizations had been humiliated by an election outcome few anticipated, and repeatedly describing the media as the opposition party of the current administration.

"The media should be embarrassed and humiliated and keep its mouth shut and just listen for awhile," Mr. Bannon said during a telephone call.

"I want you to quote this," Mr. Bannon added. "The media here is the opposition party. They don't understand this country. They still do not understand why Donald Trump is the president of the United States."

The scathing assessment delivered by one of Mr. Trumps most trusted and influential advisers, in the first days of his presidency comes at a moment of high tension between the news media and the administration, with skirmishes over the size of Mr. Trumps inaugural crowd and the presidents false claims that millions of illegal votes by undocumented immigrants swayed the popular vote against him.

Mr. Bannon, who rarely grants interviews to journalists outside of Breitbart News, the provocative right-wing website he ran until last August, was echoing comments by Mr. Trump this weekend, when the president said he was in a running war with the media and called journalists among the most dishonest people on earth.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/26/business/media/stephen-bannon-trump-news-media.html?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur

[KittyWampus]

1. The Media knows you and Trump and a few other colluded with Russia. White supremacists love Putin.

The difference between the USA and Russia is that we have a history of democracy and fought Nazis and won.

Your bulls*t only reaches 30% of Americans and of that a third are already turning on you.

And trying to slap lipstick on the Breitbart pig doesn't hide it's Nazi framework.

You're a messy alcoholic with no sense of history. Your kind has been repeatedly smacked down again and again and again.

[Eyeball_Kid]

12. Bannon is one evil bastard. Trumpy loves him. Trumpy loves Putin as well.

So, what does this say about Trumpy? Eh?

[cstanleytech]

49. Aye, I wouldnt shed any tears if he followed in Andrews footsteps right about now. nt

[Roy Rolling]

63. Competition

"The media" is his (Breitbart's) competition. Of course he will use his position as minister of propaganda to discredit the free press. They whined for 8 years, Bannon was the chorus leader. Now he is singing the same tune about "the media".

Fuckin' weasels. With apologies to real weasels.

[maddiemom]

47. So Russia DIDN'T fight the Nazis?

I'm confused as to what side you're on (I get that it isn't the Nazis).

[KittyWampus]

48. The Nazis were a common enemy in 40's. White Supremacists now love Putin as the great white savior

of their version of western civilization.

White supremacists are the nexus.

[rzemanfl]

76. Two points.

First, the Russians fought the Nazis and won at a far greater cost in lives than the U.S.A. paid, so that point would make any Russian laugh.

Second, I was just going to post about how Bannon looks like a career alcoholic. He's older than I thought. Still a pig though.

[geek tragedy]

2. I'm sure such feces throwing from Reich Minister Bannon will go over well with the media nt

[vlyons]

3. Oh please please keep it up Mr Bannon

Insult and bully the media some more. Pick a fight with people who buy ink by the barrel.

Well so much for "leadership" - eh?

[madaboutharry]

4. Steve Bannon, born in the wrong country 75 years too late.

[blueseas]

39. Or 1000 years too late

Go back under your rock.

[PatSeg]

53. Maybe Bannon

is the reincarnation of Joseph Goebbels.

[meow2u3]

5. Tell that Devil worshipping scumbag

to shut his goddamn mouth!!

[dalton99a]

6. "Shut up and do as you're told"

[highplainsdem]

7. So...the slimiest troll from the Breitbart swamp pokes his head out of that cesspool and belches out

defiance at people who really ARE credible journalists, as opposed to nutjob propagandists like himself.

Ewww.

[bucolic_frolic]

8. Yeah, that's First Amendment talk for ya

[GliderGuider]

9. More FUD from Moscow's man in the White House

Jesus, Bannon you russian mole. We've got your number. Too bad nobody who could do anything about you and Flynn has figured out the game yet. I hope you hang.

[patricia92243]

10. Trump only owes the presidency to them. IF they hadn't given him hours and hours of free time,

he would not be where he is today.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

11. Bring it. Alt-facts can't stand sunlight. That's why the dark forces hate light on their lies. . nt

[Eyeball_Kid]

24. Everything is high risk now.

Alternative facts are what Hitler used. Let's remember that when Hitler came to power, there were massive demonstrations against him in Germany. But Hitler moved quickly to consolidate power before the opposition could have an effect.

Trumpy is moving just as quickly, and he's using FoxNews as his propaganda force to slowly, surely, eliminate fact-based journalism. He will systematically push the news media to the background and discredit them whenever possible, while elevating the FoxNews/Breitbart/InfoWars contingent to "presidential" status (It's already happening at press briefings.). Within a year or two, FoxNews will be actively discussing whether it's justifiable to start killing journalists and opposition political leaders "for the sake of national security."

The GOP will back up Trump because most of their major donors will profit from Trump's presidency. The GOP leadership can tolerate the decimation of the Bill of Rights because to a person, they're all wealthy and will be untouched by police "crackdowns."

The only way out of this is through luck, IMO. And that luck falls to Trumpy's craziness that even GOPers may find unacceptable.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

28. Yup. Bring it. Kill it early before they roll the snowball too big. . . nt

[underpants]

13. Embarrassed and humiliated

That's clearly his goal.

[highplainsdem]

14. Article says Bannon made the phone call. They must be in full melt-down at the WH over

Trump's bad press coverage. They're scared little bullies whose bluff has been called.

[Snellius]

15. 3 to 5 Million Alt-Right Fascists voted Illegallly

Like Bannon. In Florida, Penn, and Ohio. Bannon is registered in Florida but doesn't live there. Trump didn't win the electoral vote. Like Bannon

[George II]

16. What about Breitbart. Does he consider them "news media", and should they keep quiet too?

[Bernardo de La Paz]

30. "Alt-media Breitbart double-plus good." -- Bannon might say that. . . . . nt

[Docreed2003]

17. Asshole "Leninist" says what??

[GliderGuider]

36. +1000

Leninist. Traitor. People are beginning to understand.

[highplainsdem]

18. Tweet from WSJ's Bret Stephens:

Link to tweet

Steve Bannon says media should "keep its mouth shut." Castro, Putin, Erdogan, and Xi all feel the same way!

[elmac]

19. That is one hell of a way to treat someone

who helped get you elected. News media?, what news media? The so called news media turn this election into a profit driven circus. Now they have to deal with the rabid clowns.

[Lint Head]

20. We need a strategy to hose Bannon. This asshole needs

his ass handed to him on a platter.

[BRMCOne]

56. Yep!

What an unbelievable POS. Wait, it is THIS administration, so of course its believable...

[Iggo]

21. Please proceed, Mr Chief Of Staff. (n/t)

[highplainsdem]

22. Tweet from NYT's Glenn Thrush:

Link to tweet

Bannon, shorter: We're at 37% - we need an enemy - Hillary's gone, so media, u r it! Tactics = ideology.

[KittyWampus]

50. That puts it in a nutshell.

[gademocrat7]

23. You are a traitor.

So shut the f***k up!

[highplainsdem]

25. Tweet from ACLU:

Link to tweet

No, Stephen Bannon, the media should not “keep its mouth shut” and if the Trump administration tries, we’ll see them in court.

[orangecrush]

59. Very glad

I joined.

They are the last line of defense of the Constitution.

[ailsagirl]

70. Glad I joined, also!

[Phoenix61]

26. He's partially correct

The media is supposed to be the opposition party to lies, corruption, and things Twitler would like to keep hidden. The media failed to recognize the level of rascism and mysogeny in this country, but so did I. They failed to anticipate that the head of the FBI would break the law to assist Twitler's political goals. They failed to investigate allegations of Russian influence in the election in a timely manner. I think they have a lot of catching up to do. Hopefully, they are just getting started.

[Hekate]

27. Kick

[MontanaMama]

29. Gee, he sounds pissed off!

That didn't take long, we're only a week into this shit show. However, I do have one correction for you, Bannon, you putrid tub of racist, misogynistic goo: The media isn't your opposition party. WE ARE. Enjoy your moment in the sun, you vile POS. Storm clouds are forming on the horizon that will be your undoing.

[Fritz Walter]

31. Livia Soprano said it best

"He can go shit in his hat."

[royable]

32. I'd say it's time for some First Ammendment remedies. N/T

[MFM008]

33. I guess the maggots

havent figuered out how things work in a democracy..................
Id call him a pig.......but I like pigs.

[1965Comet]

37. Aren't some pigs more likable than others? Isn't that the real

lesson from "Animal Farm"?

[riversedge]

34. 1. The Chief Strategist in the White House is publicly telling the media to "keep its mouth shut"

Tweet
Judd Legum ‏@JuddLegum 27m27 minutes ago

1. The Chief Strategist in the White House is publicly telling the media to "keep its mouth shut" https://goo.gl/gbCjua

[1965Comet]

35. Lol at the idea that an industry paid to speak

should keep its mouth shut!

That's like saying politicians should keep their mouths shut! One in particular. Hmmm, on second thought, perhaps Bannon is onto something...

[GliderGuider]

38. Fucking Russian mole. I hope you swing.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/08/22/steve-bannon-trump-s-top-guy-told-me-he-was-a-leninist.html

Then we had a long talk about his approach to politics. He never called himself a “populist” or an “American nationalist,” as so many think of him today. “I’m a Leninist,” Bannon proudly proclaimed.

Shocked, I asked him what he meant.
“Lenin,” he answered, “wanted to destroy the state, and that’s my goal too. I want to bring everything crashing down, and destroy all of today’s establishment.” Bannon was employing Lenin’s strategy for Tea Party populist goals. He included in that group the Republican and Democratic Parties, as well as the traditional conservative press

.

[The Wizard]

40. Normal people don't care

what the Nazi Bannon has to say. I guess these pricks weren't defeated in 1945.

[muntrv]

41. No, Bannon, you shut up!

[highplainsdem]

42. Lots of online speculation that Bannon's alcoholic (red nose). Maybe he was drunk when he called NYT

[highplainsdem]

43. Tweet from NYT columnist Charles Blow:

Link to tweet

You wish, white nationalist!

[BeyondGeography]

44. Charles Blow, correct to resist from Day One

and looking smarter all the time.

[7962]

45. Well that should solve everything! nt

[Tommy_Carcetti]

46. Spoken like a true fascist.

You can take the Bannon out of the Breitbart, but you can't take the Breitbart out of the Bannon.

[DFW]

51. Ned Beatty playing Donald Trump:

https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/b3e35d91-f648-46f7-b862-888b455b3c12

[Blue Idaho]

52. Why is it I think this tactic won't work?

What an idiot.

[greatauntoftriplets]

54. Damn. I'll miss the First Amendment.

[Solly Mack]

55. Bite me, schmutter mouth

[BigBearJohn]

57. Good idea Bannon. Pour some gas on the media & light a match.

You think you've been criticized before? Please stand by.

[catbyte]

58. Oh, yeah. You'd love that, you Neo-Nazi POS.

[MountCleaners]

60. What rubbish

This is nativism. They are the "real Americans", the majority who chose someone else are not?!?

More far-right creepspeak. It's dangerous to attack the media like this, what with Bannon's far-right following.

Seriously, the media are a target now. Lefties ought to defend "the media" for a change.

[Fast Walker 52]

61. fucking evil asshole-- this means war, and he's not going to win

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

62. Sorry dumbass they're doing their job

Unlike you who's sucked off the right your whole life

[dhill926]

64. openly fascist...

and all in less than a week. Amazing....

[Initech]

65. RIP Freedom Of The Press 1791 - 2017. You will be missed.

[irisblue]

66. F that facist

Geez how deep is the republican swamp?

[Stellar]

67. Bannon, you tell that SOB Trump that he is supposed to be

the president not THE KING. He works for us and not the other way around. Tell BLOTUS to stfu and do his job and keep his nose out of other peoples business!

[DinahMoeHum]

68. Hey, Bannon: Up Yours, dipshit.

[Raster]

69. Adolph Bannon says what?

[retrowire]

71. See that Trumpers?

Giving America back to the people.

[coco22]

72. I had been waiting..

for the big red nose bastard to begin shouting his demands.

[BeyondGeography]

75. An unsolicited evening call to the NYT

Probably had a pop or two before dialing.

[onetexan]

73. as if the journalists will

it's their job to do report the truth and trying to curtail will only cause them to fight back more vehemently. The media will be the downfall of trump as it was to his rise.

[NastyRiffraff]

74. "They still do not understand why Donald Trump is the president of the United States."

The entire WORLD doesn't understand why Dump is president, asshole.

I hope the media goes on full attack so we can watch the complete meltdown in the White House. I think (hope!) the media is going to finally FINALLY wake up and stop letting themselves be treated as good doggies. Bannon and company have gone too far; you're supposed to IMPLY that you wish the media would shut up and go away, not threaten to repeal the First Amendment! Jeez, Bannon.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

77. Bannon: you're not supposed to pull the 'gag the press' bit til after you stage a false flag attack.

Christ, these guys are amateurs...

[icymist]

78. Kicking

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

79. These guys are gonna shoot their wad

and be out of ammo by March 1. Any media outlet (I hope) would accept this statement for what it is, a direct challenge to their right to exist. What's the old saying about fighting a war of words with someone who buys ink by the barrel? They (Trump's people) think everyone is stupid. I predict this could help newspapers return (a little) with increased attention to the press from the White House, the press should accommodate them and print scathing editorials on a daily basis. Turn the heat way up on this phony administration.........

[liberal N proud]

80. Another step down the path of fascism!

These fuck are working right from Hitler's play book

[heaven05]

81. this nazi

can go jump off a very tall building....and take kellyanne with you. Don't worry about the boy-potus he's going to destroy himself because he's clueless and easily manipulated by those in his retinue. They will destroy themselves hopefully before they destroy this country and most of its minorities, black, brown and red, women..yes margaret even those who voted for the...never mind, vets, seniors. He's going to rally fuck up a lot of people even those too stupid to realize their fuhrer doesn't give a damn about them. We really are in a mellofahess.

[Blue_Tires]

82. Greenwald and his shitstains at the Intercept were unavailable for comment

Can you imagine the ragegasm if a Dem said this??

[StarlightGold]

83. Really bannon? (LC intended)

Or else...what?