This Just In—The terms we use to describe things in the media really do matter.
We’re all familiar with the careful use of the word “alleged” when describing crimes and the accused. In journalism school we were all admonished that taking care in such coverage can be the difference between practicing journalism and being sued into bankruptcy for libeling an innocent person. The more serious the accusation, the more care is needed.
We have a bit more leeway in writing commentary. We’re entitled to our opinions and if those include speculating on the outcome of a trial before its conclusion, well … proceed with caution if that person is a private citizen, because in order to get successfully sued for defamation, you need only be wrong.
In the coverage of the administration lately, I’ve often heard the word “shenanigans” when describing the president’s effort to shut down and perhaps bulldoze the Kennedy Center, his desire to add his name to Ford’s Theatre and this week, his empty threat at the United Nations to kill 90 million people in Iran.
All of these things are illegal. That last one is a war crime … just the threat itself. None of them is appropriately described with a term straight out of Leave it to Beaver.
In covering this brazenly criminal White House, the press corps has tried a little bit of everything. Some have bent the knee, some have bravely refused and many have done something in between. Many have tried to use terms like “shenanigans” to efficiently convey that the President’s baseless threats are not to be taken seriously.
I understand the approach. It’s reflected in coverage of the president at his desk in the Oval Office declaring that the MMR vaccine, which has been used in two small doses for more than 50 years protecting children from Measles, Mumps and Rubella, was somehow dangerous. Most networks ran brief clips of him saying this and lying to say that small children received hundreds of vaccines that totaled the equivalent of his 16 oz. bottle of soda. They would follow the clips with “that’s ridiculous and untrue.”
That’s interesting, but this week and this morning, the demented president has proven that he is deserving of immediate removal from office and prosecution after he’s out.
He committed a war crime in threatening to kill every man, woman and child, in Iran. He did this from a teleprompter (not off the cuff) at the dias in the United Nations.
He revoked press credentials for participating in the pool that covers the president from networks that he doesn’t like. Although most networks remained mute when he did this to the AP quite some time ago, this time they did not. All the major television and print outlets refused to participate in the pool coverage without their colleagues and sued to have everyone’s credentials restored.
The White House’s legal argument for the revocation was laughable and changed as the days went on, finally landing on a fraudulent claim of national security concern.
Judge Timothy Kelly ruled early this morning that this action was unconstitutional and issued an order that the journalists be restored to their access immediately.
In criminal defiance of a federal court order, the administration (as of this writing) has refused to fully comply-dragging out the process of restoring access. The judge has issued a subsequent order to the White House that it comply fully by 12:30 pm today.
This is not “shenanigans” or any other adorable term. This is criminal obstruction. This is Impeachment material. This is a desperate man committing desperate acts to cling to power that’s about to be met with accountability.
Keep your seat belts on. This is going to be a bumpy flight, but we ARE going to land this plane.
Jean Bolduc is a freelance writer and is the author of “African Americans of Durham & Orange Counties: An Oral History” (History Press, 2016) and has served on Orange County’s Human Relations Commission, The Alliance of AIDS Services-Carolina, the Orange County Housing Authority Board of Commissioners, and the Orange County Schools’ Equity Task Force. She was a featured columnist and reporter for the Chapel Hill Herald and the News & Observer.
Readers can reach Jean via email – jean@penandinc.com and via Twitter @JeanBolduc
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