Four essentials for the press right now

If we have any hope of preventing a full slide into permanent autocracy, these must happen

First, stop with the pussyfooting about what’s happening.

I was startled — in a positive way — last week when I read a New York Times newsletter written by Patrick Healy, a top opinion-page editor there. Unlike so much of the mainstream coverage and commentary I’ve been seeing recently, the piece by Healy didn’t pull any punches.

“Where America Stands,” it began. “Donald Trump’s reckless and illegal campaign to remake the government crossed more lines in Week 4 … as Trump tries to overwhelm people so he can blaze ahead unchecked.”

Just so. No mealy-mouthed discussion here of whether we are, or possibly are not, in a “constitutional crisis.” I’d like to see more of this.

Amidst an unconstitutional rampage through the federal government, Elon Musk and Donald Trump held a press conference in the Oval Office last week / Getty Images

The direct talk is, of course, more plentifully available from independent voices, such as that of John Harwood, the former CNN reporter, who, in a Zeteo post on Substack, examined the cause of what he called the moral and intellectual collapse of the Republican Party, and concludes that the Republican base is “shot through with anger,” and driven by racism. He quotes LBJ Jr. in 1965, telling an ugly and enduring truth: “If you can convince the lowest white man he’s better than the best colored man, he won’t notice that you’re picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, he’ll empty his pockets for you.” Sadly, this holds up all too well.

I’m disgusted by headlines and coverage that seem to cower, afraid to offend anyone, and worried about losing “conservative” readers. This is not what we need right now. Healy’s strong language stood out.

As I mentioned last week, Wired magazine has led the way on news coverage about Elon Musk’s rampaging through government agencies, breaking story after story, and putting the news in clear language. Consider the tone of this typical headline: “Elon Musk Lackeys Have Taken Over the Office of Personnel Management.”

Big Journalism’s leaders need to think hard — and fast — about whether they are just presenting facts or actually getting the nightmarish reality across. If the tried-and-true journalistic practices of yesterday — politely presenting “both sides,” as if autocracy and democracy are roughly equivalent — are not getting the job done, then change them. Radically rethink how to tell this huge and consequential story. (“Trump Could Give Putin A Coveted Key to Europe” read one soft-focus Times headline Sunday; that certainly sounded harmless enough, but the situation isn’t.)

Second, stick together and stand up resolutely for press rights. Jodie Ginsberg, executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, ably made the case in the Guardian last week. She recalled times in the modern era in which news organizations came to each other’s defense — as the Washington Post did in the Pentagon Papers era — and wrote that such defiance and solidarity are in shorter supply now.

When, last week, the Trump administration punished the Associated Press for refusing to use “Gulf of America” instead of “Gulf of Mexico” in their coverage, some news organizations caved. Axios, for one, announced its weak reasoning for acceding to the Trump-demanded language. There were some public statements of support for the AP from news organizations — including from the Times and from Kaitlin Collins of CNN — but the overall muted reaction was a far cry from what happened in 2009 when the Obama administration tried to keep Fox News from a high-level interview. Back then, the broadcast networks, along with CNN stood in solidarity to oppose the cherry-picking and the White House changed its tune.

What if all the big news organizations had begun boycotting White House briefings in protest of what happened to the AP? At the very least, that would have been a story that more members of the public would have known about. But that didn’t happen. Be assured, the Trump administration is not done with trying to intimidate journalists; who will it be next time? A question worth pondering.

Third, emphasize the effects of Trump’s actions on local communities, which is where the voters are and where the mass anti-Trump protests — if it comes to that — will have to originate. Yes, many local news organizations (especially local newspapers) have been decimated and that weakens their ability to tell this story. But it can, and must, be told.

I was proud to see, in my hometown of Buffalo, that the refugee crisis caused by a Trump executive order was getting plenty of ink in The Buffalo News. (I spent much of my career there, including as chief editor.) The resulting freeze of federal funds left hundreds of refugees who recently arrived in Western New York in the lurch and forced the local organizations who help them to lay off staff.

Similarly, the Boston Globe published a good story over the weekend about how the layoffs in the Environmental Protection Agency will affect Massachusetts. Among the casualties: the jobs of EPA employees who work toward cleaner air and water in poor communities — often hit the hardest by industrial pollution. The story quotes David Cash, former administrator of the regional office, saying that anything that threatens the fossil-fuel industry is being targeted. “And there’s blatant disregard for bringing equity and justice to communities that have been left behind.”

As Trump’s disastrous plans hit ordinary people in many ways, this kind of coverage will be extremely important. So to everyone: Support your local news outlet, even if you’re sometimes unhappy with its service or its coverage. And urge the journalists there to report the local effects.

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A bit of “crowdsourcing” here: I would love to hear from you about how Trump’s actions are already hitting your communities and how you’re learning about this. If it is from local news organizations, please let me know. I’m collecting examples, and would appreciate any specifics (like a link to a story) that you can post in the comments here.

A final plea to the press: Compellingly tell the stories of today’s heroes — those who are doing the right things under great pressure. This past week that included government lawyers who quit their jobs rather than do the unethical bidding of the Trump justice department in dropping the criminal case against New York mayor Eric Adams. Danielle Sassoon and Hagan Scotten are the most prominent names. Scotten submitted one of the great resignation letters of our time, writing to the Justice Department official who ordered him to comply: “I expect you will eventually find someone who is enough of a fool, or enough of a coward, to file your motion. But it was never going to be me.”

There are, and will be, others. Their courage and integrity will inspire others to do the right thing, perhaps to refuse to laugh at a neighbor’s racist joke or mock a transgender person.

The night of Trump’s 2016 win, I wrote a deadline column for the Washington Post which concluded, “We’re going to need some heroes.” We still do, more than ever, and they aren’t all high-level prosecutors. They need to be all of us.

Readers, thanks for being here and caring about the crucial relationship between journalism and democracy. Thanks for subscribing, in any form you can. This newsletter, though free, is supported by readers. Thanks for your comments which I always read with interest and appreciation.

Questions for you: How are you finding ways to exhibit decency and integrity right now? Or what have you seen from others in your community? I could use the inspiration, too, believe me, and would love to hear from you.