Taking my own advice about covering Trump

Plus a heartfelt (if late) book recommendation

The Washington Post and the New York Times both have done important reporting in recent days about what Donald Trump would be likely to do if he’s elected president again.

Because I think it’s so important for every American citizen to be fully aware of these revelations, I’m providing gift versions of three articles. This means you can read them without running into the Times or Post paywalls. Maybe they’ll give you some talking points with friends who think the real problem is Joe Biden’s age or Hunter Biden’s laptop, or help you convince your friends and family to register and vote.

Trump’s second term would sound a death knell for American democracy / Getty Image

Below those, I will link to my own column in this week’s Guardian, in which I strongly urge the news media to do a better job warning people about the specific threats that a second Trump term poses.

The Washington Post on how Trump and his allies are hatching plans to seek revenge on critics and opponents and to use the Insurrection Act to deploy the military to quell civil protests. (I don’t like the “critics say” bit in the sub-headline, because it seems over-cautious, but this a great piece of reporting.)

The New York Times on Trump’s autocratic plans to put loyal right-wing lawyers in key positions. (For similar reasons as above, I dislike the headline phrase, “bless a more radical agenda,” since it sounds so harmless — but that is quibbling.)

The New York Times on Trump’s plans to vastly increase presidential power and limit the independence of federal agencies.

My Guardian column on how the media — yes, even this newsletter — must make sure their readers and audiences know the stakes of this election and the dangers of a second Trump term:

We need a lot more stories like the ones the Post and the Times did – not just in these elite, paywalled outlets but on the nightly news, on cable TV, in local newspapers and on radio broadcasts. We need a lot less pussyfooting in the wording. Every news organization should be reporting on this with far more vigor – and repetition – than they do about Biden being 80 years old. It’s the media’s responsibility to grab American voters by the lapels, not just to nod to the topic politely from time to time.

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Barbara Kingsolver’s “Demon Copperhead” from last year won a well deserved Pulitzer / Getty Images

Finally, a recommendation. I finally read Barbara Kingsolver’s big novel from last year, “Demon Copperhead,” and thought it was fantastic. As you may know, it was inspired by Charles Dickens’s “David Copperfield,” and set in modern-day Appalachia. Although parts of it are grim, that is balanced by the narrator’s voice — so compelling, original and appealing. There is a measure of redemption and hope, too, which I always appreciate. One of my favorite book critics (and my former desk-mate at the Washington Post), Ron Charles, called it his favorite novel of 2022. It also won this year’s Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. (The New York Times inexplicably panned it.) The only problem is that now — 500-some pages later — I need something great to read. Any thoughts? Please share in the comments.