I’m really disgusted with the Republicans who are attacking White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney for what he said at his press conference last week.
As I wrote Thursday, Mulvaney held a “masterful presser [press conference]” at which he fought back against the “opposition party” known as the Fake News Media.
Mulvaney basically told the mob “We know you are not going to like this decision, but we are doing it anyway … so go suck an egg!”
That was said in regard specifically to the press’s hostile reaction to the decision to hold the G7 summit at Trump Doral (later revoked), but it could well be said to the press about every decision made by this president.
In my mind, Mulvaney had the right instincts at the press conference. Fight back against the press. Fight for the president. Tell the truth and be done with it.
Of course, that got Mulvaney in trouble because the shock-prone media had no idea that U.S. foreign policy is based on U.S. national interest, and that negotiations between heads of states inevitably and correctly contain quid pro quos.
Is there anything wrong with the president telling Ukraine that he expects them to cooperate with the U.S. Justice Department’s investigation into Democratic fraud in the 2016 election. Hell, no! And Mulvaney tried to tell the world that, but of course that meant that now he has become the target of the hateful media, maybe because he told them to “Get over it!” They started attacking Mulvaney and trying to put a wedge between him and the president, probably because Mulvaney is the most effective chief of staff that President Trump has had yet. Some Republicans joined the pile-on because that is what self-hating Republicans do.
So now we have to go back to pretending that presidents don’t wield political power and that they don’t use foreign policy to win the objectives they set out when they were running for president. It’s like we are living in a pretend world.
I guess if Mulvaney’s press conference proved anything, it was (as I have written before) that there is no reason for this president to have anyone besides himself talk directly to the Resistance Media.
And that goes for appearances on hostile television shows as well. When Mick Mulvaney agreed to appear on “Fox News Sunday” with Chris Wallace today, he was just adding fuel to the fire. There is no way he is going to get a fair hearing from Wallace or from anyone on NBC, CBS or ABC.
When will conservatives learn? If you are going to do a press conference or go on a television news show, you had better be prepared for hand-to-hand combat. You should fight back against the Democratic Fake News Propaganda Media and fight FOR the president. If you can’t do that, just stay home.
WHO WE ARE
Frank Miele has spent four decades in the news business and now offers conservative commentary to counter the left-wing bias in the national media. If you enjoy reading these daily essays, I hope you will consider purchasing one of my books. They are available at Amazon in paperback or Kindle editions. My new book — “The Media Matrix: What if everything you know is fake?” — shows that Fake News has been around for years. The “Why We Needed Trump” trilogy tackles the politics of the last two decades: Part 1 is subtitled “Bush’s Global Failure: Half Right.” Part 2 is “Obama’s Fundamental Transformation: Far Left.” Part 3 is “Trump’s American Vision: Just Right.” Also consider subscribing to Heartland Diary on YouTube by clicking here for News Every Conservative Can Use.
Fox News Wallace has also become a purveyor of fake news through his gotcha questions rather than seeking the truth of the matter. Maybe, Fox does not realize that truth is their friend as that is the only counterbalance to fifty percent of the people who listen to the fake news, Fox seems to have forgotten their large cable audience is mainly conservative and will quickly shut them off if they continue to slip into DC speak. For me, I have noticed their slippage and now watch them less and less. RLS
Agree with Rick Spencer, but like Harry Truman said, “if you can’t take the heat, stay out of the kitchen.”
I agree with Rick Spencer. The condescension and disdain that is shown to me and my family by the Fox executive programming team is uncalled for. I forced myself to watch Chris Wallace interview Mick Mulvaney. The hype in the NYT and Washington Post was that Mulvaney “melted down” during Chris Wallace’s masterful questions. WRONG. Mulvaney was barely allowed to answer questions, was interrupted, had his answers paraphrased, was called a liar, but he did not melt down. The continued misplaced reverence Fox executives show toward Chris Wallace, Neil Cavuto, Charlie gasperino, Jonah Goldberg, Steve Hayes, Brett Baier (who uses Chris Wallace as his ultimate role model), show me that Fox Executives are listening to people who think they will get more viewers at the expense of their loyal viewers. Fox is highlighting guests and hosts with the exact opposite outlook on life than what their viewers have been so proud of during the last 20 years. Every news outlet chooses their story du jour in the hopes that it will be “the” story to destroy President Trump, his family, friends, and associates. Is Fox, with Chris Wallace leading the faux interviews, trying to emulate the New York Times and Washington Post? Those outlets have been discredited. Not just in my mind, but they can’t be trusted to deliver an untainted story. Is that what Fox wants? For me and others to turn them off as soon as they open up with a negative take on how the President is dealing with issues. They don’t want to be accused of being the state run media. They are being accused of that by NBC/MSNBC, and CNN who WERE the state run media for Obama and all Trump-haters. They are the ones trying to shame Fox because they WANT Fox to change their ethics. Good tactic by dishonest media to prevent the “conservative” voices from receiving good feedback. Typical of the Democrat-Party media. Shame the successful Fox programs by calling them names: State run media. I hope Fox doesn’t fall for that trick any more.
Joe Morrisco
Bedminster, NJ 07921
A lot to unpack here, all of it scary and accurate. Thanks Joe!
I agree with Mr. Miele that the Republicans should not go on a show like Chris Wallace’s show, not because they can’t handle it, but because every word is analyzed and spit back. Thankfully Mulvaney said he did not hear the latest report about a state department official warning Joe Biden about the unseemly appearance of his son’s association with foreign corporations. Wallace, again, called him a liar by saying the story has been out there for 48 hours. So he didn’t use the word “liar” but it is totally inferred. It took the wind out of Wallace’s sails. He’s like a little gossip. Goes to his panel and goes over every word Mulvaney said and couldn’t believe Mulvaney hadn’t heard the latest Biden story. What did he think? Mulvaney was intentionally not answering Wallace’s brilliant question? How dare Mulvaney explain his viewpoint. Nobody died and made Chris Wallace the final word on how our government should run. We don’t answer to an unelected hack journalist. We don’t owe Chris Wallace anything, but he owes us some untainted news.
Joe Morrisco
Bedminster, NJ 07921
Your column had so many good points that I have been rereading it and re-reading it. thanks First. You are right about Mulvaney having the right instincts about facing the press with strength. Because whatever he or any of the Trump team say, it will be vilified. Second. The hate Trump press would love to take out another of President Trump’s loyal allies, Mick Mulvaney, because as you said in your column, he is the best chief of staff yet. The hate Trump press have campaigned against many of President Trump’s staff, they go after Ivanka and Jared, they helped get rid of Rob Porter, Hope Hicks, Duncan Hunter, any republican who stands up for the president. Third. You refer to the fake media as Resistance Media. I’ve been looking for a really good description of the media run by the Democratic party, and your name fits and we should all use it: the Resistance Media.
Sincerely,
Joe Morrisco
Bedminster, NJ 07921
Thanks Joe. I stumbled on the idea of the Resistance Media, and I had the same feeling as you — this was finally the right term. I’ll try to keep it alive as long as necessary!