Do you want a media conspiracy or not?

Until this week, it would have been hard to imagine how the words of Trump and his spokespeople could become any more Kafka-esque. But Kellyanne Conway managed it.

On Monday, the incoming president's chief counsel told an American TV audience that the media should stop listening to what Trump says and look instead into his heart.

The subject was Trump's unambiguous mockery of a disabled reporter during the election campaign — a shameful event revisited by actor Meryl Streep in a short speech at Sunday's Golden Globe Awards. Trump mimicked the reporter's jerky movements during a rally as supporters cheered him on.

Conway, of course, has for several months proven herself unparalleled in her ability to dodge questions. Even Paul Calandra's antics in Canada's Parliament seem amateur in comparison.

On Monday, however, Conway outdid herself.

“Why don’t you believe him? Why isn’t it taken at face value?” Conway told CNN's Chris Cuomo, when asked why Trump has conjured lame excuses rather than simply apologize. “You can’t give him the benefit of the doubt on this and he’s telling you what was in his heart? You want to go with what’s come out of his mouth rather than what’s in his heart.”

Now, it's not clear what Messianic powers Chris Cuomo might wield, but most journalists are taught to rely on what people say and do, not what may or may not be in their hearts. Short of conducting an endless stream of polygraph tests, there's little else to go on.

So which is it? Does Kellyanne want the media to do their job, to fairly cover what politicians do and say? Or does she expect them to look through rose-coloured glasses, to bend over backwards to give the president-elect the benefit of the doubt?

If the latter, why would the media's supposedly generous treatment of the outgoing administration be seen as dishonest and conspiratorial? Were they not just doing what she expects them to do now?

Inquiring minds want to know.


Comments

  1. Your first piece got 11 comments, but little on other pieces. Lets hear your views on the endless Boondoggle, of interest to many.Even Bob Wakeman compares the lot of us to Nfld dogs for quietly accepting this. Surely you must feel uneasy for not being more critical when with the Telegram.........or maybe not.
    Winston Adams

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