Trump is not the First President to have a running battle with the Press | Eastern North Carolina Now

Trump is not the First President to have a running battle with the Press

    Harry Truman had his issues, particularly when it came to his daughter and their hounding of his politics.

"I don't give them Hell, I just tell the truth about them and they think it's Hell." - Harry Truman
    The quote comes from an incident that took place during the 1948 Presidential election campaign. Whilst in Harrisburg, Illinois, Truman delivered a speech attacking the Republicans. During the speech a supporter yelled out "Give 'em Hell, Harry. Truman replied, "I don't give them Hell. I just tell the truth about them and they think it's Hell." Subsequently, "Give 'em Hell, Harry!" became a lifetime slogan for Truman supporters.

    While the tenor of the times has changed, the actual contentious relationship has not changed. We have come a long way from Truman's era and the 7 Words you can't say as told by George Carlin.

    Perhaps we are all the worse for it, but it is what it is and we now have a President who fights back. Unlike Reagan, Bush 1 and 2 or any number of the Republican congressional wimps, we have a counter puncher who defies the conventional wisdom that you can actually get along with a press that is committed to destroying your presidency. President Trump can be crude, boorish and I don't particularly care for his style, but I have never tried to make friends with a hungry Black Bear either. They say the best way to deal with a marauding Black Bear is to lie down and play dead. "It will be good practice for a few minutes later when you die!"

    Politicians are conditioned not to rock the boat if their voting constituency is broad and varied. Nevertheless, both sides who are elected from a "SAFE" district have no fear of alienating their base. That is how we get people like Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Chuck Schumer, Elizabeth Warren from the left and Newt Gingrich, Ted Cruz, Ron and Rand Paul:, Scott Walker on the right. All others must toe the line between principle and being elected.

    But in between we have a vast array of Casper Milquetoast officials whose eye is on the next election. It makes no different what party you are from, if your district or state has a diverse population of both left and right, you will be like the deer in the middle of the road, trying to decide which way to run in the glare of the oncoming lights. You see unprincipled politicians have a survival instinct that is highly developed beyond most humans. Case in point is the number of long term members of our House and Senate.

    We have been blessed by several presidents on both sides of the yellow line and I won't elaborate on them but you can usually tell those who live by principled beliefs. They often are predictable in their position on the issues and often come and go as the demographics change. The pendulum of politics swings back and forth. I worked with a good old Country boy from Newton County Georgia and he was a dedicated Pentecostal Deacon and entrepreneur used car salesman on the side (yes the two can co-exist at the same time). As you may have heard Pentecostal can be somewhat rigid in their beliefs. We had many discussions (arguments / disagreements) about all manner of subjects. He was a product of the South who could never reconcile his racial bias with Scripture,but he always had a saying that I stole and have used for the last fifty years.

"You can run into the ditch on either side of the Road!"

    He was not particularly amused when we disagreed to the point that further discussion was not productive and I turned his phrase back on him.

    Long ago, I was warned not to take Politicians, Sports Figures, or Celebrities as role models. I can't remember who told me that but it became apparent somewhere around my late teens that the best role models are the ones we see every day quietly doing what has to be done with principle and integrity. The others are just a show or illusion of what they want us to see.

    Today we are all upset with the current President who lashes back five-fold at his critics. Some say he is thin skinned, which may be true. Many say he is not acting presidential, which I always get a chuckle out of because of JFK and WJC and even FDR escapades in the Non-Presidential Ditch so to speak. We elect people to office, not Saviors so it should come as no surprise that we often get people with human weaknesses. If you have a favorite politician who seems pristine and pure, you can almost bet that their past or present has been cleansed and sanitized for the public. That too will fade away in the glare of history. I don't particularly subscribe to President Trump's methods and tweets but it is what it is and I don't seen any moderation from him on the horizon. In the battle with the media he came loaded for bear as did they. See Truman quote above.

    I did some research for current history (when you are in your seventies, current is anything since 1945) of the President vs the Media. I found a book, which covers it in some detail.

Franklin D. Mitchell traces the major contours of journalism during the lifetime and presidency of Truman. Although newspapers and newsmagazines are given the most emphasis, reporters and columnists of the Washington news corps also figure prominently for their role in the president's news conferences and their continuing coverage of Truman and his family. Broadcast journalism's expanding coverage of the president is also explored through chapters dealing with radio and television.
(Harry-Truman-News-Media-Contentious)

    For those who do not read history books, there is an excellent documentary about Harry Truman in general. Like all documentaries, it most likely takes some liberty with the truth for dramatic effect.

    History will judge whether this is the worst arguments between the media and a President. Roger Ebert probably said it best in his review of Harry Truman was immortalized by James Whitmore in the Stage Play Give 'em Hell, Harry!
    There's a rule of thumb in literary circles that about 15 years must pass after the death of a major writer before his revival gets under way. First there are the eulogies, then the period of neglect, and finally the new paperback editions and the reevaluations by campus gurus. If a similar process applied to politics, then Harry Truman might have been revived in 1967 not 15 years after his death, but 15 years after he left the White House. and just in time to head Richard Nixon off at the pass.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073053/     The entire show is too long for the faint hearted but an excerpt may help explain the contentious relationship between politicians and the media.However this excerpt show how Harry dealt with the press when they attacked his daughter's music abilities.

Harry Truman to Music Critic Paul Hume "Some day I hope to meet you. When that happens you'll need a new nose, a lot of beefsteak for black eyes, and perhaps a supporter below!"

Give EM Hell Harry Video

poll#101

In regards to the Russia Election Tampering matter: Is President Trump being treated fairly by core Democrats and the Mainstream Media?

  Yes, the new president is guilty until proven innocent.

  No, President Trump's treatment is dictated by the usual Democrat double standard.

  Don't care; there are more important issues facing America.

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