The media and Donald Trump ADVERTISING The media and Donald Trump It wasn’t that long ago, back during the primary season, that “the media” was Donald Trump’s friend, spooling out miles of newsprint and blaring hour after hour of airtime
The media and Donald Trump
It wasn’t that long ago, back during the primary season, that “the media” was Donald Trump’s friend, spooling out miles of newsprint and blaring hour after hour of airtime on coverage of his candidacy. It was the kind of publicity even a billionaire could not buy and he relished it.
As a celebrity business executive and reality TV star, Mr. Trump dealt masterfully with one segment of journalism: entertainment reporters who ate up his antics as great copy and could frequently be cajoled into giving publicity that boosted his ego and the value of his brand. But he should have known (or someone should have tried to tell him) that things would be different once he became the Republican standard bearer in the national presidential campaign and would face political reporters who have the experience, resources and determination to unearth details of his past activities and statements that Mr. Trump would rather not have exposed.
So now “the media” (the same media) is the enemy: part of a vast conspiracy stage-managed by Hillary Clinton and the Democrats, Paul Ryan and the establishment Republicans or anyone else who dares to question Mr. Trump’s veracity, bonafides or (perhaps most embarrassing) his personal history. Everyone who opposes or contradicts him is a liar, a loser, a conspirator. It’s all their fault. They’re all against me.
More than 65 years ago, our 33rd president, Harry S. Truman, famously used an expression that Mr. Trump, perhaps, has forgotten: “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.”
Alan Silverman
Kailua-Kona
Billy Kenoi, the good old boy
After listening to all the news of the trial of our current mayor, I am truly amazed that you have admitted to owning a personal charge card that your wife uses for household expenses and you use the pCard for supposed county expenses.
Well, since so much liquor was purchased to procure political favors, (and many other personal items that were not allowed into trial) surely I am not the only person to think there could have been other means for same said favors and enticements? Copious amounts of alcohol — really?
Among all those people you were entertaining, not a single one had a drinking problem or was a possible alcoholic already? Or did you even think of that?
A poor, poor choice, Mr. Kenoi, truly. And it would be nice to hear how you “accidentally” used the same pCard to pay for your nephew’s stay at the Hapuna Beach Hotel as a “wedding gift.” Oh, another accidental mistake. There are many, many native Hawaiian politicians whom I admire and who perform their duties with kokua and for the good of all the people. You, Mr. Mayor, are certainly not one of them. Shame on you for thinking you are above reproach and for having another good old boy say it is in your DNA to be so outgoing and happy. What? And that person is an expert on DNA? Not.
Admit to your over-the-top errors and leave office with some dignity, if that is possible.
Barbara Hussey
Kailua-Kona
