"The Sunday Political Brunch" -- February 26, 2017"

Dr. Mark Curtis, Ed.D., is a nationally-known political analyst and reporter based on the East Coast.

(Charleston, West Virginia) – As Bob Dylan sang, “The Times They Are A-Changin’!”
Nowhere was that more evident than during Campaign 2016 where both
parties set “politics as usual” on its ear. I thought that would change
after the inauguration, but it has not; and now I don’t think it will
for quite some time. Let’s “brunch” on that this week:

“P’s in a Pod” – I’ve often talked about the “Four P’s in American
Politics” – the politicians, the press, the public, and the protests.
Sometimes there are calm waters, but most of the time there are stormy
relations between these four legs of the bar stool of democracy. In my
lifetime, I don’t think I’ve ever seen such disconnect and hostility.
That can be a good thing; and it can be a bad thing; so, get ready for a
stormy four years.

“We’re Here; We’re Near; Get Used to It!” – Okay, that’s the gentler
version of a popular protest chant, but it bears discussion. We continue
to see protests – some very large; some very small – against the Trump
administration. The question becomes: are they productive? Will they
lead to change, or are people just venting? “The March on Washington” in
1963 led directly to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights
Act of 1965. The Million Man March in 1995 led to no legislation. Will
“The Women’s March of 2017” lead to any significant change? Right now
it’s too soon to tell, but unless a schedule and counter-agenda are
clearly laid out, it’s dicey.

“Retail Politics” – Lots of people are angry that President Trump is
in the White House; and lots of other folks are thrilled that Donald
Trump occupies the Oval Office. So who will win out? Look, if his
opponents want to make a change, the must do a lot more than protest. If
you want to run for Congress in 2018 (or any other office for that
matter), you are already late if you haven’t declared yet. I’ve not seen
any organized effort at the federal, state, and local level to channel
anti-Trump anger into seats on city councils, state legislatures, or in
Congress. I’m not being critical; I’m being realistic. If they don’t
start fielding candidates at all levels tomorrow, the anger will just be
venting, and nothing more.

“Meet the Press; Beat the Press” – I’m probably being kind with the
headline, because it’s much more like “Bullying the Press.” No other
President in U.S. history has attacked the media with such a sustained
vengeance, and I think this will remain the tenor of the Trump terms(s).
He hates the press, like no other politician in American history. It’s
not even close any more. On Friday CNN, The New York Times, and others
were locked-out of a press briefing. It’s the new-normal. He makes
President Nixon look warm and fuzzy on press relations.

“The Press Piñata” – Having worked in the mass media for forty years
now, I am well aware of the public’s “love-hate” relationship with my
industry. It’s a weird dynamic: often times the public hates how we
operate; yet it can’t stop consuming the product. News (really
information) is like oxygen to people. To be sure, I know traditional
newspaper, radio and TV consumption has declined; yet internet
consumption (often from the old media, switching to new media
platforms), is booming. The relationship between Mr. Trump and the press
corps will likely continue akin to a professional wrestling match, so
perhaps it’s appropriate the former World Wrestling Entertainment
executive Linda McMahan is now in his Cabinet.

“Results Matter” – If nothing else, the press keeps score. The number
of jobs created during an administration is good news; the number of
jobs lost is bad news. Is illegal immigration being mitigated? Are
people getting affordable health care? Are unemployed folks back at
work? The President can bash the press all he wants, but when the
answers to these questions turn negative, watch out. This kind of
scrutiny destroyed Jimmy Carter’s presidency in 1980. The numbers were
bad; the news was bad. When candidate Ronald Reagan asked people, “Are
you better off than you were four years ago?” The answer to the vast
majority was a resounding, “No!”

“Changes in Latitudes; Changes in Attitudes” – Okay, I am channeling
singer Jimmy Buffet here. But this is a classic Donald Trump quote when
it comes to the press: “The press has become so dishonest that if we
don't talk about it, we are doing a tremendous disservice to the
American people. Tremendous disservice.” Just last weekend the press was
reporting about President Trump’s suggestion there was a recent
terrorist attack in Sweden: “…you look at what’s happening last night in
Sweden. Sweden, who would believe this. Sweden. They took in large
numbers [of refugees from Muslim-majority countries].” The problem was
that all was calm in Sweden; nothing happened the night before. If you
simply make stuff up, don’t get mad when you get called out on it!

“’Fake News’ Faux Pas” – There is a public backlash against the press
right now like I’ve never seen before. I don’t take it personally;
people like to vent, and that’s okay. My concern is that every time I
hear a politician scream “fake news,” I wonder about their motivation
and the truth. Nixon would have screamed “fake news” during Watergate;
just as Bill Clinton would have screamed “fake news” during his
impeachment. Yet so much of what was reported and revealed in both
scandals was fact-based, and turned out to be true. They got caught in
serious lies and paid a heavy price. Yelling “fake news” is not a fig
leaf.

“Why All of the Matters?” – As mentioned, the “Four P’s” are like
four legs on a bar stool – the politicians; the press; the public mood;
and the protesters. If one leg of the stool breaks, the whole dynamic
can collapse. This I know - the more the press is pushed and provoked -
the more the press will push back. As for the public mood – if people
are employed, and most public issues are abated, their concerns are
mollified; and if protesters fail to strike the anger and offer a field
of candidates to effect change, they will fade. The fate of politicians
may play out as a consequence of this dynamic. President Trump would be
wise to leverage his strengths; and minimize his weaknesses in the
struggle between the “Four P’s!” For one, the press will not be
vanquished!

Who has the upper hand right now in managing the “Four P’s” of American politics? Just click the comment button at www.MarkCurtisMedia.com.

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