Reporters, Lean In. Read This. Then Read the Comments.
On Monday, I shared the post below on Threads that clearly struck a nerve. In just 16 hours, it reached 13.4 thousand views, sparked 325 comments, and was reposted 1.8 thousand times. That kind of response does not happen by accident.
I saw the same energy ripple across my other platforms. And right here on Substack Notes, the response has also been powerful, with 1 thousand likes, 88 comments, and 264 restacks into other communities.
Here is why this matters.
I personally know reporters and journalist who are in the Oval Office, on Air Force One, and standing in front of the microphones asking the questions you see in those clips every day. Over the next few days, I am going to privately share this post with every single one of them. I am also going to ask them to read not just the post, but the comments from you and other members of our community, so they can clearly understand what we expect from them. The ability to comment is normally reserved for premium members, but I’ve opened this up so that everyone can voice their thoughts, suggestions and opinions.
This is where you come in.
If you care about accountability, now is the moment to speak up. Use the comments to share your thoughts on how reporters can do a better job questioning Trump. Share ideas about how they can support one another when he starts insulting a reporter to dodge a question. Share approaches you want them to use. Share strategies. Ask questions that matter.
Be polite. Be courteous. But be honest.
Most of these reporters are good, hard working professionals. But, whether they realize or not, they live inside a self-propelled red velvet rope gated bubble. What’s happening doesn’t work for me and from the response to my earlier post, it’s not working for you either. I want these reporters to hear directly from you, the everyday American voter, about what you expect going forward.
This is your chance to engage with the people who are actually asking the questions. It may take them a day or two to stop by, but I am confident they will. And when they do, I want the comment section to represent a constructive dialogue between each of you and the people tasked with getting answers and holding power accountable.
Give this post some thought. Then dive into the comments.
Thank you,
Mitch Jackson, Esq. | links
Related: Reporters, Start Doing Your Damn Job Before It’s Too Late
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I don't understand why journalists allow the president to call their colleagues names and belittle them. Standing by silently means you agree with what he said. It is your responsibility as an engaged bystander to stand up for the person being abused. You have no choice - unless you want this to continue and escalate.
I’d like more context included in reporting, including sentences like, “in response to questioning, President Trump repeated a lie he’s used more than 150 times (fill in the number).” Do not repeat his quote, that only gives the lie more power. Quote him when he says something new and label it as a lie, his opinion, or whatever it happens to be, especially if it happens to be true.