Shame on us, American media

Published by New Republic

Fondato nel 1914, oggi New Republic si presenta come la voce dei pensatori creativi, che cercano di sfidare la realtà e sovvertire lo status quo. Attraverso reportage, firme autorevoli e analisi puntuali, osserva da vicino e spiega le follie della politica americana contemporanea. 

Qui Brian Beutler scrive delle responsabilità della stampa nella sconvolgente e sconfortante vittoria di Donald Trump alle elezioni americane. 

Early this year, when it became clear Donald Trump would become the GOP presidential nominee, but before we knew how Republicans would respond to being overtaken by a racist authoritarian, I argued at length that while Trump was a symptom of deep rot within their party, our other democratic institutions were still strong enough to contain the threat he posed.

It was obvious by then that Trump’s reckless and illiberal candidacy would be damaging to America’s civic health, just by itself. But those very traits, it seemed, would also make it nearly impossible for him to win the presidency; and in the event of the unthinkable, he would be hemmed in by both the exigencies of governing and the conforming power of imperfect institutions like the legislature, the judiciary, the civil service, and the media, outside the presidency.

Almost eight months later, I am grateful we will likely never have to test my hypothesis, because I no longer think it’s a safe bet—and the failure of my own institution shook my faith the most.

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