Reading America’s Pravda

Russians knew to read Pravda between the lines.  What was and was not reported and when was as relevatory as the actual articles.  McLuhan really had it right — the medium is the message.

So it was with no surprise that the lead article on the front page of today’s New York Times was “Autocratic Tone Intensifies Fears of Trump’s Plan”.   The Times has been excreting masonry ever since the latest polls came out showing Trump ahead in several battleground states, and losing support from formerly loyal constituencies — blacks, the young, minorities, the working class and not just the white working class.

He is said to degrade his adversaries as “vermin”.  The article didn’t contain a previously favorite NYT trope of ‘dog-whistle’ which essentially characterized Trump’s supporters as dogs.

“Mr. Trump’s shift comes as he and his allies devise plans for a second term that would upend some of the long-held norms of American democracy and the rule of law.  These ambitions include using the Justice Department to take vengeance on his political rivals.”

Later, the article, in a monumental example of lack of self-awareness, notes that “multiple investigations, which have since resulted in the bulk of the 91 felony charges he now faces.”

Nowhere mentioned as an example of  ‘upending some of the long-held norms of American democracy’ is the way the Times won a Pulitzer for aiding and abetting the FBI-led attempted coup against Trump with the Clinton paid for dossier accusing Trump of collusion with Russia.