thom w Loc: San Jose, CA

I don't watch, but I was under the impression Chris Wallace had a pretty good reputation. Since I don't watch, I may have been mislead.

Texcaster Loc: Queensland

The sad truth is these people know the truth but they also know they're in showbiz and ratings are the only important thing.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/made-by-history/wp/2018/04/23/how-sean-hannity-helped-put-donald-trump-in-the-white-house-and-how-hes-helping-to-keep-him-there/?utm_term=.54915b8e358d

"It shouldn’t surprise us that Sean Hannity is serving almost as an unofficial chief of staff for President Trump. In fact, it’s fitting. After all, conservative media is responsible for Trump’s rise.

For more than a quarter-century, talk radio and cable news fed a desire among conservative voters for unyielding pugilists who would champion their traditional values on issues ranging from gender roles to sexual behavior to race — and who, most importantly, punched back at political correctness. These media also ran down mainstream journalists, eroding their credibility among conservatives. And they fused news and entertainment into infotainment, a product more concerned with keeping the audience tuned in than factual accuracy.

Before the rise of talk radio and Fox News, the notion of a brawler of a president who hurls insults at everyone and listens more to media personalities than American intelligence agencies would have been inconceivable. But conservative media changed the political game by creating an audience hungry for exactly this type of politician. Along the way, they destroyed the best potential check on this sort of behavior: Americans of all political stripes trusting journalists who alerted them to politicians’ misdeeds.

It’s a precedent with consequences that will outlast the Trump era. So long as conservative media retains its place of primacy within the GOP, Americans have to brace themselves for the high probability that Trump is not an outlier, but the new model for successful Republican politicians." WaPo

KGOldWolf

I only “check in” with Fox, the same with MSNBC and CNN. I try to sample the various opinions. I wouldn’t recommend it; it tends to crank me up!

Texcaster Loc: Queensland

Rupert Murdoch couldn't stomach Trump at the beginning but then the ratings started coming in. Lord Bigly was knocking off all challengers one by one. The well conditioned grievance crowd couldn't get enough. Trump's pilot show was a hit and Rupert got on board the money train once again.

thom w Loc: San Jose, CA

I watch MSNBC a lot, and CNN a little. I'll admit to frequently (not real frequently) being disappointed in MSNBC. They generally advocate things I'm in favor of, but they aren't always as factual as I'd like them to be. I believe if there is a good case for what you are advocating, you shouldn't have to add fiction to make your case. I believe that when you do, it just lessens your credibility. Using that as a standard, they frequently fail. I believe they probably do that to keep an audience and make it more interesting. I'm not convinced that makes it any better. On the other hand, I'm sure that if I ran a news show on TV it would fail badly.

KGOldWolf

Amen to that! I couldn’t face that responsibility day after day. Chris Matthews is a pill; he always interrupts his high quality guests - it makes me crazy.... but he’s a prince conpared to that ass named Hannity. Wallace tries to be a good reporter and, for the most part, succeeds.

gorgehiker Loc: Lexington, Ky

Viewers who watch Hannity and the other hucksters on Faux News aren't interested in the truth. It's bad enough that so many Americans watch that drivel, but even worse that our president is one of them. No wonder we are in such a mess!

Cykdelic Loc: Now outside of Chiraq & Santa Fe, NM

There’s that fascist progressive we all know! Shut down the others!

yhtomit Loc: Port Land. Oregon

Smith is bucking for an msnbc job. Check the facts. Smith also voted for the hilarity.

richosob Loc: Lambertville, MI

Directly from the lips of the biggest slime ball here, but you’re in good company with a gaggle of slime balls who follow their leader like a blind sheep.

KGOldWolf

Tell me, if you would, why do you continuously and unconditionally support a proven liar... one who lies in direct contradiction of his 5 national security heads who uninamiously say that Russia did and continues to interfere with our elections? He kow-tows to Putin, insults our allies, embraces our enemies, and passively supports hate groups. Who has had several of his cabinet appointees resign in disgrace for numerous ethics violations. Why is this an acceptable presidential leadership for you?

Why is your only response to totally ignore Shep Smith’s complete refutation of Hannity’s gross misrepresentations and only respond by insulting posters who have disagreed with third parties and not you personally?

How do you justify this to yourself? In light of all of the above, why do you ignore facts about trump and continually, unconditionally support him?

Bazbo Loc: Lisboa, Portugal

Wolf--its a cult. You are trying to be rational in Trumpistan where rationality has no currency. In fact, rationality is dismissed out of hand and reasoned arguments are greeted by childish insults and all manner of disgusting vitriol.

My prediction some month back is that this crowd would only get worse as the circle closes around Dear Leader and his stooges, is, sadly, proving true.

KGOldWolf

Indeed, it is. Good call.

richosob Loc: Lambertville, MI

He’s kept his campaign promises, he wants to build a wall to keep illegals out, he has built our military back up after what the last president did to tear it down. He did prove you get more respect by sending a couple of carrier battle groups to the shores of our enemies than a couple of 747’s loaded with money. He is trying to get our allies to pay their share for the cost of protecting them. You watch to much fake news, networks like CNN and MSNBC have one goal and that is to destroy this president, their bias in reporting is embarrassing but they don’t care, their job is to bring him down and they don’t care how. After listening to the testimony of the FBI agent who hated Trump it’s obvious the “plan” they had as back up to get rid of Trump should he win is this Russian collusion crap. This won’t change your mind, it’s been made up by the DNC for you. Maybe it’s time for you to think about leaving the Democratic Party like thousands of young people are, off the top of my head I can’t recall the name to the movement but of course the “fake news” says that this being done by Russian bots. Hope this wasn’t too long for you.

KGOldWolf

I don’t depend on news broadcasters to form my opinion.... I watch the video of his behavior and see through the so called accomplishments you offered. Kim is making a fool of, Putin owns him, he lies... he refuses to release his tax returns so no one can follow the money. trump is a colossal failure and he distracts from his failures by inciting division just like the petty insults sprinkled through this thread.

I too am very frustrated by a Congress bought and paid for by special interests but the swamp is getting bigger and now smells a lot worse.

We still have First Amendment so we are each able to express our opinions... at least for now.

He’s dangerously incapable of effective leadership.