Perhaps one of the most surprising individuals to speak out consistently against Trump, and to advocate serious resistance, is former CBS news anchor Dan Rather.
It is not surprising that he would be opposed to Trump. After all, Rather was not a friend of President Richard Nixon, and the same could be said of President George W. Bush. I still remember election night in 2004, which I had considered the very worst and most depressing election that I could ever remember, prior to the 2016 election. There were very few silver linings in that particular election, although one of those few highlights was Dan Rather, who really showed just how funny he can be. I still remember the laughter he received on live television when he announced that Pete Coors had been defeated in Colorado's Senate race. At that point, Coors beer was promoting it's silver bullet line, and Rather mused that the election results effectively were the silver bullet through the heart of Coors' political ambitions.
Even now, more than 12 years later, recalling that makes me laugh, and there was precious little to laugh about on that evening.
Of course now, as impossible as it seems, the situation seems even more dire. After all, I never thought that I would see the day when George W. Bush would actually appear like a moderate. But with the narcissistic megalomaniac now in charge, having somehow found his way to the White House, this has indeed come to pass.
Rather, many years now removed from when he was the anchor of CBS News, and some of course questioned his relevance. Indeed, he seemed to disappear from the scene for a while there.
But he has once again emerged, and done so with a vengeance!
Yes, Rather has been urging people to resist Trump, and has mentioned that the time is now, the level of urgency is already at a point that requires strong action and activism.
Not surprisingly, Rather speaks from experience, having battled other unpleasant and borderline tyrannical presidential administrations in the past. Those experiences have informed him of what we all need to expect, and Rather has been frank about it:
Rather mentioned what needed to happen, and what journalists and activists could expect:
“One way a reporter should be judged is how well he or she stands up to the pressure to intimidate.”
He mentioned specifically how the powers that be would try to discredit opponents:
“We’re going to hang a sign around you which calls you some bad name. Anti-military, anti-American, anti-war.”
“Then when Watergate came into being was the first time I began to hear this word ‘liberal’ as an epithet thrown my way. People with very strong biases of their own, they come at you with a story.”
Yes, Rather has some experience with this, but he also knows just how important it is to stand up to authoritarian figures who forget that they are public servants. Many reporters will allow themselves to be intimidated, and will bend, if not break, to the pressures of a powerful set of leaders. What is needed is reporters who remain brave and focused on what they have to do, and not what any given administration would want them to do:
“If you won’t report it the way I want it reported, then you’re biased,” Rather said in alluding to the authoritarian line that the Nixon administration took toward journalists.
“Now, it is true about me, better or for worse, if you want to see my neck swell you just try to tell me where to line up. Or mostly what to report.”
“I have my weaknesses,” Rather concluded. “But the one mistake I’ve tried hard not to make is to say ‘Okay I know which way the wind is blowing and I’m going to tailor my reporting to fit that.’” “Are you going to do it,” Rather said. “Haven’t, don’t, won’t.”
WATCH: Dan Rather Releases Video to Challenge Donald Trump. Watch and SPREAD.
http://www.learnprogress.org/dan-rather-challenge-trump/
‘Words fall far short of deeds’: Dan Rather rips Trump for denouncing anti-semitism — and keeping Bannon Elizabeth Preza ELIZABETH PREZA 21 FEB 2017
‘Words fall far short of deeds’: Dan Rather rips Trump for denouncing anti-semitism — and keeping Bannon Elizabeth Preza ELIZABETH PREZA 21 FEB 2017
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