In a further display of what has, to this point, been seemingly well-rewarded hubris, the Trump team has enlisted the help of another family member to help spread the message that through them (and agreeable outlets like Fox And Friends) is the path to “real news.”
In a new video posted to Donald Trump’s official Facebook page, Presidential daughter-in-law Lara Trump (Eric’s wife) declared that “there’s so much fake news out there” before launching into a list of highlights from last week including Trump’s decision to donate his second quarter salary to the Department of Education. And, in a way, Lara Trump has a point because nobody spent too much time talking about that story last week. Why? Here’s a simulation of what that story experienced when it walked into newsrooms and journo Slack chats all over the country last week as the Mooch went on the loose, Reince Priebus got shot out of a cannon, and a few thousand Boy Scouts got a hell of a life lesson.
But Lara Trump’s broadcast doesn’t mention any of those things. It’s a sunshiny forecast despite the fact that there are gray storm clouds above. Clouds that look like a North Korean missile, John McCain’s downturned thumb, and Steve Bannon attempting… The clouds were gray and ominous last week! Undeniably so, and yet this White House and the Trump family continues to spin, spin, spin. And why wouldn’t they? Even though the once adored Rasmussen Poll has Trump’s approval rating at 39%, there are still people that will accept the Trump read (or the pro-Trump angle) over wide reports and what they’re seeing with their eyes.
That the Trump team is refusing to acknowledge its missteps (like, literally) and ignoring the judgment of people that buy media reports of chaos isn’t a shock. It’s just more hubris. They believe that they can win back enough support from the middle and people who are barely paying attention (what are your secrets!?) when they need it again in 2018 and in 2020 while assuming that tweets and Facebook videos will continue to soothe the base and occasionally pull in a few new supporters. And who knows, maybe they’re right. Denial is a powerful thing, especially when it underwrites a political movement.
(Via Think Progress)