The President, The Press, and We The People
The current President of the United States has had some unusual ideas about how to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the world’s oldest continuing Democracy. A bloody fight on the White House lawn? Check. A grand prix car race around the U.S. Capitol? Check! An effort to paint the Reflecting Pool “American Flag Blue”? Well, ok, I guess. A triumphal arch hiding snipers and munitions? Really? Whatever.
Abolishing Freedom of the Press? Draw the line and hold it right there! The President reveals his woeful ignorance of American history — and the Constitutional duties of his office — when he now declares that certain news outlets (MSNOW, CNN, Politico) are banned from the White House because he does not like their reporting. The man who swore an oath to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States” that includes First Amendment Freedom of the Press actually said in an interview, ““There’s something wrong with a country that can allow people to write purposely negative stories.”
What??? Honest to goodness, that’s actually what’s right about this country! Freedom of the Press — and its close sibling, Freedom of Speech — means that reporters and everyday citizens are free to express themselves in whatever way they wish, positive or negative, and our government may not intervene to repress, constrain, punish or stop the speech or reporting. The First Amendment is really quite simple: reporting and speech in the United States is free, open and not subject to government censorship or restraint.
Above all else, the First Amendment freedoms are what we should be celebrating in this year of America250 because those freedoms of speech and expression gave life to our nation and have supported this experiment in freedom for two and one-half centuries. First Amendment freedoms are the bedrock of our way of life. For any president to attempt to put an end to those freedoms is an offense against not only the media outlets, but an offense against all citizens, We the People — WE are the beneficiaries of the careful stewardship of free speech and press. WE are responsible to sustain those freedoms for future generations.
The President’s churlish fit of pique against select news outlets occurred, ironically, one day after Constitution Day on which Trinity faculty and students gathered to consider the very issues now crowding the front pages. Dean Tom Mostowy gave a great overview of the creation of the Constitution, and then Newsroom Director Chaz Muth and journalists with the Trinity Times discussed the history and current state of press freedom (slide from Mr. Muth’s presentation on the right, and photo by Phil Reese below; see full slide decks from the 9/17 program on the website).
Following the program, several of the student journalists asked me for my thoughts on why press freedom is important — and of course I had to underscore the fundamental importance of a free press to sustaining all of our rights and privileges in a free society. Then they asked me what I thought about student press, and my answer is the same: student press and media are extremely important to the life and health of our campus community, and student journalism is vitally necessary to sustain an open, honest university. I am so proud of the Trinity Times and the work of our student journalists!
I noted that I was a student journalist for the Trinity Times “back in the day” and I learned the ropes of both journalism and the politics that naturally accompany good reporting. I didn’t mention this story in the interview, but I remembered it later on: one day when I was a student editor, the Trinity Times published something critical of the student government. The President of the Student Government stopped me on the hallway to complain bitterly and loudly, about the Trinity Times, “I love you most of the time, but sometimes you piss me off.” [direct quote, sorry for the slang…] That stung, but we didn’t change our story. Then, a year later, when I became the Student Government President, the roles were suddenly reversed, and I learned what it felt like to be the object of constant press criticism. Ugh. Not fun. But I learned to accept it as part of leadership.
Later on, as President of the University, I’ve had to deal with all kinds of media and, often, criticism and negativity. As a leader, I know that coping well with criticism — and, at times, even news stories I think are unfair — is part of my responsibility. If a reporter really gets facts wrong, I might call the reporter to discuss it, or even write a letter to the editor or op-ed. That’s how we do it in a free society.
What no leader can do — whether a Student Government President or University President or President of the United States — no leader can demand that the press stop doing their job, that only positive stories may be published, that journalists are banned from the premises for doing their job —- which is a job they do so that We, the People, can stay informed.
A President cannot be a “snowflake” melting into a puddle of tears and complaints when the news is negative. The strength of a leader is most obvious in the hard times, the trying moments, the times when learning from criticism and moving on reveals the qualities of the leader.
Most of all, a President of the United states must uphold and cherish the Constitution and Bill of Rights, especially the First Amendment. In the current case involving CNN, MSNOW and Politico, lawsuits will surely come and courts will most likely rule against the President’s actions. But frankly, it should never get that far. He should rescind his ban on the reporters and grow up, take the criticism and move on. THAT would be truly presidential.
