The Real Problem With Donald Trump's CNN Surrogates

About two weeks ago I wrote a post where I said that the only thing worse than watching Donald Trump in full fury, was having to listen to his screaming surrogates on CNN.

And this doesn't help.

Not when Corey Lewandowski is reportedly being paid $500,000 by CNN, while apparently still working for Trump.

But the worst thing about those surrogates is that not only are they incredibly annoying, CNN's decision to employ them is also a threat to American democracy.

For the reasons this guy from mediamatters4america explains in this video.



These days Donald Trump can't say enough bad things about the media, including CNN.


But the fact is CNN helped make him who he is today, by turning his primary campaign into a reality TV show, running his rallies live and unfiltered for hour after hour. 

Not properly challenging the multitude of lies that poured out of his big mouth.

And by allowing any discussion of those lies to degenerate into a screaming match, with  the Trump surrogates shouting down their opponents, and repeating ad nauseam the lies their monstrous master feeds them every morning...



And the problem as Nik Nanos points out, is that in an election campaign the Big Lie can work.

Although observers and pundits may dismiss the lie as an unfathomable winner in any political contest, the recent Brexit vote should be a sobering reminder of how the lie, if it appeals or validates the anger or frustration of voters, becomes a vehicle and rationalization for punishing the establishment.

The lesson here is that lies can persuade voters and liars can win. Perhaps that is the most unfair lesson of today’s state of political discourse.

After all, if one’s objective is to punish the political establishment, it seems one is likely willing to accept a lie or two just to achieve the core mission to punish.

By confusing so-called low information voters, or fooling them into believing things that are just not true.

I realize that CNN exists in a competitive environment, and maybe they could give the surrogates their own show. So the sane would have a chance of avoiding them.

But by relying on those surrogates so heavily, instead of covering the campaign with their own journalists, the network failed both its viewers, and their democracy.

And thank goodness for the print media...