Levesque: Trump vs. the Media - Is He Winning?

By Neil Levesque

"Never attack people that buy ink by the barrel."

For generations, this is the sage PR advice given to perennial politicians angry at reporters covering them.

Learned the hard way by many presidential candidates (most notably Edmund Muskie in 1972, who was just one of many candidates who paid the price by firing back against people in the news business), lashing out at reporters and their bosses, is like scratching a bad case of poison ivy. It may feel good at the moment, but it just makes it worse.

But Donald Trump may just prove this advice wrong. We have learned many times in 2016 from Trump that old time-tested sage advice may not apply. At a news conference this week he personally attacked reporters by name. It was vicious, unusual, and at times, uncomfortable to watch. The reporters themselves seemed most stunned and alarmed. But it may just be effective for Trump.

Politicians don't agree on much but they almost uniformly believe that members of the media are personally, and partisanly, against them. They may not show it, but they definitely believe it. For Republicans and donservatives, it's even worse. For years, Republican nominees such as Bush (41), Bush (43), McCain and Romney have stood before the press corps like a lambs before hungry partisan wolves. Regardless of whether this media bias is based in fact or fiction, it is a true that Republican candidates feel especially vulnerable. Their supporters feel slighted and that the media, and thus the system is rigged.

Trump doesn't tolerate what he views as bias or even unnecessary cross examination. He fires back in personal ways that shock many people but especially the media. He even took on Megyn Kelly of Fox News, and won.

Being tough and brash and pushing back on reporters adds to the Trump political brand that has brought him success so far. But it may also create reporters who are more hesitant to write the critical story or present the challenging question. Journalism has changed. Ratings rule and the green room make-up artist is as important as the stock price of the mega corporation that owns the television network.

Murrow, Cronkite are no longer with us and with so many more networks and competition there are less giants in media who would be bullet-proof against a Trump attack. Being the target of a Trump battle may leave a reporter battered and left behind by networks sensitive to ratings, reputation, and stock prices. There is no academic tenure for the reporter who does an accurate fact-check but one who draws the ire of Donald Trump.

There isn't a communications consultant in America who would advise a political candidate to launch ad hominem attacks on members, Trump did this week. But it may just be an effective strategy for this Republican nominee.

Neil Levesque is the executive director of the New Hampshire Institute of Politics & Political Library.