# Washington Post: By attacking Trump so fiercely, the establishment actually burnished his image among his supporters **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [October 12, 2022, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-by-attacking-trump-so-fiercely-the-establishment-actually-burnished-his-image-among-his-supporters/973133 "2022-10-12T17:49:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2022, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-by-attacking-trump-so-fiercely-the-establishment-actually-burnished-his-image-among-his-supporters/973133/1 "2022-10-12T17:49:50Z")
[Summary of a good Op-Ed in the Washington Post:](https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/10/12/kari-lake-trump-populism-sellout/) Trump’s popularity was in major part due to the fact that he branded himself as an outsider, coming in to shake up Washington. The op-ed notes that such a message is nothing new - in fact, **most** first-time candidates campaign on precisely that slogan, “I’m the outsider who will shake up Washington big-time” - but then, once elected, promptly _become_ the sort of milquetoast insider politician they formerly railed against, leading their voters to feel “betrayed.” But when Trump came to town, the media and establishment attacked him ferociously, which boosted Trump’s image among his supporters because they thought, “For **once** there’s a candidate who actually _remains_ an outsider when he gets to Washington and doesn’t become one of the insiders.” TL;DR; if the media and establishment wanted to take down Trump, they should have made him look like yet another Beltway _insider_, not some maverick outsider. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2022, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-by-attacking-trump-so-fiercely-the-establishment-actually-burnished-his-image-among-his-supporters/973133/2 "2022-10-12T17:58:42Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > But when Trump came to town, the media and establishment attacked him ferociously Eh, you mean they reported on what he said and did. > [@Velocity](#): > > which boosted Trump’s image among his supporters because they thought, “For **once** there’s a candidate who actually _remains_ an outsider when he gets to Washington and doesn’t become one of the insiders.” Yeah, I can see how someone who doesn’t understand a thing about how our country and government works, and/or wants to see it fail would see that as a good thing. > [@Velocity](#): > > TL;DR; if the media and establishment wanted to take down Trump, they should have made him look like yet another Beltway _insider_, not some maverick outsider. How would they have done that? It would take quite a bit of ignoring of reality and fabricating a new one in order to do so. This also makes the assertion that the media and the establishment wanted to “take down” Trump, which is in itself a bit of ignoring of reality. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2022, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-by-attacking-trump-so-fiercely-the-establishment-actually-burnished-his-image-among-his-supporters/973133/3 "2022-10-12T18:02:15Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > It would take quite a bit of ignoring of reality and fabricating a new one in order to do so. Trumpeteers cry “Fake News” so much as it is. Can you imagine what they’d do when there’s actual Fake News? ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2022, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-by-attacking-trump-so-fiercely-the-establishment-actually-burnished-his-image-among-his-supporters/973133/4 "2022-10-12T18:13:05Z")
From the Op-Ed: > We thought we were helping to minimize the threats Trump posed to the system, but the very vehemence of our rejection might actually have increased his power. I mean, sure. Journalists may have had (and still have) a rosy eyed view of their contributions, but: a) They were necessary and have slowly convinced sane Americans that Trump is toxic b) In Trump’s eyes any criticism is an attack and his supporters buy whatever spin he puts on things. I disagree that it’s a good piece. It has a narrow focus on one single cause and ignores all the other causes of the consequences, and it offers no thoughts on other possible choices. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2022, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-by-attacking-trump-so-fiercely-the-establishment-actually-burnished-his-image-among-his-supporters/973133/5 "2022-10-12T18:15:01Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > TL;DR; if the media and establishment wanted to take down Trump, they should have made him look like yet another Beltway _insider_, not some maverick outsider. The fundamental problem is, it’s really very hard to argue with someone who’s using motivated reasoning. The news were basically reporting the facts - Trump did and said a lot of stupid shit, and lied constantly. The result? “The media hates Trump! We’re going to love him even more!” So let’s say the media decided to downplay Trump’s stupidity, or even pretend that it wasn’t stupidity. What’s the more likely response? “Gee, the media like him know, I guess I’ll hate him!” or, “Gee, the media is finally agreeing that he’s a genius, therefore _we’re_ all geniuses for having voted for him, despite all those Poindexters telling us it was a bad idea!!!” ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2022, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-by-attacking-trump-so-fiercely-the-establishment-actually-burnished-his-image-among-his-supporters/973133/6 "2022-10-12T18:30:07Z")
“Saying it like it is” and “owning the libs” worked hand-in-hand, and was like crack to his devoted followers, but I am not seeing how media covering all the crazy stuff TFG said and did as news gave him more power. There was so much stuff going on at any one time it was hard to focus - like an overflowing toilet, but rather than giving TFG more power, all the attention he created with “Saying it like it is” and “owning the libs” probably made him “feel” more powerful than he actually was. There is a difference between feeling powerful, and being powerful. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2022, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-by-attacking-trump-so-fiercely-the-establishment-actually-burnished-his-image-among-his-supporters/973133/7 "2022-10-12T18:32:57Z")
This is part of the trap of anti-liberal “analysis.” If you make too good a case against the fascist, you will only help the fascist. There might be some truth to it, in some very limited sense; but in the big picture, it’s not worth paying attention to. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2022, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-by-attacking-trump-so-fiercely-the-establishment-actually-burnished-his-image-among-his-supporters/973133/8 "2022-10-12T18:43:36Z")
It is worth seeing what could be done better next time a wannabee fascist runs for office, but this is simply part of the “Blame everyone but those who actually supported Trump.” narrative that seems so popular these days. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2022, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-by-attacking-trump-so-fiercely-the-establishment-actually-burnished-his-image-among-his-supporters/973133/9 "2022-10-12T19:02:55Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > this is simply part of the “Blame everyone but those who actually supported Trump.” narrative that seems so popular these days. Yep. > [@k9bfriender](#): > > It is worth seeing what could be done better next time a wannabee fascist runs for office It can be helpful if you are talking about what mistakes a candidate or the candidate’s direct operatives committed. If you are talking about “anything anyone anywhere ever said, including journalists, commentators, and every other random fool on the internet,” then you know it’s not sincere analysis. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2022, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-by-attacking-trump-so-fiercely-the-establishment-actually-burnished-his-image-among-his-supporters/973133/10 "2022-10-12T19:20:51Z")
In a war attacking the enemy that will make them fight back harder, so the winning strategy is to preemptively surrender. 🙄 ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2022, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-by-attacking-trump-so-fiercely-the-establishment-actually-burnished-his-image-among-his-supporters/973133/11 "2022-10-12T19:41:46Z")
I think a better analogy would be the Hunger Games. One of the Capitol’s advisors says that the way to defeat Katniss (a symbol of rebel resistance) is not to attack her, but rather, portray her as one of their own - the empire’s own, that is. Then the rebels would go from loving her to hating her. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2022, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-by-attacking-trump-so-fiercely-the-establishment-actually-burnished-his-image-among-his-supporters/973133/12 "2022-10-12T19:45:24Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > I think a better analogy would be the Hunger Games. Nothing related to the Hunger Games could make anything better, but I’ll bite. > [@Velocity](#): > > One of the Capitol’s advisors says that the way to defeat Katniss (a symbol of rebel resistance) is not to attack her, but rather, portray her as one of their own - the empire’s own, that is. Then the rebels would go from loving her to hating her. So, do you think that if the media had portrayed Trump as a billionaire who lives in a gold splattered “apartment” several times larger than the average person’s home, it may have made his supporters not think of him as one of them? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2022, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-by-attacking-trump-so-fiercely-the-establishment-actually-burnished-his-image-among-his-supporters/973133/13 "2022-10-12T19:47:34Z")
More like, the media should have portrayed Trump as being another boring Washington insider who is all about “compromise, bipartisanship, being nice to Democrats” and “crossing the aisle.” That would infuriate his diehards. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2022, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-by-attacking-trump-so-fiercely-the-establishment-actually-burnished-his-image-among-his-supporters/973133/14 "2022-10-12T19:51:06Z")
So, you mean just straight up lie? How do you get _all_ the media outlets to go along with this? You do realize that “the media” isn’t some monolithic entity, it is made of hundreds of news outlets and tens of thousands of journalists, each and every one of which would have to agree to this lie. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2022, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-by-attacking-trump-so-fiercely-the-establishment-actually-burnished-his-image-among-his-supporters/973133/15 "2022-10-12T19:51:19Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > More like, the media should have portrayed Trump as being another boring Washington insider who is all about “compromise, bipartisanship, being nice to Democrats” and “crossing the aisle.” That would infuriate his diehards. aaaand, he used to be friends with the Clintons!! ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2022, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-by-attacking-trump-so-fiercely-the-establishment-actually-burnished-his-image-among-his-supporters/973133/16 "2022-10-12T19:51:51Z")
Are you seriously suggesting that the media should have engaged in a systematic campaign of lying about Trump in order to hurt him, and that that would have been effective? That author is one of the most infuriating sort of never Trumpers, the sort that still somehow manage to blame Democrats for the republican party’s descent into insanity. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2022, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-by-attacking-trump-so-fiercely-the-establishment-actually-burnished-his-image-among-his-supporters/973133/17 "2022-10-12T19:53:32Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Are you seriously suggesting that the media should have engaged in a systematic campaign of lying about Trump in order to hurt him, and that that would have been effective? OTOH, it is the modus operandi of the right wing outlets, and it _does_ seem to be effective. I don’t know that the world would be a better place if all the media outlets just started lying, but at least they will tell us it is. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2022, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-by-attacking-trump-so-fiercely-the-establishment-actually-burnished-his-image-among-his-supporters/973133/18 "2022-10-12T19:56:37Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > More like, the media should have portrayed Trump as being another boring Washington insider who is all about “compromise, bipartisanship, being nice to Democrats” and “crossing the aisle.” That would infuriate his diehards. And how exactly would you do that? “Today President Trump called for building a new wall between the US and Mexico - _just like the Democrats wanted him to do!!_” “Today President Trump called for lowering corporate taxes - _just like the Democrats wanted him to do!!_” “Today President Trump called for drilling or oil in every National Park - _just like the Democrats wanted him to do!!_” Do you really think anyone would believe that any of Trump’s preferred policies were supported in any real way by the Democrats? ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2022, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-by-attacking-trump-so-fiercely-the-establishment-actually-burnished-his-image-among-his-supporters/973133/19 "2022-10-12T19:58:30Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > I don’t know that the world would be a better place if all the media outlets just started lying, but at least they will tell us it is. Stop for a moment, and imagine what 2020 would have been like in the US if _everyone_ had been lying as much as Trump. Now project that onto any other major crisis you can imagine. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2022, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-by-attacking-trump-so-fiercely-the-establishment-actually-burnished-his-image-among-his-supporters/973133/20 "2022-10-12T20:13:17Z")
Here’s a view: > **[Perspective | If Trump Runs Again, Do Not Cover Him the Same Way: A...](https://www.washingtonpost.com/magazine/2022/10/12/margaret-sullivan-how-media-should-cover-trump-next-campaign/)** > > I believed in traditional reporting, but Trump changed me — and it should change the rest of the media too. > For one thing, I’m convinced that journalists — specifically those who cover politics — must keep a sharp focus on truth-seeking, not old-style performative neutrality. Does that mean we throw objectivity out the window? Of course not. We should be resolutely objective in the sense of seeking evidence and approaching subjects with an open mind. We should not, however, resort to taking everything down the middle, no matter what. Rather than, for example, having equal numbers of Republicans and Democrats (or conservatives and progressives) on every talk show, or devoting equal numbers of words to each side of a political argument, we should be thinking about what coverage serves the public best. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-by-attacking-trump-so-fiercely-the-establishment-actually-burnished-his-image-among-his-supporters/973133.md?page=2)