# What does "we’re going to run the country" mean? Fucking media do your fucking job!?! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [January 3, 2026, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-we-re-going-to-run-the-country-mean-fucking-media-do-your-fucking-job/1026320 "2026-01-03T21:53:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-we-re-going-to-run-the-country-mean-fucking-media-do-your-fucking-job/1026320/121 "2026-01-06T16:29:17Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > That’s what a respectable and responsible newspaper does It’s also, apparently, what a shitty rag like the New York Times does. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-we-re-going-to-run-the-country-mean-fucking-media-do-your-fucking-job/1026320/122 "2026-01-06T16:30:57Z")
> [@yendis](#): > > As evidenced by US helicopters flying low over cities without taking any fire. And it’s been shown in Ukraine that a few defenders with machine guns or shoulder launched missiles make heliborne operations very dangerous. The CIA obviously got quite a bit of information, whether it came from military or civilian sources. Fourteen journalists were arrested, and thirteen of them released. I imagine that the Venezuelan government is looking for who talked. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-we-re-going-to-run-the-country-mean-fucking-media-do-your-fucking-job/1026320/123 "2026-01-06T18:25:57Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > The fact that this essay was written by a third party is irrelevant. It is relevant to the claim that the (non-right-wing) media itself is saying these things, which was the exact claim I was skeptical of, and which turns out to be untrue. So no, you can’t say the exact thing I pushed back on isn’t relevant to whether or not that exact thing is true. Publishing a guest opinion is no different than uncritically reporting another person’s claim. Which, for the third time, **is still bad**. We are criticizing the media for not pushing back on Trump’s claims, not asking questions such as how he’s supposedly “running” Venezuela. Media figures are just reporting on his statements, repeating what he and others in his administration are claiming. Which is the same sort of culpability that a media outlet has when they choose to publish an opinion piece that defends and endorses the administration’s actions. When the media (outside of the right-wing propaganda outlets) starts expressing support on its own, rather than giving a platform for others, that’s an additional escalation that I hope we don’t see. Because that’s the point where the media is lost. I think we’re already halfway there, but we’re not there yet. NYT and CNN and so on have not yet turned into Fox News, though the _Washington Post_ has. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-we-re-going-to-run-the-country-mean-fucking-media-do-your-fucking-job/1026320/124 "2026-01-06T18:31:11Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Your complaint is that The New York Times ran an OpEd supporting the president’s actions? I’m taking Smapti’s word for its content for the sake of argument that it was worse than the usual “other side opinion” op-ed. Which may be foolish of me, since I’ve established that Smapti has misrepresented the situation already, but since it’s paywalled I can’t counter him on that. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-we-re-going-to-run-the-country-mean-fucking-media-do-your-fucking-job/1026320/125 "2026-01-06T18:44:53Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > Because that’s the point where the media is lost. I think we’re already halfway there, but we’re not there yet. NYT and CNN and so on have not yet turned into Fox News, though the _Washington Post_ has. Well, if a couple of media outlets haven’t yet become literal mouthpieces for neo-Hitler, we should be very circumspect when criticizing their choice to continue giving guest platforms to neo-Hitler’s ardent supporters. God forbid we overreact. What will people think? ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-we-re-going-to-run-the-country-mean-fucking-media-do-your-fucking-job/1026320/126 "2026-01-06T19:11:47Z")
Credit where it’s due, the Sunday morning shows took Rubio to the woodshed. [Meet the Press.](https://youtu.be/uMVxYx80v1k) [Face The Nation.](https://youtu.be/Fbac7hvqLeY) And my personal favorite, [This Week.](https://youtu.be/DMdTS2lkpmw) ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-we-re-going-to-run-the-country-mean-fucking-media-do-your-fucking-job/1026320/127 "2026-01-06T19:44:26Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Well, if a couple of media outlets haven’t yet become literal mouthpieces for neo-Hitler, we should be very circumspect when criticizing their choice to continue giving guest platforms to neo-Hitler’s ardent supporters. Who’s being circumspect? You’re acting like I’ve been defending them or something, when all I did was push back on misinformation from one poster. I haven’t disagreed with **any** other criticisms, which I think are valid criticisms, and I’ve explicitly said that what the media is doing is bad. In this thread, and in other threads. I do agree with journalists not being opinionated in reporting, but you can’t just brush off blatant lies. Even if you don’t call them lies, the only responsible thing is to fact-check. _Sometimes_ the media does this, but not always. And follow up on something that’s a contradiction, or a blatant lie, or just batshit. Or even show some fucking curiosity. The title of this thread is a perfect example of the kind of questions he needs to be asked. And if Trump dodges the answer, or gets angry and shuts down the questions, _that’s good_ because people need to see that even if he doesn’t give an answer. The evasion and the pushback _is_ news itself. Also, I don’t think journalists have to stick with norms all of the time when we’re not dealing with a normal president doing normal things. The norms don’t work. You can’t stick to the script when someone is raving and ranting. I think that the reaction of the majority of posters in this thread is what we should be having. It’s unacceptable for an administration to behave this way, and it’s unacceptable to sanewash them and treat them like any other administration. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-we-re-going-to-run-the-country-mean-fucking-media-do-your-fucking-job/1026320/128 "2026-01-06T20:02:07Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > I was saying that the obvious reluctance to let the actual people’s choice be interim president, and sidelining of the idea of elections, _and_ apparent willingness to work with wanted criminals in the maduro regime, all point to some behind the scenes coordination. Venezuela has a constitution and a legally-established order of succession in the event that the president is incapable of discharging their duties. If Trump were to have a stroke on the toilet it doesn’t mean Kamala Harris gets to be president. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-we-re-going-to-run-the-country-mean-fucking-media-do-your-fucking-job/1026320/129 "2026-01-06T20:06:37Z")
The Constitution of Venezuela hasn’t been being followed since at least 2015 when Maduro created a replacement Congress via Executive Order and had them announce him the winner of the election. It’s deeply unlikely that Maduro or Delcy Rodriguez have any Constitutional right to their office. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-we-re-going-to-run-the-country-mean-fucking-media-do-your-fucking-job/1026320/130 "2026-01-06T20:10:40Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > If Trump were to have a stroke on the toilet it doesn’t mean Kamala Harris gets to be president. Dammit, I wish that were true though. Just this once. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-we-re-going-to-run-the-country-mean-fucking-media-do-your-fucking-job/1026320/131 "2026-01-06T21:49:51Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > > > That’s what a respectable and responsible newspaper does > > It’s also, apparently, what a shitty rag like the New York Times does. You think the New York Times is a shitty rag? Which newspapers do you respect? ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-we-re-going-to-run-the-country-mean-fucking-media-do-your-fucking-job/1026320/132 "2026-01-07T00:58:10Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Which newspapers do you respect? Oh man, that’s a good one! The news media in this country is dead, self inflicted wounds, they are utterly useless. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-we-re-going-to-run-the-country-mean-fucking-media-do-your-fucking-job/1026320/133 "2026-01-07T11:14:03Z")
I wasn’t trying for a “gotcha” question. I was just trying to understand your perspective. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-we-re-going-to-run-the-country-mean-fucking-media-do-your-fucking-job/1026320/134 "2026-01-07T12:52:51Z")
I’m not exactly a fan of news media. Long ago they sold their souls for page views, became distributors for Trump’s propaganda (because he drives page views), and have helped lead this country to ruin. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-we-re-going-to-run-the-country-mean-fucking-media-do-your-fucking-job/1026320/135 "2026-01-07T22:44:36Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > > [@Sherrerd](#): > > > > Donald could strangle Melania on-camera and they’d be all '_this is part of our system, we may not be used to it but we have to have faith in the Founders…’_ > > No he couldn’t. Melania would kick his ass… Granted, she is a quarter-century younger than her sugar-daddy. But I’ve never seen evidence that she’s particularly athletic or even fit. If Donald put her to sleep by talking at her for a few minutes, I think he could manage to deal with her. Anyway, back to the Media: we’ll know a lot about their level of capture by how they discuss today’s shooting in Minneapolis (ICE agent killing woman in car). Do they simply relay the obvious lies being told by Noem and Donald? Or do they offer facts? ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2026, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-we-re-going-to-run-the-country-mean-fucking-media-do-your-fucking-job/1026320/136 "2026-01-08T02:35:40Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > But I’ve never seen evidence that she’s particularly athletic or even fit. She was/is a model. I suspect she is pretty fit. She’s not a 98 lb weakling. She is not twiggy. She could take her heals off and beat DJT with them. TACO. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2026, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-we-re-going-to-run-the-country-mean-fucking-media-do-your-fucking-job/1026320/137 "2026-01-08T03:04:17Z")
I think Trump might be legitimately afraid of pissing Melania off. Possibly because she’s got a really good pre-nup. When Michael Cohen flipped on Trump and testified to Congress, he said the main reason he didn’t believe the legendary “pee tape” was real was because he couldn’t imagine Trump doing something that would make Melania mad at him. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2026, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-we-re-going-to-run-the-country-mean-fucking-media-do-your-fucking-job/1026320/138 "2026-01-08T14:21:52Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > I think Trump might be legitimately afraid of pissing Melania off. Possibly because she’s got a really good pre-nup. Probably a good right-cross too. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2026, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-we-re-going-to-run-the-country-mean-fucking-media-do-your-fucking-job/1026320/139 "2026-01-08T21:37:59Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Possibly because she’s got a really good pre-nup. Is that speculation, or do we actually know what the pre-nup says? ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2026, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-we-re-going-to-run-the-country-mean-fucking-media-do-your-fucking-job/1026320/140 "2026-01-08T23:16:38Z")
We don’t know, but it was modified in his 1st term to induce her to move to the White House from NYC. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-we-re-going-to-run-the-country-mean-fucking-media-do-your-fucking-job/1026320.md?page=6)