Never pick a fight with someone who buys ink by the barrel. -- Pug Mahoney
To believe, or not to believe, that is the question. There is always a choice. You can choose to believe anything and everything a politician says, or you can read what independent monitors report on what he says and does, as well as what the effects may be, then make up your own mind about what it means.
If you still approve, despite evidence that the politician may be mistaken, that too is your right.
Nevertheless, the news media will continue to report negative as well as supporting evidence on the politician's words and actions.
No amount of protests demanding support for the politician, or even threats if journalists fail to show what protestors deem adequate support, will change that.
If it ever does, America's free society will be in serious trouble.
Even so, corporate advisors and political campaign managers do their best to control the message conveyed to the public. And that's okay. That's the way the system works in a free society. Some call it adversarial journalism, but to acknowledge that members of the news media are adversaries is not to say they are the enemy. To treat them as such is to encourage violence.
Sadly, we have seen examples of violent action against reporters at campaign rallies, often encouraged by the political speaker.
That will not stop journalists from reporting what the politician says and does. In fact, continuing to insult the news media only means sharper pencils and more diligent pursuit of opposing evidence to what a politician claims.
The pen is mightier than the sword.
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