CNN’s Jake Tapper discusses and reflects on the completion of an American election that changed everything.
If this years election didn’t effect you when one way or another then you may have been living under a rock. Jake Tapper was at the center of it all as the primaries unfolded, when the election happened, when the term “Fake news” started happening and when CNN got black listed by the Trump administration. He the audience some insight on what it’s like to be a person of the media during any presidential administration but especially the United State’s current administration.
Tapper who has been known for almost being too serious, had some funny and insightful thoughts on the trump administration and surprising they weren’t all bad. Facilitator, Ana Marie Cox Tapper what were some of the most significant changes have happen since the Trump administration has taken office? Tapper, “Some are good and some are bad. But to be honest we don’t really know how it’s changed yet. It seems that this administration wants to delegitimize any checks and balances that oppose them. But i do know that people (good journalists), are rising to the occasion. They don’t care that media outlets like Breitbart are slamming them for doing good journalism.” He also went on to say, “It’s a tough world to be in when the President of the free world declares any story he doesn’t like as “Fake news” and everything he does like as “good news.” “And by the way, can I just say that yelling out “FAKE NEWS!” is really childish and a ridiculous thing to say.”
Ana Marie Cox went on to ask if there was a time that he knew Trump would win the primaries or even the election. It was clear that he like many others was blind sided by Trump winning but he said he knew that he would win the primaries after a specific debate took place. “ It was like none of the republican candidates wanted to really answer questions or even go after Trump. When I asked a questions about vaccinations and our kids. Trump was against it and I thought for sure that Ben Carson, a Surgeon would for sure oppose him and he never did. It was like no one wanted to go after him the way he went after everyone else and it was clear that science and empirical truths just weren’t respected and not important during this election.”
Some may read this and totally agree with what Tapper has to say and some may hate him for it. The fact of the matter is that we live in a very divided country and right now everyone is trying to make sense of it and/ find solutions. To be honest I don’t believe that Tapper is a huge fan of Trump and he condemned him on many things. Making fun of the handicapped, blatantly lying, make racists remarks and playing them off as no such thing. He also said, “ I tried 3 times to get him to condemn David Duke and the KKK and he just wouldn’t do it. And by the way if you are a young aspiring politician, it is quite literally the easiest question to answer. The answer is YES, you condemn David Duke and the KKK.” But Tapper also said that every administration is different and comes with their own challenges. The Trump administration is definitely the most different and seemingly most difficult. He ended with saying, “Look, I’m not a member of the resistance. I am a member of the media and it’s our job to hold this and any administration accountable.”
