Donald Trump — Hero (because he attacked the media)

13-trump-laughs.w529.h352I have been saying for at least a decade that the media is conservatism’s and America’s real enemy. The media acted in such a biased and corrupt way in 2008, I was certain that the spell was broken and that the media would be harmless in 2012. Boy, was I wrong.

Since the 2012 presidential election debacle, the rallying cry for conservatives ought to have been “No more Candy Crowleys.” But it wasn’t — certainly not at the level of politicians and political operatives who continued to kowtow to the media, constantly massaging policies so as not to earn opprobrium from malevolent figures such as Katie Couric or even Jon Stewart. In addition, proving that my friend Meg is right, and they are all in it together, powerful congressional figures such as Boehner and McConnell used the media to destroy Ted Cruz, who threatened to destroy the power and money flowing to Democrats and to the entire RINO establishment.

As an aside, apropos McConnell, he did not endear himself to me when he announced that Congress would be keeping tabs on Trump.  He’s right that this is what the Constitution requires Congress to do, but Congress managed to forget its responsibilities in this regard for the past eight years. Again, Meg was probably right that Republicans don’t want anyone who might clean the Augean stables in which they comfortably wallow.

But Trump — Trump is different, and I’m reluctantly finding myself more fond of him every day. Over the last few days, Trump has been getting grief about a veterans’ charity. I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t know where the truth lies in this spat, but I do know that the same media that’s been pretending for years that Hillary doesn’t have ethical problems has been all over this story like flies on fecal matter. So today Trump had a press conference. . . .

The difference between Trump’s press conference and all other press conferences in the history of the modern Republican Party is that Trump took the fight to the media:

Donald Trump on Tuesday went on a sustained frontal assault against the media during a contentious news conference.

The billionaire had called the news conference to announce an accounting of his at least $5.6 million in fundraising for veterans groups, but spent most of the 40 minutes criticizing and insulting reporters — collectively and at times individually — as “dishonest,” “not good people,” sleazy, and among the worst human beings he has ever met.

And he vowed the White House briefing room would be just as combative as the Trump Tower lobby, where the developer addressed reporters Tuesday, should he ascend to the Oval Office.

“Yeah, it is going to be like this,” Trump said when asked if this is how he would behave with the press as president. “You think I’m gonna change? I’m not gonna change.”

At one point, Trump fumed: “I’m the only one in the world who can raise almost $6 million for the veterans, have uniform applause by the veterans groups, and end up being criticized by press.”

“I think the political press is among the most dishonest people that I have ever met, I have to tell you. I see the stories, and I see the way they’re couched,” he added.

Doesn’t that make you want to stand up and cheer? If Trump chooses a solid conservative, someone such as Newt Gingrich or Tom Cotton to be his Veep, I’ll vote for him enthusiastically, not reluctantly.

And one more point about Trump’s supposed bringing down the tone of the White House. Yes, he is a vulgarian, but I’ve never forgotten that it was Barack Obama who brought toilet jokes and sleazy rap to the White House. Obama lowered the tone spectacularly, but that same fawning, dishonest media now highlighting every bit of dirt they can find on Trump (as they’ve done to all Republican candidates) praised Obama rather than castigating him for it.

Victor Davis Hanson is beginning to catch on to the fact that Trump appeals to ordinary conservatives, the backbone of conservatism. These people are sick of effete intellectuals, on the one hand, and sleazy political operatives, on the other hand, all of whom either appease the media and the institutional Left or enthusiastically cooperate. Although I’m probably a member of that effete intellectual class — European parents, college, law school, upscale suburb — part of my break from the Democrat Party was recognizing that I don’t share values with my own class. I may not attend NASCAR races, but the NASCAR crowd is a lot closer to me in core values than the elite effete.