Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
The Details
In the grand circus of politics, it’s not every day that the ringmaster takes a break from the lions, clowns, and tightrope walkers to teach the peanut-crunching crowd a thing or two. But here we are, folks—Joe Biden, in all his aviator-wearing glory, has decided to step into the classroom and drop some knowledge bombs on the media regarding the one and only, President bygone, Donald Trump. As described in a poignant piece by Salon, Biden took the stage, metaphorically and literally, and essentially gave the press a ‘Trump 101’ crash course, detailing how to handle the misfires and manipulations of their favorite headline-maker. It’s like watching your grandpa finally figuring out how to use the remote control after years of hitting ‘Menu’ and wondering why the 6 o’clock news won’t show.
The Breakdown
- Joe Goes to Media School: Picturing the President as a guest lecturer makes you wonder if there’s an honorary doctorate in Trump Studies lurking out there. Little did the press know they’d be getting a full seminar on ‘The Art of Trump’—and wouldn’t you know it, attendance was mandatory!
- Specifics: Imagine Joe, chalk in-hand, circling the ways Trump manipulates the narrative. First rule: don’t feed the trolls or the Trumps after midnight.
- Trolling Trump 101: Uncle Joe’s syllabus probably includes how to spot a wild Trump in his natural habitat—Twitter. Lesson two: if you see a tweet storm brewing, better take cover, or even better, ignore it.
- Specifics: It’s like studying a rare bird, only this bird parrots misinformation and loves to peck at the hand that feeds it, or in this case, the hand that tweets it.
- Masterclass in Misdirection: Biden illustrated how Trump is more illusionist than president—next thing we know, he’ll be selling Trump-branded straight jackets for those daring escape acts from reality.
- Specifics: Biden’s pointing out every shiny object Trump throws into the media mix. Evidently, each one is a distraction from whatever dumpster fire he left in the Rose Garden.
- The Art of the Delusion: According to Biden, Donald J. is more committed to his own reality than most marriages—43% of ’em, statistically speaking.
- Specifics: Trump’s alternative facts are like a bad game of telephone; by the end, Mexico’s paying for GameStop’s stock surge.
- Media’s Misery and Masochism: Journalism’s strange addiction to the man, the myth, the meme—DJT. When it comes to Trump, the media behaves like a moth to a flame; only the flame is made of hairspray and old steak.
- Specifics: For every Trump tweet, a journalist gets his wings—and a headache. Blessed are the fact-checkers, for they shall inherit the carpal tunnel.
The Counter
- Hail to the Tweet: What the world needs now is more Trump tweets, sweet Trump tweets. Who doesn’t love waking up to a 5 AM policy announcement laced with the eloquence of a toddler refusing to eat his greens?
- Diversion, Shmiversion: Let’s face it, if we didn’t have the constant diversions, life would be a yawn-fest. I mean, who cares about climate change when you can argue about the crowd size at an inauguration?
- Reality TV Presidency: Traditional politics? Snooze. What America really wants is all the drama, all the time. Who’s getting voted off the island this week? Tune in to the next Cabinet meeting to find out!
- Alternative Facts are Simply Misunderstood Truths: Why settle for boring old objective reality when you can dabble in the rich tapestry of alternatives?
- Our Masochistic Media: Deep down, every journalist loves the adrenaline rush of a late-night Trump tweet just like they love a double shot espresso right before bedtime.
The Hot Take
So, where does that leave us, congregating in the glow of our screens as we digest the latest presidential shenanigans served to us with a side of existential dread? The answer is simple: buckle up, buttercups. We’re going back to basics. Get your pens out, your notebooks ready, and let’s get reporting on good ol’ fashioned policy, shall we? It’s time to focus on what matters—healthcare, education, and whether or not the McRib is coming back (because priorities).
We’re giving the media a new diet. Cut the junk food news, and start chewing on the leafy greens of legislative updates. It’s not as juicy as the latest presidential tweet, but hey, it’s what the doctor ordered. And when Trump’s reality TV reruns start playing, grab the remote and change the channel. There’s power in what we pay attention to—and it’s high time we switched the spotlight to where it can actually do some good.
Source: Joe Biden gives the media a desperately needed lesson about Donald Trump
