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Republican Convention Will Push Limits of a Candidate and the News Media | Republican Convention Will Push Limits of a Candidate and the News Media |
(about 9 hours later) | |
CLEVELAND — In the months since he began pursuing the presidency, Donald J. Trump has exhibited a command over the national news media that is without parallel in modern times. | CLEVELAND — In the months since he began pursuing the presidency, Donald J. Trump has exhibited a command over the national news media that is without parallel in modern times. |
The can’t-look-away quality of his public persona and his media awareness have frequently pushed much of our national journalism into an unsavory corner where the imperatives of equal time, hard scrutiny and adherence to traditional standards have given way to the business lure of the huge television ratings and internet clicks that Mr. Trump uniquely provides. | The can’t-look-away quality of his public persona and his media awareness have frequently pushed much of our national journalism into an unsavory corner where the imperatives of equal time, hard scrutiny and adherence to traditional standards have given way to the business lure of the huge television ratings and internet clicks that Mr. Trump uniquely provides. |
Still, nothing will test the news media like the next few days in Cleveland, where the Republican convention gets underway on Monday. Mr. Trump will have something that even he has never had; something that only presidents and major party nominees get. And that is nearly full control of the national media stage for four straight evenings in prime time, across not only cable news, but, at least for one hour every night, the broadcast networks as well. | Still, nothing will test the news media like the next few days in Cleveland, where the Republican convention gets underway on Monday. Mr. Trump will have something that even he has never had; something that only presidents and major party nominees get. And that is nearly full control of the national media stage for four straight evenings in prime time, across not only cable news, but, at least for one hour every night, the broadcast networks as well. |
He has been planning to make full use of his time in his trademark way, with daily themes that will weave in staples of hot-button topics from talk radio and the Fox News Channel’s opinion programs: Bill Clinton’s infidelity, Hillary Clinton’s response to the attack on the American compound in Benghazi, and immigration. | He has been planning to make full use of his time in his trademark way, with daily themes that will weave in staples of hot-button topics from talk radio and the Fox News Channel’s opinion programs: Bill Clinton’s infidelity, Hillary Clinton’s response to the attack on the American compound in Benghazi, and immigration. |
How far Mr. Trump goes with that convention approach, first reported by Jeremy W. Peters of The New York Times last week, remains to be seen; one never knows. But some of it promises to border on spectacle, to put it mildly. (Let me repeat: Among the potential themes is Mr. Clinton’s sex life.) | How far Mr. Trump goes with that convention approach, first reported by Jeremy W. Peters of The New York Times last week, remains to be seen; one never knows. But some of it promises to border on spectacle, to put it mildly. (Let me repeat: Among the potential themes is Mr. Clinton’s sex life.) |
It could be one of those events that we look back on as a defining moment in American media, especially for the television networks: Did they once again this year hand themselves over to a Trumpian infomercial — the ultimate Trump infomercial — and bask in the ratings? | It could be one of those events that we look back on as a defining moment in American media, especially for the television networks: Did they once again this year hand themselves over to a Trumpian infomercial — the ultimate Trump infomercial — and bask in the ratings? |
Or did they rediscover their vital role of providing context, perspective and truth in a contest that is not a countdown-clock-worthy sporting event or reality show, but a competition for the presidency of the United States in fraught and dangerous times? | Or did they rediscover their vital role of providing context, perspective and truth in a contest that is not a countdown-clock-worthy sporting event or reality show, but a competition for the presidency of the United States in fraught and dangerous times? |
Truth will not come to the fore without hard work and, potentially, a fight. | Truth will not come to the fore without hard work and, potentially, a fight. |
The robust fact-checking industry that has sprung up over the past several years will have to work overtime during both conventions. But while Mrs. Clinton’s dossier of falsehoods has increased with the F.B.I. report contradicting so many of her statements about her private email server, Mr. Trump and his campaign have generated so many untruths that Factcheck.org declared that in the 12 years since its founding, “we’ve never seen his match.” And that was before this year began. | The robust fact-checking industry that has sprung up over the past several years will have to work overtime during both conventions. But while Mrs. Clinton’s dossier of falsehoods has increased with the F.B.I. report contradicting so many of her statements about her private email server, Mr. Trump and his campaign have generated so many untruths that Factcheck.org declared that in the 12 years since its founding, “we’ve never seen his match.” And that was before this year began. |
His convention could surprise everyone and stick to only verified attacks, while coming off as a more traditional affair. But many of Mr. Trump’s expected convention subjects have generated their share of false, unsubstantiated or wildly exaggerated assertions — that Mrs. Clinton “slept through” the Benghazi attack (false); that the current administration is financing illegal immigration (false); and that it is not vetting refugees from the Middle East (false). | His convention could surprise everyone and stick to only verified attacks, while coming off as a more traditional affair. But many of Mr. Trump’s expected convention subjects have generated their share of false, unsubstantiated or wildly exaggerated assertions — that Mrs. Clinton “slept through” the Benghazi attack (false); that the current administration is financing illegal immigration (false); and that it is not vetting refugees from the Middle East (false). |
It’s telling that in one of its last personnel moves before the convention’s start on Monday, the Trump campaign hired a new “director of rapid response,” Steven Cheung. His primary responsibility will not be to combat the claims of the opposition — the usual job of political rapid response — but rather to take on the reportage of the news media. | It’s telling that in one of its last personnel moves before the convention’s start on Monday, the Trump campaign hired a new “director of rapid response,” Steven Cheung. His primary responsibility will not be to combat the claims of the opposition — the usual job of political rapid response — but rather to take on the reportage of the news media. |
Even more telling was Mr. Cheung’s pedigree. He last served as the spokesman for Ultimate Fighting Championship, the mixed-martial-arts league where opponents seek to beat each other into submission — in a fenced-in octagon that’s practically a cage. | Even more telling was Mr. Cheung’s pedigree. He last served as the spokesman for Ultimate Fighting Championship, the mixed-martial-arts league where opponents seek to beat each other into submission — in a fenced-in octagon that’s practically a cage. |
Quicken Loans Arena here may serve as the ultimate cage, given that Mr. Trump has maintained a blacklist of reporters, has vowed to loosen libel laws as president and is featuring at the convention the Silicon Valley billionaire who is seeking to put Gawker Media out of business through financing multiple lawsuits, Peter Thiel. | Quicken Loans Arena here may serve as the ultimate cage, given that Mr. Trump has maintained a blacklist of reporters, has vowed to loosen libel laws as president and is featuring at the convention the Silicon Valley billionaire who is seeking to put Gawker Media out of business through financing multiple lawsuits, Peter Thiel. |
The situation puts a whole new twist on the quadrennial question about how news organizations should cover the national political conventions, which were once conclaves for the real work of nominating presidents and vice presidents but went on to become mere media messaging pageants. | The situation puts a whole new twist on the quadrennial question about how news organizations should cover the national political conventions, which were once conclaves for the real work of nominating presidents and vice presidents but went on to become mere media messaging pageants. |
With that turn, a certain cat-and-mouse game developed between the networks and the convention planners over how much of the action on the main convention stage would be beamed directly into Americans’ living rooms unfiltered, especially in earlier, prime-time hours, before the top-billed speaking slate begins. That segment — guaranteed full coverage on the broadcast networks — now represents only a single hour on television. | With that turn, a certain cat-and-mouse game developed between the networks and the convention planners over how much of the action on the main convention stage would be beamed directly into Americans’ living rooms unfiltered, especially in earlier, prime-time hours, before the top-billed speaking slate begins. That segment — guaranteed full coverage on the broadcast networks — now represents only a single hour on television. |
The networks will usually cut away to their own anchors and analysts — their stars — when they deem the convention doings to be ratings downers. The top goal of the campaigns, then, is to “hold the cameras,” said Russ Schriefer, a Republican strategist who spearheaded convention planning for the Mitt Romney and George W. Bush campaigns. | The networks will usually cut away to their own anchors and analysts — their stars — when they deem the convention doings to be ratings downers. The top goal of the campaigns, then, is to “hold the cameras,” said Russ Schriefer, a Republican strategist who spearheaded convention planning for the Mitt Romney and George W. Bush campaigns. |
Of course, no candidate has been able to hold the cameras quite like Mr. Trump. And, given his reality show and self-marketing background, it has stood to reason that he would have a convention filled with television ratings bait. | Of course, no candidate has been able to hold the cameras quite like Mr. Trump. And, given his reality show and self-marketing background, it has stood to reason that he would have a convention filled with television ratings bait. |
Yet that came into doubt in recent days as some potential convention stars — like the former N.F.L. quarterback Tim Tebow — and major party leaders declined to participate. | Yet that came into doubt in recent days as some potential convention stars — like the former N.F.L. quarterback Tim Tebow — and major party leaders declined to participate. |
In a hopeful sign, the networks have made it clear to both Mr. Trump and Mrs. Clinton that the same rules apply to the conventions that have applied to their coverage all year: The cameras will go to the ratings draws. | In a hopeful sign, the networks have made it clear to both Mr. Trump and Mrs. Clinton that the same rules apply to the conventions that have applied to their coverage all year: The cameras will go to the ratings draws. |
“Both campaigns know that keeping the attention of the networks — and keeping the attention on their podium — is their job, not the networks’ job,” said Chuck Todd, who is host of “Meet the Press” on NBC and “MTP Daily” on MSNBC, and also serves as NBC News political director. (NBC will team up with PolitiFact for the convention.) | “Both campaigns know that keeping the attention of the networks — and keeping the attention on their podium — is their job, not the networks’ job,” said Chuck Todd, who is host of “Meet the Press” on NBC and “MTP Daily” on MSNBC, and also serves as NBC News political director. (NBC will team up with PolitiFact for the convention.) |
I wondered aloud to Mr. Todd what networks like his would do if the Trump campaign goes ahead with prime-time programming around the Clinton-era sex scandals, which would certainly be a first in televised convention history. There would be an element of “Wow, we haven’t seen that before,” he told me, “So it fits the definition of ‘new’ in the word ‘news.’” | I wondered aloud to Mr. Todd what networks like his would do if the Trump campaign goes ahead with prime-time programming around the Clinton-era sex scandals, which would certainly be a first in televised convention history. There would be an element of “Wow, we haven’t seen that before,” he told me, “So it fits the definition of ‘new’ in the word ‘news.’” |
But, he added, “Every network’s going to make a different decision.” | But, he added, “Every network’s going to make a different decision.” |
This is where the big test comes in. | This is where the big test comes in. |
If the convention airs the most lurid claims made about Mr. Clinton — such as the rape accusation made against him by the former Arkansas nursing home administrator Juanita Broaddrick, which Mr. Trump recently raised and Mr. Clinton’s lawyer publicly denied long ago — will the shock value overwhelm live news judgment? | If the convention airs the most lurid claims made about Mr. Clinton — such as the rape accusation made against him by the former Arkansas nursing home administrator Juanita Broaddrick, which Mr. Trump recently raised and Mr. Clinton’s lawyer publicly denied long ago — will the shock value overwhelm live news judgment? |
Even as Jay Wallace, Fox News Channel’s executive vice president for news and editorial, told me that Mr. Trump’s convention slate appeared to be “playing to some portions of our audience” — those who tune in to the likes of Sean Hannity, whose show features many of the same themes — he said, “I don’t feel like we’re going to blow out our programming at certain hours for stuff like that.” | |
(Though Fox has become Mr. Trump’s primary network of choice, Fox’s main hosts during prime time will include two who moderated the first Republican debate that set off the network’s earlier fight with Mr. Trump: Bret Baier and Megyn Kelly.) | (Though Fox has become Mr. Trump’s primary network of choice, Fox’s main hosts during prime time will include two who moderated the first Republican debate that set off the network’s earlier fight with Mr. Trump: Bret Baier and Megyn Kelly.) |
In fact, all of the network executives I spoke with last week repeated what Sam Feist, the CNN Washington bureau chief, told me — that they would make decisions on the spot, on a “case-by-case basis,” and that regardless they would do aggressive fact-checking, for both conventions. That could prove vital, especially after the big post-10 p.m. speeches that will most likely be shown in full. | In fact, all of the network executives I spoke with last week repeated what Sam Feist, the CNN Washington bureau chief, told me — that they would make decisions on the spot, on a “case-by-case basis,” and that regardless they would do aggressive fact-checking, for both conventions. That could prove vital, especially after the big post-10 p.m. speeches that will most likely be shown in full. |
You could imagine seeing Mr. Trump exhort the convention crowd against the news media if he is displeased with its coverage, which would be its own sort of spectacle. | You could imagine seeing Mr. Trump exhort the convention crowd against the news media if he is displeased with its coverage, which would be its own sort of spectacle. |
Mr. Schriefer, the Republican strategist, said Mr. Trump — as well as Mrs. Clinton — would be wise to remember that conventions are the first time many people “turn on the television to decide, Can this man or woman be president of the United States?” Those are the stakes. | Mr. Schriefer, the Republican strategist, said Mr. Trump — as well as Mrs. Clinton — would be wise to remember that conventions are the first time many people “turn on the television to decide, Can this man or woman be president of the United States?” Those are the stakes. |
The news media would be wise to remember it, too. | The news media would be wise to remember it, too. |