Trump swims in irony

Donald J. Trump likely doesn’t know or understand irony, but man, he is swimming in it with virtually every public pronouncement.

He has defunded the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and National Public Radio, he said, because he wants to rid the airwaves of “bias” in its reporting. He would replace it with broadcasters who are favorable to Trumpian policy matters.

If you believe public TV and public radio are “biased” because they report the truth about policy matters, then what are you going to think of what comes from the Trump-sponsored media outlets who will flood our airwaves with propaganda? You want a definition of bias? I have just given you one.

Trump wants to ingrain in our skulls with only those views that satisfy his ego, his vision (such as it is) and his longterm objectives. NPR and public TV are not the incarnation of evil. I have had the pleasure of working with both media and I can assure you as certain as I am sitting here that public TV and radio go out of their way — and each other’s way — to avoid being called “biased” or “unfair.”

Foes of this blog have told me about polling that suggest that most Americans believe that public media are biased. I do not accept those polling results. It is a simple task to skew questions to receive answers you want to fit a certain narrative.

I have said all along that bias rests in the minds and hearts of the consumer. A right-wing MAGA cultist is going to see everything that disputes his or her world view as “biased.” They have swallowed the swill offered by Donald Trump.

The irony of what he seeks to replace public TV and radio is just too rich to let slide.