Listening as I have done for the past few days to the words spoken by recent former presidents of the United States leaves me with the clear impression that they understand the media’s role in maintaining a free and powerful nation.

And that the current president doesn’t get it.

Donald Trump wants media to report news as he sees it, not as they see it or how others see it. He says the nation is doing “great,” and wants the media to foment that lie. Others see the media role differently. They see the media as being faithful to its duty to report the news, even as it contains information critical of Trump.

Republican and Democratic presidents all understand. The GOP’s Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, both presidents Bush and Ronald Reagan all know that the press’s protection in the First Amendment is intended to protect the media from the kind of political coercion being applied by Trump. Same with the Democrats who have held the high office. JFK knew it, as did Lyndon Johnson, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

Obama, a Democrat, recently pointed out that he didn’t always like the news reported about him, but he understands the media is obligated to report the truth, even if it runs afoul of what presidents think about their reporting.

Republican and Democratic presidents all sang from the same political hymnal.

Until Trump came along. He doesn’t get it. He never will. He provides a never-ending litany of proof of his unfitness for public office