Mehdi Hasan shows how in this interview with Steve Rogers, a Trump advisor for his 2020 campaign.
Hey US media folks, here, I would argue immodestly, is how you interview a Trump supporter on Trump's lies:pic.twitter.com/D8qElaic7o
— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) November 14, 2018
But alas, this will not catch on. Why won’t we see mainstream US journalists follow Hasan’s lead? Because they want the same old hacks to appear over and over again on their shows and if they are too hard on them, they won’t pay a return visit. That is the dirty little secret of the US politics-media axis. Each side knows what the other side expects in order to put on a show for the viewers. It’s show biz.
The term “free press” and the uproar over how Trump is attacking it makes me grind my teeth hard enough to crack them. Minus exceptions like Hasan here, there is no free press. It’s all far too beholden to capitalist interests to risk rocking the boat by upholding truth and tearing down lies.
That is how it’s done.
Message to media: more of this please.
Passively nodding while people lie to your face was always weak and it only served to promote more lies. It is also denigrating for the interviewer, who have to act as if they are stupid enough not to be able to spot the lies, and it is insulting to the audience. No surprise that viewer numbers are low. This video was refreshing. I could see myself tuning in regularly to watch an interview that respects the viewer’s intelligence.
Bravo, Mr. Hasan. Bravo.
So if more interviewers did this, the Trump apologists wouldn’t come back? Win -- win! If the right wing recuses themselves, give the time to progressive voices.
@ 1 A. Noyd
Minus exceptions like Hasan here, there is no free press.
Even Hasan probably has constants--the Qatari ruling family is likely off limits--but because he is totally outside the main US/EU press empires he can do a lot.
Great interview. Never heard of Steve Rogers before but he does seem to be of the normal standard of Trump’s advisors.
I’ve never heard of this Steve Rogers. Clearly he is not Captain America.