It kicked off with the announcement of MTG’s ’60 Minutes’ interview, in the same way Barnum and Bailey’s would march the elephants in from Queens before the main act was to commence at Madison Square Garden.
A ritual designed for the media - to allow for some free publicity and to herald the larger than life spectacle that was about to begin.
The condemnations of the interview came early; I was among those who called it farce. Some folks cautioned to ‘reserve judgement’ until the it aired but it my opinion it was almost worse than expected.
To give the benefit of the doubt is to not understand how media works in the country.
There is no such thing as bad press when exposure itself is the payoff.
Donald Trump would not have become president if NBC had not put him on TV for fourteen seasons, promoting a fictitious image of him as a competent business man. Trump wasn’t even a functional human being most of the time but that didn’t matter to the folks who were making money off of his brand.
This dynamic is repeated often in our society.
The Kardashians would not have become billionaires had not America been exposed to their every trip to the mall or bikini wax or whatever it is they do on their show; spawning countless imitators on our cultural landscape where clicks matter more than content or character.
I attended a talk recently at Tulane University as part of NOLA Bookfest.
Carl Bernstein was on a panel discussion about investigative journalism and he made an excellent point about newsrooms still being the domain of Ivy Leaguers and East Coast privilege; he asked rhetorically why high school dropouts were not also being hired as reporters.
Bernstein addressed the dearth of local news in most communities; perhaps a subtle point in this moment but it was a reminder that independent, regional journalism has largely disappeared from our media landscape - and for that we all pay quite a heavy price.
On ’60 Minutes’ we saw the results of the Chanel-suit-syndrome in the way Lesley Stahl was basically steamrolled by MTG.
The interview had all the elements of performative pushback without any real skin in the game.
In a week in which we had a mass shooting in an elementary school and more targeting of trans people - led by MTG on twitter to the point her account was briefly suspended.
Not to mention the indictment of the president MTG begged for a pardon in the days after the January 6th insurrection.
Where was the probing of these issues or at least the mention of them? Or perhaps quotes from local constituents who were not fans of MTG’s extreme positions?
Instead we were treated to B-roll of loving supporters coming out to greet and hug the local celebrity-congresswoman as Lesley and Marjorie took a stroll down Main Street.
MTG even uttered the phrase ‘Welcome to freedom’ in response to a recent ‘big fan’ who had moved to Georgia.
It seemed like they were shooting clips for an MTG campaign ad at times - and I have no doubt clips from the interview will air when she does run again.
They even teased a clip of Donald Trump offering his support for her if MTG runs for Senate. Though smart money says she’s already eyeing the VP slot on his ticket.
Stahl seemed most comfortable walking down MTG’s driveway and discussing her acreage and net worth. (Which apparently is 10 acres and 11 million - and worthy of the obvious follow-up question of why she needed a 183k PPP loan which was later forgiven).
Stahl seemed like she couldn’t wait to get back on the CBS jet and be back in NYC firmly ensconced in her banquette at Le Bilboquet.
This is not to disparage Lesley Stahl who has an otherwise remarkable career - it is to say there exists a certain elitism in MSM - especially on the TV news side.
This seems to oddly make mainstream media outmatched for this moment.
You cannot wrestle alligators in a Brooks Brothers’ suit.
There’s a certain comfort and complacency that comes with success.
So much punditry these days is everybody parroting the same talking points for clicks and clout.
There was a moment in the interview that aired during the ‘Overtime’ bonus content where Lesley went back and forth with MTG about NATO and her opposition to US support for Ukraine.
When Stahl pushed about the US commitment to also protect the rest of Europe, MTG’s response was that the US should not be aiding Ukraine in their fight against Putin because a) they were not a member of NATO and b) ‘As far as I know Putin has never said he would invade Poland’.
Taylor Greene went on to basically steamroll Stahl with a word salad tossed in dollar store Miracle Whip instead of receiving the history lesson she so richly deserved in that moment.
Neville Chamberlain took Hitler on his word that he wouldn’t invade Poland either - after Nazi Germany occupied Czechoslovakia - and for a congresswoman so enamored with fascism a brief accounting of world history might have been in order.
And more importantly, where appeasing authoritarian aggressors has led in the past. If not for the privileged (who are often ok no matter what) but the innocent who are first to fall victim to unchecked tyranny.
That is a lesson for all of us to be mindful of as well, as we enter into, yet again, uncharted territory with the first of what may be several indictments of Donald Trump and his exhortations to his followers to defend him.
That charge will be led, of course, by MTG herself, as she flies to NYC Tuesday to ‘protest’ his arraignment.
Instead the CBS crew packed up their gear and got on their chartered flight back to New York.
Leaving the undeserving subject of their spotlight much more powerful and polished than she was before they did her the honor of a national platform.
We can learn as we go, as we adjust to the circus that has descended once again on to our political discourse.
It is not the time to give anyone a free pass or the benefit of a publicist’s touch when their desires are to undo democracy in the name of a homegrown dictator.
You cannot buy the sort of coverage Trump and MAGA are about to get but that doesn’t mean you should give it away.
You nail it with perfection every time. I follow you on Twitter and your podcast. Your insider view with everything Trumpism is the most honest view and I love it. You don't hold back and tell the ugly truth that you personally witnessed. You're the best!!! I love your work!!!
Living in Vermont, or Connecticut, or where ever you are, keeps you sane. Thank you!