One of two possibilities re: the Trump presidency.

AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais

The Trump presidency finds itself at an early crossroads. One of two things is true.

The first possibility is that the establishment – in all its manifestations – has been right all along. We could be learning – to the country’s great regret – that virtually 100 percent of Democrats, virtually 100 percent of the New York and Washington media and a sizable number of Republicans, all had Donald Trump pegged.

Based on the events of the past 10 days, it could be that the Never Trumpers were correct in their assessments of him as impulsive, boorish, unfiltered and altogether unsuited to the office of the presidency.

If you believe the media, the inept way in which President Trump fired FBI Director James Comey; the bumbling way in which he undercut his own communications operation in explaining the firing; his possibly having divulged intelligence secrets during a White House meeting with the Russians; and his allegedly having tried to coax James Comey into dropping the FBI’s investigation into Gen. Michael Flynn; all coalesce to paint a picture of a man who is a.) inept, b.) unethical, c.) unstable, d.) unsuitable to the office, or, e.) all of the above.

That is the picture one sees if one listens to, watches or reads the coverage from ABC, CBS, NBC, the Washington Post or the New York Times.

That Donald Trump is, in fact, what those who opposed him warned against is a possibility.

But there is a second possibility.

It is at least equally possible that the creatures who are permanent denizens of the swamp that Donald Trump pledged to drain – the career bureaucrats who, according to one poll voted 97 percent for Hillary Clinton, and whose long-held sinecures are now threatened – are using their connections, acquaintances and pals in the Washington media to take President Trump down. As a corollary to that possibility, it is entirely likely that those in the media being so used are being used willingly – enthusiastically even.

A plausible case can be made that the media cannot get over the fact that Donald Trump beat Hillary Clinton. The case can be further made that they still don’t understand why. Thus one can argue that rather than step back and engage in some introspection; rather than ask themselves, ‘How did me miss this so badly?’ a conscious or unconscious effort is afoot by the media to prove to the rubes outside of New York, Washington, LA, Chicago and San Francisco that said rubes got it wrong.

As an interested insider, I have asked certain powers that be, ‘How is it that you guys are in high dudgeon over these alleged wrongdoings by Donald Trump when you largely ignored or gave only token coverage to the Pig Pen-like cloud of corruption that seemed to follow Hillary Clinton everywhere she went?’

What seems clear is this. It’s now a cage match between the Trump presidency and the establishment media. When it’s over, one will emerge victorious. The other will lie in ruins.

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Paul Gleiser

Paul L. Gleiser is president of ATW Media, LLC, licensee of radio stations KTBB 97.5 FM/AM600, 92.1 The TEAM FM in Tyler-Longview, Texas.

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5 Responses

  1. In the cage match you describe, I’m betting Pres. Trump comes out the winner. But if there was any doubt, there should be no doubt at this point–the establishment is out to destroy the President. We are in for an interesting four years. I continue to have confidence in Trump. He is the kind of man who knows how to hang tough. If he does he and we the American people will be winners.

  2. Christopher J Rankin says:

    I saw the word “threatened” in your commentary. That is the key to all this. President Trump with his base as backup is a clear, transparent threat to those currently in Congress and all the traditions and ‘rules’ they hold dear. They and the bureaucracy they have created and maintained ARE the ‘Swamp’. If your Congressional Representative and Senators speak nonsense regarding Trump or the issues he ran on, I strongly suggest that you join me and primary that individual with qualified conservative challengers who you should support and vote for in both the primary and general in 2018. If you agree, you need to communicate these feelings to that incumbent NOW. My Congressman is Louie Gohmert. He doesn’t appear to be a problem in this regard although I don’t see him leading, acting or delivering results. I will continue to support Cruz and will think long and hard about whether to support Cornyn. I HAVE come to the conclusion that there isn’t a dime’s worth of difference between the Congressional Republicans and the Congressional Democrats. A pox on both their houses. We also need to support a COS, Convention Of States, as the only way we will ever impose term limits (the only cure for ails us) on these rascals.

  3. Richard Anderson says:

    I support our President, Donald J. Trump, because he is doing what is RIGHT in every sense of that word. But the entrenched pusillanimous “special interests*” oppose him [*i.e. the national liberal media, the democrats, the deep state, the establishment republicans, and the never trumpers] precisely because he “is” doing what is RIGHT…. for “We The People.”

    President Trump is working hard everyday, a tireless patriot, who loves the United States of America. A non politician on a mission “to drain the swamp” as he promised the American people, so our country can once again thrive, by getting “big government off our backs and out of our business,” returning our nation instead to the spirit of our Founding…. LIFE, LIBERTY, and THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS for all our citizens.

    May GOD bless you Mr. President!

  4. Linda E Montrose says:

    This reminds me of a sign that during the campaign came up which really hit with me. It was a picture of Donald Trump saying: Go ahead, throw me to the wolves. I’ll come back leading the pack. This is how I see President Trump. You have to realize he has an uphill battle because it is not only the democrats but those of the republican party as well who are working against him. They WANT him to fail because his failure is their gain. They get to keep the status quo. 99% of congress want nothing more than to keep things going the way they have been ever since I can remember. They hit upon a cash cow and don’t want to see it dry up. This is both sides. They talk the talk at election time but do not seem to know how to walk the walk after being elected. One very good example is Louie Gohmert. He has lost all my respect in that it is very obvious that Washington has gotten to him. Sure, President Trump is an outsider. That is WHY he was elected. Now, get out of his way and LET him do what he said he would without all this backstabbing going on.

  5. Jerry Smith says:

    Well, you and the other Trump supporters just can’t get over the fact that Trump won. You continue to blame everything Trump does wrong on Hillary or Obama or the Media. Get over it, They are gone. Trump has no one to blame for his grossly unstable ways except himself. He did not ‘drain the swamp’, he filled it with wall street thugs who only want to make money for themselves. Trump spends so much time at his own facilities because the Government pays for his room and board there, thus the money goes into his pockets. So far in 3+ months he received $35,000 from his Security Detail just for GOLF CART RENTAL! Great deal huh? Now Mr. Gleiser, you are blaming the “Career Bureaucrats” for Trump’s problems. They are the only folks that are keeping the Government working while Trump and Congress fuss and muss over everything else. So, before you continue to blame the working class government employees, you should look at those whose job it is to supply direction. Mr. Trump has not provided any direction to the Country except to satisfy his own ego or to line his own pocket.

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