What the News Really Meant to Say – Interpreting the Weekend’s Reporting

Cause in a World of Alternate Facts, Someone Has To

So here’s some of the things that happened over the past several days, and what they really mean.

1. Stephen Miller, Trump adviser who was the moving force behind the Muslim Ban went to TV to prop up the administration’s case.  From USA Today:  Assessing the legal options on CBS' Face The Nation, Miller said: There are so many things we can do."  

Translation:  Well first of all it is difficult to see why the author of a policy so flawed it has now been laughed out of two federal courts would want to publicize his involvement in it.  But the statement there are many things the administration can do is true, and the fact that they cannot decide what to do, if anything, just illustrates that they don’t know what to do.  Anyone ready to help, anyone?

2. Trumpie took the Japanese Prime Minister to play golf at one of his courses in a bid to look diplomatic.

Translation:  The Trump club needed the greens fee they charged the Japanese head of state and his entourage.  Business is off at all Trump labeled venues and the President saw a way to kill a couple of birds with one golf club.

3. Sen. Bernie Sanders called Trump a ‘Pathological Liar’ on a talk show Sunday morning.

Translation:  Uh, no translation needed on that one.

4. A NYT headline reads “Gorsuch Not Easy to Pigeonhole on Gay Rights, Friends Say”

Translation:  Uh, that doesn’t mean what you think it means; ‘pigeonhole’ was probably not the right word to use there.

5.  From the WSJ:  “Mexican Presidential Candidate Wins Support With Trump Stance

Andrés Manuel López Obrador gains in polls amid backlash against Trump administration”

Translation: Foreign leaders and candidates are lining up to ask Trump to bash them on social media, see it as great campaign strategy.