DAVE ROSS

The media is partially to blame for Trump’s credibility issues

Mar 24, 2017, 6:15 AM

Fox & Friends, Trump’s credibility, credibility, Trump's credibility...

Co-hosts Steve Doocy, from left, Ainsley Earhardt and Brian Kilmeade appear on the morning show "Fox & Friends" in New York. "Fox & Friends" has emerged as the morning television show of choice for President Donald Trump and his fans. (AP)

(AP)

I blame the media. It hurts to have to say this because I’ve been a part of it for more than 40 years, but it’s clear that the media is to blame for some of President Donald Trump’s credibility problems – though not quite in the way he would have you believe.

Ross: Was the president ‘vindicated’ on his ‘wiretap’ claims?

It’s not because we’re lying about him. In fact, when someone sends me a note saying, “stop lying about President Trump,” it usually turns out that I was just quoting him.

So I don’t believe the problem is that reporters are genetically dishonest.

But I do believe that certain people in the media need to wake up and accept that the free ride is over.

Once upon a time, you could publish a wild headline or push some fringe conspiracy theory and your audience would take it for what it was — a little light entertainment.

But now, especially if you’re working for the National Enquirer, Breitbart, and, of course, Fox, you guys can’t do that anymore. Because now we have a president who’s using you for his intelligence briefing.

If you report something that President Trump agrees with, he’ll just run with it. And as for you conservative talk show hosts, you have to consider (as you’re keepin’ it real in your latest rant about illegal wiretapping) that it could alter the course of American history.

And I know you’re having way too much fun to stop now. But all I ask is that if you decide to report something such as North Korea preparing to fire off a working ICBM, please double check that, because you might as well have the launch codes!

And for God’s sake, nobody play War of the Worlds on Halloween!

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The media is partially to blame for Trump’s credibility issues