George Soros believes the Russians conspired to put Donald Trump in the White House by disorienting American voters with fake news. But never fear, the billionaire Democratic donor explained in a meandering op-ed published this week, the media will help keep Trump in check.
There’s a lot to unpack here, so let’s take it one step at a time.
First, Soros does indeed credit fake news for Trump’s victory.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, “in a brilliant move … exploited social media companies’ business model to spread misinformation and fake news, disorienting electorates and destabilizing democracies,” Soros wrote. “That is how he helped Trump get elected.”
Second, he continued, voters may have elected a “conman” with dictatorial tendencies, but America has mechanisms in place by which tyrants can be blocked.
“I am confident that democracy will prove resilient in the US. Its Constitution and institutions, including the fourth estate, are strong enough to resist the excesses of the executive branch, thus preventing a would-be dictator from becoming an actual one,” Soros wrote.
On his last point, that the press in the U.S. smart and tough enough to resist the excesses of the executive branch: Permit me a good laugh.
Remember, this Soros op-ed comes after eight years of the press putting up with and excusing the less-than-transparent Obama administration.
Journalists have complained, sure, but few have done anything worse than wag an annoyed finger at the outgoing president.
Nothing came of the 2013 scandal in which the Justice Department was found to have secretly obtained at least two months’ worth of office and personal telephone records belonging to Associated Press journalists. There was some outrage after the Obama DOJ threw the Espionage Act of 1917 at Fox News’ James Rosen, naming him as a “criminal co-conspirator” in an investigation involving leaked classified information.
Newsrooms were largely silent last year after the Obama White House set a record for denying the most Freedom of Information Act requests of any administration.
But sure, the fourth estate will no doubt keep the excesses of the executive branch in check, or something. Don’t get us wrong: We sincerely hope the press is up for the challenge. We really hope media don’t shy away from their duty of holding the powerful to account. We’re just not sure from where Soros draws his faith in the fourth estate.
At the end of the op-ed, which is a bit all over the place, we’re not sure which is more farfetched: The idea that the press will act as a responsible and effective guardian against the excesses of the executive branch or the idea that Hillary Clinton lost Ohio by nearly 10 points because of some fake news stories making the rounds on Facebook.
