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Enemy of the People
Enemy of the People: Trump's War on the Press, the New McCarthyism, and the Threat to American Democracy | Marvin Kalb
7 posts | 4 read | 10 to read
Shortly after assuming office in January 2017, President Donald Trump accused the press of being an enemy of the American people. Attacks on the media had been a hallmark of Trumps presidential campaign, but this charge marked a dramatic turning point: language like this ventured into dangerous territory. Twentieth-century dictatorsnotably, Stalin, Hitler, and Maohad all denounced their critics, especially the press, as enemies of the people. Their goal was to delegitimize the work of the press as fake news and create confusion in the public mind about whats real and what isnt; what can be trusted and what cant be. That, it seems, is also Trumps goal. In Enemy of the People, Marvin Kalb, an award-winning American journalist with more than six decades of experience both as a journalist and media observer, writes with passion about why we should fear for the future of American democracy because of the unrelenting attacks by the Trump administration on the press. As his new book shows, the press has been a bulwark in the defense of democracy. Kalb writes about Edward R. Murrows courageous reporting on Senator Joseph McCarthys red scare theatrics in the early 1950s, which led to McCarthys demise. He reminds us of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernsteins reporting in the early 1970s that led to President Richard Nixons resignation. Today, because of revolutionary changes in journalism, no Murrow is ready at the battlements. Journalism has been severely weakened. Yet, without a virile, strong press, democracy is in peril. Kalbs book is a frightening indictment of President Trumps efforts to delegitimize the American pressand put the future of our democracy in question.
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Enemy of the People: Trump's War on the Press, the New McCarthyism, and the Threat to American Democracy | Marvin Kalb
Mehso-so

A journalist's response to Trump's attacks on the freedom of the press.

Lots of parallels to McCarthy and Edward Murrow.

So-so because I think Kalb writes for someone who has lived through the same events he has, so he doesn't need to give a lot of detail or explain fully. I don't remember living through the McCarthy era or the Eisenhower election or listening to Murray news broadcasts- I wasn't born yet. Think it needed to be 3x as long.

Settings Wow this is surprisingly often read on Litsy. Used to being the only reviewer when I read nonfic. 5y
Settings Enjoyed the other comments. 5y
Settings And this only has 10 reads on Librarything. Quite a hit with Litsy lol 5y
38 likes3 comments
blurb
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Enemy of the People: Trump's War on the Press, the New McCarthyism, and the Threat to American Democracy | Marvin Kalb
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Out of context, but I think "the right to be wrong / the right to dissent" is extremely important in book discussions.

Settings If someone criticizes a book or praises a book you don't, that is an opportunity for discussion, not an opportunity for attack. Particularly if they are "wrong". E 5y
Texreader Extremely important in life. 5y
47 likes2 comments
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MelissaSue81
MelissaSue81
Enemy of the People: Trump's War on the Press, the New McCarthyism, and the Threat to American Democracy | Marvin Kalb
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Pickpick

Really trying to read down my library piles and I‘m going to count this as my Trump book for #readthecandidates but it‘s really more focused on the historical relationships between government and the press.. showing the parallels between Joe McCarthy, who was “taken down” by Edward R. Murrow and Trump. Also talks about the history of the phrase “enemy of the people” and the dangerous dictators who have used it. A bit dry.. but I learned a lot.

BarbaraTheBibliophage I bailed on this one ... good for you for persisting! 6y
57 likes1 comment
blurb
MelissaSue81
MelissaSue81
Enemy of the People: Trump's War on the Press, the New McCarthyism, and the Threat to American Democracy | Marvin Kalb
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Every. Single. Time. I read someone‘s personal account on election night 2016 I cry. Every time.

Theaelizabet You are not alone. 6y
QueenJen I'm still struggling to accept that fact as fact. 6y
Suet624 Me too. 6y
BibliOphelia I don‘t think I‘ve yet been able to shake my exhaustion and horror from that night. (edited) 6y
50 likes4 comments
review
Librarybelle
Librarybelle
Enemy of the People: Trump's War on the Press, the New McCarthyism, and the Threat to American Democracy | Marvin Kalb
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Pickpick

This is good. A must read to get the press‘ POV of the president and his manipulation of “facts.” Kalb also draws parallels to McCarthyism, and even Watergate and Vietnam. Short and sweet and packs a punch. My #SomethingFromAnotherPointOfView , as Kalb differs from the president‘s take on the press (I have to agree with Kalb on this). #Nonfiction2019

Incidentally, Kalb briefly mentions Albright‘s book “Fascism: A Warning.” Another good book!

tagged users iconRiveted_Reader_Melissa
MelissaSue81 Oooh. Didn‘t know about this one! Requesting it now. 6y
Christine Yes, what @MelissaSue81 said! I don‘t want to read this, but I do. 😐 6y
Librarybelle @MelissaSue81 @Christine It‘s a little scary, but a great way to keep informed. 6y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa I saw him interviewed about this one, it sounded very good....and I‘ll second that Fascism: A Warning recommendation. 6y
98 likes6 stack adds4 comments
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Librarybelle
Librarybelle
Enemy of the People: Trump's War on the Press, the New McCarthyism, and the Threat to American Democracy | Marvin Kalb
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Somehow I missed this statement during his campaign. I‘m from and still live in the Harrisburg area. Let‘s just say I groaned a bit over this one...

73 likes
blurb
Riveted_Reader_Melissa
Riveted_Reader_Melissa
Enemy of the People: Trump's War on the Press, the New McCarthyism, and the Threat to American Democracy | Marvin Kalb
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Here‘s the book they were discussing on Meet the Press this morning, that lines up really well with quotes I was posting from Madeline Albright‘s book just the other day.

I‘m definitely reading this one, I‘ll just go recommend it to the library now? That‘s ok, right?

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @wanderinglynn @GingerAntics Guess we aren‘t the only ones who saw a big resemblance. 6y
GingerAntics @Riveted_Reader_Melissa @wanderinglynn I‘d say it shouldn‘t be too hard to see parallels between Trump and despots of the world if you‘re using your brain, but that leave a lot of people not thinking at all. 6y
GingerAntics Looks like it‘s not out for another two days. It‘s going on my TBR though. 6y
See All 16 Comments
LauraBrook That‘s totally okay! 6y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @LauraBrook Good because it‘s done already! 6y
BarbaraTheBibliophage Another one for my TBR! 6y
Bookish.Leftist.Auntie I have lost track of how many books I have recommended to my library. I actually keep overdrive on my tablet for that reason alone because I can't recommend a book on Libby. 6y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @BookishCleaningLady I have overdrive on my phone, LOL. And I use it more than the actual phone feature! 6y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @BarbaraTheBibliophage All these Trump and Trump adjacent books could be a reading goal all on their own, sheesh...they are coming out fast and furious now. 6y
Bookish.Leftist.Auntie @Riveted_Reader_Melissa #ReaderProblems lol 6y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @BookishCleaningLady True story, it‘s a struggle, but who knew smart phones would be so Library enabling? 6y
Bookish.Leftist.Auntie @Riveted_Reader_Melissa I know right!? Such an amazing time we live in, as a kid I would've been in heaven having access to so many books so easily. I make use of it constantly even now. I almost always have several library books available on my Kindle. 6y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @Riveted_Reader_Melissa They sure are! 6y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @BookishCleaningLady Me too! It‘s so nice to be able to access the library from home. And yes, as a kid I‘d have been in heaven, even going to a book store as a kid was heaven and a rare trip. 6y
Bookish.Leftist.Auntie @Riveted_Reader_Melissa Some of my best memories with my mom growing up were spent walking to the library and scouring the shelves then waking home with arms full of books to read. Libraries are so undervalued in our society. 6y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @BookishCleaningLady We were both raised by great moms.😉 6y
54 likes5 stack adds16 comments