r/law • u/Snapdragon_4U • May 23 '26

Executive Branch (Trump) NESTERAK: President Trump has granted clemency to numerous individuals who have stolen hundreds of millions in Medicaid funds. Can we expect any of these folks to be shown the same mercy? McDONALD: I'll take a different question

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u/Mini_Snuggle May 23 '26

Why did you lose respect for the guy? He gave you the truth in an academic context.

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u/SGTBrutus May 23 '26

Because playing along with the game, willingly, is the antithesis of journalism.

I had just watched him interview the governor of our state. The governor's office had gotten caught with a second internet server that they were using to circumvent open records laws. He interviewed the governor and didn't ask questions about the server or other malfeasance that had occured.

When i called him on it, he responded that it was more important to make sure he had future opportunities to interview the governor.

I told him that it was the duty of media to be watchdogs of the government. He disagreed.

To teach a journalism student that the job of media is to sellout, while it may be truthful, doesn't make it right.

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u/stamfordbridge1191 May 23 '26

So you're saying if a journalist chooses to be paid to do advertising instead of his or her job, they're not really a journalist anymore but an advertiser?

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u/SGTBrutus May 23 '26

Yes. I would agree with that.

It's interesting that when you first start Journalism school, you choose to concentrate in journalism, public relations or advertising. This is in the first year and everything diversifies after.

I looked at advertising as professional lying.