Donald Trump is remarkably like Rob Ford, left, in his ability to boldly lie and shrug off unwelcome facts, dumbfounding reporters. Your only defence is to keep asking key accountability questions over and over and over, wherever you can, and refuse to let him dictate the story, David Rider advises reporters covering Trump.
Donald Trump is remarkably like Rob Ford, left, in his ability to boldly lie and shrug off unwelcome facts, dumbfounding reporters. Your only defence is to keep asking key accountability questions over and over and over, wherever you can, and refuse to let him dictate the story, David Rider advises reporters covering Trump.
To my U.S. media colleagues battening down the hatches for Hurricane Donald — some advice from a reporter who weathered the Toronto political tempest that was Rob Ford:
1. Lack of shame is a political stun gun: Public officials caught in lies usually duck, weave and when pressed, apologize. Trump is remarkably Ford-like in his ability to boldly lie and shrug off unwelcome facts, dumbfounding reporters. Your only defence is to keep asking key accountability questions over and over and over, wherever you can, and refuse to let him dictate the story. After the Star revealed Ford was impaired at a military ball, I had to interrupt softball questions after a “Key to the City” ceremony in 2013 to ask him if he was battling alcoholism.
2. Don’t count on your competitors: Freezing out and even demonizing specific media outlets while giving preferred access to rivals is effective — divide and conquer works. It’s great that a Fox anchor stuck up for CNN, but don’t expect mass boycotts or co-ordinated demands for equal access by competitive media outlets covering the biggest newsmaker in the world. When Ford froze out the Star, some rivals helped informally, passing on press releases or notices of events when they remembered. Others actively took advantage of our disadvantage.
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ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
3. Being blackballed has its benefits: As Bob Dylan sang: “When you got nothing, you got nothing to lose.” Most great stories come from sources and documents, not news conferences and press releases. While it was inconvenient and unfair to be cut off from mayoral communications, it was also incredibly freeing not to have to worry about keeping the pipeline open More importantly, the flow of leaks and brown envelopes increased amid the Ford Freeze because we were seen as the outlet holding him to account. Also, some politicos felt sorry for us.
4. Don’t get sucked into “war” games: An enduring myth, propagated by Ford and his allies, is that the Star and Ford were at war. We covered him just as we would have any mayor who did the things he did. What we refused to do is lower the bar for behaviour. Readers can give him a pass, I would say, but they can’t give him a pass if they don’t know what he is up to. Claiming a news outlet has a vendetta or campaign, or is at war, is a politician’s attempt to delegitimize the source. Trump will say you and your “failing” outlet are trying to tear him down. In response report, report, report!
5. Video or it didn’t happen: The Washington Post’s anonymous “Deep Throat” put Nixon on the ropes. The Star learned, with Ford’s crack tape, that 21st century readers won’t believe serious allegations unless they can watch the video or see the document themselves — and maybe not even then. After reporters from the Star and Gawker wrote about viewing the recording, but didn’t have it, many Torontonians refused to believe it existed. Now, when anyone can watch it on YouTube, there are still doubters. Whether people care (see Trump’s “grab” tape) is another matter. Few will thank you for your hard work, so let me do it in advance. Shine a light, and good luck!
David Rider
is the Star’s City Hall bureau chief and a reporter covering city
hall and municipal politics. Follow him on Twitter: @dmrider.
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