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nocoincidences

(2,195 posts)
Tue Aug 4, 2020, 11:50 PM Aug 2020

The right way to interview Trump.

Not all mass media is cowed into compliance about leaving his idiocy alone.

Washington (CNN)
Jonathan Swan, a reporter for Axios, has revealed the magic words that expose President Donald Trump's lies for what they are.
Who?
What?
How?
No.
In an interview that aired Monday night on "Axios on HBO," Swan demolished some of Trump's most dishonest talking points with a powerful tactic that has rarely been used by the people Trump has allowed to interview him:
Basic follow-up questions.
Many of Trump's interviewers are right-wing sycophants who have no interest in challenging him. But Trump has defeated even his other interviewers by employing a strategy we can call the hit-and-run -- saying dishonest stuff, then darting ahead to other dishonest stuff before the interviewer reacts.

Swan -- like Fox News' Chris Wallace, to a slightly lesser extent, in an interview that aired July 19 -- came armed with facts and prepared to use them, even if he had to interrupt Trump like Trump interrupts others.
And Trump wasn't ready to respond.

Take their exchange about coronavirus testing. Trump uttered a version of his now-familiar refrain about how testing is overrated -- attributing this nonsense to unnamed "those that say."
Swan pressed for details.

Trump: "You know, there are those that say you can test too much, you do know that."
Swan: "Who says that?"
Trump: "Oh, just read the manuals. Read the books."
Swan: "Manuals? What manuals?"
Trump: "Read the books. Read the books."
Swan: "What books?"

Trump moved on without offering a direct answer. While Swan couldn't get the President to concede that he is making up these "manuals" and "books," he exposed him nonetheless.
Swan had similar success when Trump returned to his laughably inaccurate claim that the virus is "under control," which he has now been making for more than six months.

Trump: "Right now, I think it's under control. I'll tell you what --"
Swan: "How? 1,000 Americans are dying a day."
Trump: "They are dying. That's true. And you have -- it is what it is. But that doesn't mean we aren't doing everything we can. It's under control as much as you can control it."

Again, Trump didn't explicitly surrender. But Swan's basic follow-up -- a "how?" and a single key statistic -- forced Trump into a de facto surrender ("It's under control as much as you can control it&quot and another revealing remark, "It is what it is."

snip

https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/04/politics/fact-check-jonathan-swan-axios-hbo-interview-trump-coronavirus/index.html

16 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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The right way to interview Trump. (Original Post) nocoincidences Aug 2020 OP
Unfortunately, they don't teach that kind of stuff in journalism school dalton99a Aug 2020 #1
I was taught the "W" questions in 6th grade. lagomorph777 Aug 2020 #16
Yep, he did well canetoad Aug 2020 #2
... Kali Aug 2020 #4
Hey Kali canetoad Aug 2020 #5
he did what they all should have been doing all along Kali Aug 2020 #7
Swan is from Australia happyez Aug 2020 #3
Thanks for posting this canetoad Aug 2020 #6
Andrew Olle happyez Aug 2020 #13
Yeah, I remember Andrew Olle canetoad Aug 2020 #15
Cheers for that info on Jonathan Swan, happyez.. & thanks Cha Aug 2020 #9
This was another (someone mentioned them eariler) happyez Aug 2020 #14
"... follow up questions are common everywhere. Why it isn't in the US is a mystery to me..." live love laugh Aug 2020 #12
I love all these articles on the Jonathan Swan interview! Cha Aug 2020 #8
Trump interviews self! forgotmylogin Aug 2020 #10
Questions are Republicans' kryptonite. The most powerful question is WHY. live love laugh Aug 2020 #11

lagomorph777

(30,613 posts)
16. I was taught the "W" questions in 6th grade.
Wed Aug 5, 2020, 09:12 AM
Aug 2020

They are the essentials of telling any story, especially a news story.

Your sarcasm is well-placed. A "journalist" who won't ask the "W" questions does not have any place on my TV screen.

canetoad

(17,090 posts)
2. Yep, he did well
Wed Aug 5, 2020, 12:17 AM
Aug 2020

I'm still thinking about whether it was the fact that Jonathan Swan is an Australian, that he scored so many hits.

We tend to be the ultimate iconoclasts here. No tall poppy is spared. Being an Aussie, he doesn't have the inbuilt reverence for the office of President that most US journalists have.

canetoad

(17,090 posts)
5. Hey Kali
Wed Aug 5, 2020, 12:27 AM
Aug 2020

Long time no see my friend.

Pretty proud to be an Aussie today after seeing Jonathan Swan's work, and I'm so glad it's made your orange idiot an laughing point.

happyez

(10 posts)
3. Swan is from Australia
Wed Aug 5, 2020, 12:18 AM
Aug 2020

• His dad is Normal Swan, the national broadcaster's science program presenter
• He is trained in Australia, where follow up questions are common everywhere. Why it isn't in the US is a mystery to me
• Australians are big on exposing dickheads. This is the professional version.

I'd also go onto Youtube and look up videos about Kerry O'Brien. You're going to wish he was in Chuck Todd's place.

Try this one:

happyez

(10 posts)
13. Andrew Olle
Wed Aug 5, 2020, 01:43 AM
Aug 2020

Hi Toad of Cane - remember Andrew Olle from the 90s?

He died way too early, but he was just as exceptional. Him and Kerry were battling for the 7:30 Report slot!

The old ABC journalists ... I wish Kerry was still interviewing, but you know, we need another 100 Kerry's!

Cha

(295,929 posts)
9. Cheers for that info on Jonathan Swan, happyez.. & thanks
Wed Aug 5, 2020, 12:57 AM
Aug 2020

for the Vid on Kerry O'Brien.

This vid on trump is from a Melbourne dude..

happyez

(10 posts)
14. This was another (someone mentioned them eariler)
Wed Aug 5, 2020, 02:02 AM
Aug 2020

John Clarke and Brian Dawe - John is dead now, but very funny, droll humour. Did a send up series of preparing for the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. Here is a typical example of his slot on the 7:30 Report - US related

[link:

|

live love laugh

(13,009 posts)
12. "... follow up questions are common everywhere. Why it isn't in the US is a mystery to me..."
Wed Aug 5, 2020, 01:20 AM
Aug 2020

American journalism pretty much died with the purchase of the mass media in the late 80’s early 90’s. Republican owners stopped follow up questions -- of the most powerful. Newz people therefore ask one question and are usually filibustered by a Republican crook and if they actually can, they MIGHT get in a second questions but then ... oh well look at the time....

So there are never any real answers, discussion, exploration...that’s why so many people here are so fucking dumb. Generations have grown up without seeing the type of exchange that you regularly see in your country.

Cha

(295,929 posts)
8. I love all these articles on the Jonathan Swan interview!
Wed Aug 5, 2020, 12:50 AM
Aug 2020
It sure as Hell Is what it IS, trump & you Did IT!

live love laugh

(13,009 posts)
11. Questions are Republicans' kryptonite. The most powerful question is WHY.
Wed Aug 5, 2020, 01:12 AM
Aug 2020

WHY did you march to a church and hold up a bible?
WHY did you say that you’re not responsible?
WHY did you say that it would only be 15 deaths?
WHY did you say you did a phenomenal job after more than 100,000 died from Covid?
WHY did you associate with pedophile Jeffrey Epstein?
WHY haven’t you said a word about Russia’s bounty on American troops?
WHY did you target Hunter Biden when Ivanka and Jared have profited a hundredfold over Hunter Biden’s 100,000 earnings?
WHY? WHY? WHY?

He would

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