In a recent conversation on ‘Radio Times,’ Annenberg Public Policy Center Director Kathleen Hall Jamieson discussed Trump’s rhetoric, tweets and claims. Speaking with host Marty Moss-Coane on WHYY, Jamieson said it was important to distinguish what is consequential from what isn’t when Trump tweets.
Amid the tweets, drama, and distractions, some of Trump’s actions — such as transforming the judiciary or meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un — have real consequences, Jamieson noted. “What are the major things we need to know?” she asked. She said news organizations were allowing Trump, through his tweets, to set the media agenda. Instead, she suggested that citizens ought to be asking themselves what ought to be newsworthy.
Jamieson noted that part of Trump’s agenda-setting success can be ascribed to a combination of high levels of redundancy plus the ability to digest ideas down to labels that have emotional associations. She also discussed the importance of the press in holding the administration accountable, suggesting, for example, that reporters at press conferences re-ask questions if they are not answered.
Listen the full interview below via Stitcher or click here to listen on WHYY’s site.
