In 1972 Nixon's aid Ron Ziegler confidently declared that the Watergate news coming out in the WaPo was fake news, just a sign of how low the press had sunk. Sound familiar?
h/t @smaclellan for the screen shot from Ben Bradlee's memoir.
h/t @smaclellan for the screen shot from Ben Bradlee's memoir.
@smaclellan There's also this great moment in Ziegler's career as Nixon's press secretary. Nixon was caught on camera physically shoving him. Dan Rather confronted Ziegler about this and he said "it just didn't happen." washingtonpost.com/news/retropoli…
@smaclellan Does this sound familiar?
@smaclellan While we're on the subject of people attacking the media as a way to run cover for a corrupt Republican president, here's a thread on a fascinating Firing Line episode from the summer of 1974 where Bill Buckley interviews Woodward & Bernstein.
@smaclellan While we're discussing the long history of GOP attacks on the media, here's a 1968 conservative folk song about the failing New York Times. The singer, Tony Dolan, went on to be a speechwriter for Reagan in the 80s.
@smaclellan "When I read the New York Times I wish that Guttenberg fella had minded his own business."
"All the news that's fit to print, unless it's anti-communist."
"All the news that's fit to print, unless it's anti-communist."
