@froomkin From afar (Canada/ dual citizen) some observations. The biggest problem is the inward focus of the media and politicians. Trump's businesses are overseas, yet the media treated his business interests as outside the realm of politics. There were excellent business reporters.
@froomkin They were ignored. They didn't challenge Trump's obvious hypocrisy. He criticizes Muslims, yet his new projects are in Muslim majority countries. He lies about finances. There is financial information about Trump held in other countries No one is going after it.
@froomkin Trump is destroying America's image, the data is there but not the reporting. It is costing the US trade and good deals - no reporting. Trump has lost cases, threatened businesses as President - not covered.
@froomkin We need to expand the scope of what political reporters do. Watching the hearings streamed on France24 or other Eng language foreign media is useful to get a different view. In Feb 2017 Carol Cadwallr started writing about Bannon, Mercer, Cambridge Analytica.
@froomkin She wrote about Mercer's war on the media. It wasn't until the Facebook part broke that US media paid attention. Trump's business partners in Toronto from 2007-2016 were Russian Canadian billionaires with links to Putin. The Trump-branded property in Toronto was on failing.
@froomkin Between July 2016 and the election, Ontario's Court of Appeal ruled in favour of 2 investors in a negligent misrepresentation lawsuit. They said Trump was a defendant even though he had no cash in the project.
@froomkin They knew it was a lead into a class action - no interest, even when after the inauguration when Canada's Supreme Court refused to hear Trump's appeal. After receivership financial docs available free online - no one looked until Mueller did
@froomkin There are a lot of talented reporters, they are constrained by expectations that everything is 24/7. They see the world only through the eyes of American interests. There is also a knowledge gap that suggests it's time to return civics classes.
@froomkin My favorite law school course was taught by senior aids to Prime Ministers from both major parties. We were given cabinet docs (unclassified) and behind the scenes info and asked to develop strategies. Understanding what politicians respond to was invaluable
@froomkin Since I try to find solutions - here's a thought. Senior politicians set up bipartisan mentoring programs instead of running for office. Whether it's for new candidates or students, we shouldn't lose their perspective or be bound by it.
@froomkin For media, a similar course, but with international participation. Look at how people cover the same events. The hardest for all involved - gaining confidence without being overconfident.
