The press’s apparent push for Donald Trump to secure the 2024 GOP nomination may be a classic case of “be careful what you wish for.” While major newsrooms may see a boost in ratings and subscriptions, the industry’s overwhelming support for Democratic candidates suggests that Trump’s troubled and legally tied-up persona may be a strategic move to run against the Democratic incumbent. However, the press should be cautious in their desire for another four years of President Donald Trump. While he was once a captivating circus act, performing unthinkable acts of political insanity, he’s now become a one-trick pony, a tired and tedious boor obsessed with relitigating the 2020 election.
The public is also exhausted with the press’s obsessive focus on Trump’s every utterance and action. The news cycles dedicated to trivial matters such as how the president walks down ramps or drinks from a glass of water have become mind-numbingly tedious. The press’s Trump fatigue was evident in the New York Times’ recent gathering of columnists and opinion writers. While most writers tried to say something original about the figure who has dominated every facet of the news industry for eight years, they failed to offer anything new or interesting.
Ross Douthat was the only writer who had the moral courage to have a little fun with the exercise and go where his colleagues didn’t dare to go for fear of appearing unserious. He was the only one unafraid to say the obviously correct thing we all feel and know: everything about Trump, including this exercise, is boring. Douthat’s contribution was the only one that offered any wit or inspiration.
The press may assume that another Trump presidency will be great for business, but they may find themselves heading down the path to terminal, soul-crushing boredom, dragging any remaining viewers and readers with them. The industry needs to be cautious in their desire for another four years of the same nonsense.
