So many stories in America today bring back to one word: Inequality. But how often and to what extent do national and local newsrooms deal with this issue? How much do we miss when our coverage is focused on NYC, DC, LA and SF? That's what I asked myself while reading "Dignity," an outstanding new book from Wall Street Trader turned author, Chris Arnade. Through photos and stories about Arnade trips to troubled or forgotten cities, "Dignity" convincingly shows that America "is divided into two worlds". The subtitle of the book is "Searching for Respect in America's Bottom".
His thesis is that the "first row" of outsiders, composed of politicians and bankers, lawyers and journalists, has set up a world that goes bankrupt at the "last row". People in the "back row", he said, do not usually have education after high school, and if they do, he will not go to school. Usually acts as community colleges, trades schools. They usually stay in their city. They usually live in a buzzword, you "forget", you leave behind, you move away – places that we tend not to talk much about. "
Arnade left his job and sought out these communities to learn more about "the consequences of our actions". He brought his camera. Although he is not a training journalist, he has produced the type of storytelling we all need. Here is my interview with Arnade from Sunday's show …
Go to McDonald's
Matthew Walther, who reviews "Dignity" for The Week, states that "my attitude towards the Arnade report has always changed is my attitude towards McDonald's" .
Chapter One of the book titled "If you want to understand the country, visit McDonald's". Arnade explains how the fast food chain serves as a community center. And it shows the interest of ordering a coffee, of sitting down and staying a moment. Here is an overview of the chapter via Google Books … and the full book on Amazon …
One of the other books published Tuesday is "Siege" by Michael Wolff. Arnade wrote about the underdogs; Wolff wrote about and for the initiates …
Wolff says the Trump era becomes "more and more crazy"
John Berman
interviewed Wolff on his sourcing and his methods on Tuesday's "AC360". Here is the complete segment. Wolff said: "I'm trying to give a picture of what Trumpworld is," and termed it "crazy place". He defended his decision not to always call certain subjects – like the White House and Fox News – to comment, saying that Trumpworld was full of liars.
When Berman asked what Wolff wanted people to remove from "Siege", he replied, "I think it's getting more and more crazy, this Donald Trump is becoming more isolated, more and more lonely." He called it "the story of a crisis, one of the greatest political crises of all time".
On a separate note, this was the president's last tweet on Tuesday:
Schiff says Trump's statements against CNN and WaPo are "unconstitutional"
On Tuesday, Rep. Adam Schiff commented on Trump's tweets suggesting a boycott of AT & T to punish CNN for its media coverage.
Schiff tweeted:"Trump is calling for a boycott of CNN's parent company after trying to block their merger, he wanted to raise postal rates on Amazon because Bezos owns the post office, it's one thing to complain about the press. to censor them is another, in fact, it is unconstitutional. "
"And certainly impenetrable," Norman Ornstein added in an answer …
FOR THE RECORD
– Start fishing for an invitation to a dinner: Jeff Bezos is "in the process of finalizing the purchase of three units at 212 Fifth Avenue" as part of a transaction "of value for money. 39, about 80 million dollars … "(WSJ)
– "YouTube has finally formally responded to an explosive and controversial quarrel between Vox writer and video host Carlos Maza and YouTuber curator Steven Crowder.The verdict: YouTube says Crowder has not violated any of its rules and that Crowder's YouTube channel will remain despite its repeated homophobic insults directed against Maza in videos posted on YouTube … "(The Verge)
– Kaya Yurieff emails: "Influencers you do not follow will appear on your Instagram feed soon." The company launches "branded content ads" that allow brands to turn content messages sponsored by influencers into larger ads (and more targeted) the public sees them. "Full story here … (CNN)
– Read more about Tuesday's "Reliable Sources" newsletter … and subscribe here to receive future editions in your inbox …
– Joe Biden's campaign has changed his plan to fight climate change after he was called to deter the language of Liberal groups. The Daily Caller was the first to identify multiple instances … (CNN)
– Happy birthday of one year to "Cuomo Prime Time …" (
Twitter)
The "parade of little lies"
Trump gave more oxygen to the anti-Trump protests in London when he called "fake news" reports about the protests. It was the second time this week that Trump was saying, in fact, "who do you believe me or your own eyes?"
Trump has "told a number of lies" at Tuesday's joint press conference with British Prime Minister Theresa May, said John Berman at "AC360". Is it even new when the president is lying? "Yes. Of course if," he says. The "parade of little lies can make it difficult to take everything the president says seriously, including what we really need to take seriously," such as Trump's pricing threats.
Look at Berman's monologue here …ABC News presents at Trump's table
ABC News President James Goldston and his wife, Laura Trevelyan, a BBC presenter, had dinner with Trump and May on Tuesday night. Goldston and Trevelyan, who have dual British and American citizenship, were invited to dinner at Winfield House, Trump's residence during his stay in London. Goldston was sitting next to press secretary Sarah Sanders. Here is a picture via Getty:
I asked ABC if Goldston had anything to say or he was going to tell what had been discussed, but it was said that dinner was not recorded. So: perfectly appropriate? Totally inappropriate? Or to put it another way: If you were running one of America's largest newsrooms, would you say yes to the invitation?
Piers and Trump again
The Piers Morgan show with POTUS will air on Wednesday during its British show in the morning, with clips available in time for American morning shows …
This is Morgan's third interview with Trump since the day of the inauguration – most TV interviewers outside the United States. Of course, both men have a girlfriend story.
When I asked Morgan how he managed to get hold of this series of sit-ins, he replied with a characteristic thunder: "He trusts me to be fair, something that few journalists seem ready to deal with President Trump. "
