Like every would-be dictator, President Donald Trump worked long and hard to discredit and dismantle the American free press. He made serious progress toward his goal of destroying independent criticism of his would-be totalitarian regime using constant court cases and derision.
But on Nov. 3, the seemingly weakened U.S. press acted as it has always been intended to act since the founding of this nation, and perhaps better than it has since the fall of Richard Nixon. News flowed accurately and instantly across the U.S. and around the world, reporting each and every Trump collapse as it took place.
There was no opportunity for the president to distort the facts and create a fictitious crisis. It was clear that the races were lost quickly and fairly because the news was accurate, transparent, and immediate. This is the critical role of a free and open press in a democratic society. It must be celebrated and supported fully. Our freedom and way of life depend upon it.
Bill Sharp
Monson