The spokeswoman for the president of the United States won’t say whether the American press is or is not “the enemy of the people.” This phrase was used to similar effect by the Nazis and in the Soviet state under Stalin to designate who should be murdered. It’s un-American, and so is she, and so is Trump.
White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders was in fine form during a press briefing today, in which she repeatedly refused to answer a CNN reporter’s question: Do you believe the press is “the enemy of the people”?
Sanders repeatedly refuses to confirm that she does not view the press as "the enemy of the people.' pic.twitter.com/H0Xfn3wNUe
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 2, 2018
President Donald Trump uses the phrase often, and so do his fans. You know where it comes from? Its use in this context comes from the Nazis, and from Stalin, and more recently, modern Russia. That’s who uses it now. Russia.
Still cannot believe this is the White House press secretary saying this. Been a professional journalist since 1990. Aside from DC the only other place I have lived is Russia, which is where the ‘enemy of the people’ phrase comes from. It doesn’t belong in the USA. https://t.co/MKSfEFj73X
— Susan Glasser (@sbg1) August 2, 2018
Sanders’ exchange with Jim Acosta came after she bashed CNN, the organization Acosta works for.
Throughout the briefing, Sanders used provocative language to mock the reporters she was addressing, in a denigrating and shouty tone. This is a thing she does. This is a thing her boss wants her to do.
They call reporters “the enemy of the people,” because some of their “base” likes this and it helps them retain power.
It really happened. It was really weird. It’s all noise, and it’s not the real news of the day. But we have to stop and remind ourselves and each other that this is now happening. It’s not okay. It’s not normal. We have to stop it.
She wouldn't answer @Acosta. She refused to answer the question. The press is the enemy of the people. I'm sure it sounds better in the original German, @PressSec
— Xeni Jardin ??? (@xeni) August 2, 2018