How to respond to conspiratorial lunacy
By Jennifer Rubin
Opinion writer
August 12 at 11:15 AM
... Credit Tapper with not allowing Trump to use his show as a megaphone for Trump’s insane conspiracy-mongering and reminding viewers that the president feeds conspiracy theories all the time, some of which are the source of inspiration or reaffirmation for violent extremists ...
... There is a simple formula for responding to these episodes: 1) Reaffirm that they are baseless, crazy theories; 2) Remind Americans that as president, Trump has access to the very best intelligence but instead prefers to spread dark, false conspiracy theories; 3) Trump’s microphone is the loudest in the world, and whether he intends to, his words will stir some unstable and/or evil people to act; and 4) In putting Americans at risk, he violates his oath, and if he believes in what he’s saying, he is also mentally unfit to lead.
The media can go further than these statements. For starters, when a spokesperson such as the notoriously untruthful Kellyanne Conway comes on air to say she “just wants everything to be investigated,” the host has an obligation to call her out for putting words in Trump’s mouth and to compel her (i.e., do not move on with the interview) to admit he is propagating unfounded conspiracy theories. It is also incumbent on the media to grill every Republican who comes on: Is the president doing harm? Do you denounce his actions? Is a president who does this fit to serve? ...
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/08/12/this-is-how-respond-trumps-conspiratorial-lunacy/