During a recent episode of “Real Time,” host Bill Maher took the media to task for twisting former President Donald Trump’s comments about Liz Cheney, his well-known critic. Maher wasn’t shy about calling out the exaggerated headlines claiming Trump had called for Cheney’s execution by firing squad, a spin Maher labeled as nothing short of sensationalist. “I woke up today to the headline that Trump had called for a firing squad for Liz Cheney,” Maher said to his panel, sounding more than a little exasperated. He pointed out that Trump had done no such thing, adding that he didn’t need any encouragement to dislike Trump more than he already does.
The media, Maher argued, was twisting Trump’s words around Cheney’s hawkish stance on foreign policy, which, he added, “shouldn’t be surprising—she is Dick Cheney’s daughter.” Trump’s criticism of Cheney, Maher noted, was aimed at her hawkish tendencies rather than at her personally. Though Trump can’t help but throw in crude insults like calling her “a stupid person,” Maher remarked, Trump’s essential message was the same anti-war sentiment that “hippies have been saying for decades.” To Maher, Trump’s gripe about Cheney’s support for sending troops abroad wasn’t exactly groundbreaking.
Maher’s frustration stemmed from what he saw as a dishonest portrayal, aimed more at stoking outrage than at reporting the facts. “Just don’t lie to me,” Maher said. “I don’t like Donald Trump, but don’t lie to me and tell me he wants her in front of a firing squad.” He emphasized that Trump’s comments on Cheney, aside from his insults, echoed a sentiment plenty of anti-war advocates have expressed: opposition to sending young Americans into unnecessary conflicts.
Panelist Michael Moynihan, co-host of “The Fifth Column” podcast, joined in to criticize the media’s handling of Trump’s statements. According to Moynihan, the sensational coverage only gave Trump’s team “ammunition” to attack the media, particularly with chyrons on news channels suggesting Trump had called for Cheney’s execution. It was a misleading narrative that, in Moynihan’s words, handed Trump’s team the perfect excuse to cry foul.
Moynihan highlighted the fact that Trump’s initial remarks had included a suggestion that Cheney “be given a weapon”—hardly the sort of thing you’d say about someone you’re supposedly calling to be executed. For Maher and Moynihan, the media’s twist seemed like a classic case of taking Trump’s loose language, mixing in a healthy dose of hyperbole, and serving it up as news. Their message to the media? Maybe it’s time to let Trump’s words speak for themselves instead of exaggerating for effect.
