Mark Levin Slams Media for Being 'Illiterate,' Gives Them History Lesson of Past Presidents
Conservative commentator Mark Levin said historical illiteracy is one contributor to the news media saying that it faces unprecedented trials during the administration of President Donald Trump.
For example, when the Trump administration moved to ban CNN’s Jim Acosta after an incident during a media event last fall, National Press Club President Andrea Edney said, “The president’s personal attacks on reporters, especially on CNN’s Jim Acosta, during a Nov. 7 news conference were unprecedented and beneath the dignity of the office.”
On Sunday, Levin, speaking on his Fox News show “Life, Liberty and Levin,” said such comments reveal that media members are “illiterate when it comes to history.”
In his comments, Levin drew a distinction between what he termed the media and what he termed the free press.
“The media is destroying the free press,” he said.
“We have mostly a media — and we mostly have a media, not a free press because of the media. The media is destroying the press — not the president by calling out newspapers and journalists who are very thin-skinned and don’t like it.”
Trump has battled media organizations throughout his presidency, and has used the term “fake news” to describe in accurate reports.
On Monday, for example, Trump called out the mainstream media in a blistering tweet.
“The Mainstream Media has never been as corrupt and deranged as it is today. FAKE NEWS is actually the biggest story of all and is the true ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE! That’s why they refuse to cover the REAL Russia Hoax,” he said.
The Mainstream Media has never been as corrupt and deranged as it is today. FAKE NEWS is actually the biggest story of all and is the true ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE! That’s why they refuse to cover the REAL Russia Hoax. But the American people are wise to what is going on…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 20, 2019
Trump’s tactics have led writer Jill Abramson to dub the president “a master at media manipulation,” in an Op-Ed she wrote for The Washington Post.
She noted that while the media bemoans Trump, editors “remain addicted. After all, they are swimming in Trump-generated revenue, clicks and ratings.”
On Sunday, Fox News host Pete Hegseth discussed the state of the media with Levin, noting, that media outlets “say they’re under a greater threat than they’ve ever been because of this president.”
“Well isn’t that fascinating,” Levin said in reply. “You know, you have Jim Acosta, you have others out there saying we’ve never seen anything like this before. The New York Times’ publisher said the same thing. Well, it’s because they are illiterate when it comes to history.”
Levin said his book, “Unfreedom of the Press,” highlights the various actions presidents took to muzzle the media, beginning with America’s second president, John Adams, in 1798 through the Alien and Sedition Act.
The act led to a Vermont congressman named Matthew Lyon being jailed for saying Adams sought “a continued grasp for power” as well as uttering other insults, the Constitutional Rights Foundation noted. Adams did more than simply silence political opponents, Levin said.
#TriviaTuesday The nails for the Allen House were made in Matthew Lyon’s factory in Fair Haven. He represented the #Vermont in the House of Representatives, and also convicted under the Alien and Sedition Acts for criticizing then Pres. Adams. He won re-election while in jail. pic.twitter.com/28W9qakqZ0
— Ethan Allen Museum (@ethanallen1787) May 15, 2018
“Well he put journalists in prison. He shut down newspapers. It was a big problem,” he said.
Levin noted that other presidents including Abraham Lincoln, Woodrow Wilson, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt sent media members to jail or used their power to silence critics.
“So to say this president, long story — To say this president by calling a particular reporter or news operation fake news is like a dictator, it’s the worst thing we’ve ever seen, is so absurd, is so outrageous,” he said.
“I’m not aware that he’s used the FBI or the IRS or a Sedition Act to shut down anybody or put anybody in prison, and yet, you if you asked the left about FDR, they love FDR. If you ask them about Woodrow Wilson, they love Woodrow Wilson.”
Levin said a lack of historical foundation is one strand that has reduced trust in the media — that and the fact that the media has become a one-party mouthpiece.
“Part of the problem is when you look at the stretch of history in the media, I would argue we’re at the lowest point ever. You have half the American people, give or take, the vast majority of Republicans — I’m not making this up, it’s in the book, and you can look at research that’s done — that does not trust the media,” he said.
“You have the vast majority of Democrats that do. That’s fine. But that means you’re playing to a political party, and you’re playing to an agenda.”
“You couldn’t tell me the difference, really, between the Democrat agenda and what you hear from Chris Cuomo or Don Lemon or a whole list of so-called reporters — same with MSNBC,” Levin said.
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
