Letters to the Editor: White House press secretary missed an opportunity to defend press from ‘enemy’ label

There was recently a dramatic standoff between White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders and CNN White House reporter Jim Acosta, who tried to get Sanders to affirm or deny whether President Trump considers the press an “enemy of the people.” She demurred, by letting the president’s words stand for themselves.

But this is not just a semantics issue. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, between 1992 and 2018 some 1,312 journalists have been killed worldwide, including 11 in the United States. The term “enemies of the people” was used effectively by Benito Mussolini, Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin, among other dictators, to intimidate journalists, according to the Brookings Institution.

Leaders’ words have power, and extremists among the Trumpites have already begun to mock and intimidate the press at Trump rallies. What’s next? A physical attack or even assassination?

This does not mean that attacks on the president and his policies by liberal media are always justified — sometimes they are mean and mocking. Nor is the nearly universal defense of him by conservative outlets merited in many cases.

Journalists and their bosses have strong opinions, just like the rest of us. They, however, have an obligation to rise above bias and report facts. Too often, on both sides, fact and opinion are commingled, and the reading and viewing public is poorly served. We should demand better reporting.

Benjamin J. Hubbard

Costa Mesa

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Voters should question Russian ties

What a surprise: “Putin’s favorite Congressman” is embarrassing our district on a national stage again. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Costa Mesa), confronted with the revelation that he’d dined with alleged Russian spy Maria Butina, scoffed to a Mother Jones reporter that, “There’s not a person in this town who would not take a meeting to get material like that.”

Don’t let him get away with it. This year we have a chance to send an ethical man to Washington in his place. Democrat Harley Rouda will work for the good of our district and our country, and he’ll restore the reputation of the 48^th. There’s not a person in this town who shouldn’t leap at that opportunity.

Eliza Rubenstein

Costa Mesa

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Candidate should agree to debate

I agree wholeheartedly with the sentiments of letter writer Randy Curry (“Rep. Dana Rohrabacher should answer questions at Feet to the Fire Forum,” June 30). Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Costa Mesa) should indeed go before his constituents to both debate his Democratic opponent Harley Rouda and explain the actions, views and positions he has taken in Washington, D.C. allegedly on our behalf.

However, I would like to extend this call for political debate and accountability to all incumbents and their challengers at every level. Incumbents should be willing to not only debate their challengers but to interact with those they represent. This goes for those in all state Assembly seats as well. We need transparency and accountability in all levels in our Orange County races.

Tim Geddes

Huntington Beach

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