U.S. citizens want what has always been expected: One president at a time -- on your TV and other media. Resigning national security adviser Michael Flynn didn’t embrace that tradition.
Do you have a split screen on your TV? You shouldn’t have to. On the same day President Obama announced sanctions against Russia in December, Flynn wanted to get the jump on things -- talking
about sanction issues with Russian officials. Again, while Obama was still president.
Flynn wasn’t supposed to do that. Indeed, many say he may have committed an illegal
act. (Our intelligence agencies are currently investigating Russian involvement in the presidential election. Flynn may be called to testify in a Senate investigation.)
Obama announced 35
Russian diplomats would be expelled from the U.S. Russia’s response? Hardly anything -- and many scratched their heads. Now we might know why.
Many people love the
“disruption” President Trump brings. Does that mean TV drama -- or real-life drama? That chaos is real, not a figment of the press' imagination. Even Trump -- in a tweet -- said he worries
about the leaks.
Events have confirming much of what the media has been reporting on for now weeks. Bring it on New York Times, Washington Post and Politico. Information is
power.
TV-wise, on the Flynn front, we missed what seemed, for many, the inevitable: Donald Trump firing someone.
That said, there was a few “firings” before January 20.
Wasn’t Rudy Giuliani and Chris Christie in line to get key Cabinet/Administration posts? Those two didn’t make the cut. No TV-like boardroom firings here — just back-room
machinations.
A little over three week in and big cable TV news networks have had barely a chance to breathe -- culminating in some real drama. Many networks in prime time on Monday -- just
after the news broke about Flynn -- went into their full dramatic, no-TV commercial mode.
To be fair, here is some related history: President Clinton had a rough start. President Reagan went
through six National Security Advisors during his eight years. But both had far higher approval ratings in those crucial early weeks.
Still, Flynn had -- by far -- the shortest stint ever in
the job: 24 days.
On TV, we now have one president.