• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, August 20, 2018

An estimated 400 U.S. newspapers collectively told President Trump in their editorial pages that freedom of the press isn’t the enemy. Newspapers and news organizations are competitive with each other. The press is not a monolith.

That goes for political advertising as well. Last Thursday, the Great America PAC, a group to re-elect President Trump, ran a TV commercial on CNN during “The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer.”  

The ad instructed Trump supporters to wear -- or buy -- red baseball hats on Election Day to support the President. The new version of the hat says “Keep American Great.” We're guessing this replaces the “Make America Great Again” cap.

Yes, they chose CNN. Apparently, that is where the Trump supporters are these days. Of course, if you listen to Trump, he calls the network by a negative descriptor.

The Great America PAC believes in the freedom to give ad dollars to those that apparently don’t agree with you. Freedom to compete.

All journalists go after the big story -- whether about the government, politics, business or sports. There are hundreds of news organizations, not just a handful of players. Even those assumed to be one-sided can change a bit. 

Take what Brian Kilmeade, host of “Fox & Friends” on the Fox News Network, said with regard to former Trump Administration staffer and “Apprentice” cast member Omarosa Manigault-Newman’s media blitz against the President:

“In order to sell a book, she has come out with a series of tapes, and in many ways seems to have outsmarted [emphasis added] the President, who has taken the bait, and has gone out and tweeted directly after her.”

Interesting analysis. Perhaps a competitive point of view to other commentators on the Fox News Channel.

Which begs the question: Who or what is Trump competing against these days? Journalists? Facts? Former presidents? Maybe Trump simply hates actual competition. 

So why is it so difficult for him to meet with the special counsel and tell the truth? Remember this adage: Innocent people have nothing to hide. Trump knows the truth. He may even tell us where President Obama was born.