Journalistically Speaking, This Is Seriously Gross, USA Today

By Dustin Rowles | | October 10, 2018 |

By Dustin Rowles | | October 10, 2018 |

Back in my college days while I was studying journalism, my professors, for the most part, saw USA Today as the scourge of newspapers. Splashy color photos! And short, facile pieces! But in many ways, print magazines and then the Internet followed USA Today’s lead, with a focus on eye-catching graphics and dwindling attention spans.

What USA Today did today, however, is beyond the pale, and when it comes to journalistic integrity, the publication has given up the last scrap of that where it concerns political coverage. This morning they published an unchecked op-ed with a byline from Donald Trump.

Here’s a taste:

As a candidate, I promised that we would protect coverage for patients with pre-existing conditions and create new health care insurance options that would lower premiums. I have kept that promise, and we are now seeing health insurance premiums coming down.

The reality is, the Trump White House has a case in court at this very moment in which they are trying to remove pre-existing conditions from Obamacare.

The truth is that the centrist Democratic Party is dead. The new Democrats are radical socialists who want to model America’s economy after Venezuela.

If Democrats win control of Congress this November, we will come dangerously closer to socialism in America. Government-run health care is just the beginning. Democrats are also pushing massive government control of education, private-sector businesses and other major sectors of the U.S. economy.

Venezuela? They always cite Venezuela and never, like, Norway.

Today’s Democratic Party is for open-borders socialism. This radical agenda would destroy American prosperity. Under its vision, costs will spiral out of control. Taxes will skyrocket. And Democrats will seek to slash budgets for seniors’ Medicare, Social Security and defense.

Just go ahead, USA Today. Let him say anything he wants! “Democrats are for murdering white men and blowin up the moon!” Cool, print it.

This is simply journalism malpractice. @USATODAY does not even provide an accompanying editorial or op-ed to highlight all the lies or provide context. Just print whatever the dear leader wants published! THESE LIES AFFECT PEOPLE’S LIVES!

— Lauren (@LillianLauren) October 10, 2018

What a sad day for @USATODAY and all US media. To actively help this man destroy people by printing his unedited, unquestioned lies… I am appalled and frightened by how far this country and the press have fallen.

— Puff the Magic Hater (@MsKellyMHayes) October 10, 2018

look for my new opinion piece, "I Can Fly And Breathe Underwater And Command Falcons With My Mind, Trust Me It's Totally A Thing" in tomorrow's USA TODAY

— Jason Linkins (@dceiver) October 10, 2018

This is wholly inappropriate. @USATODAY why are you publishing state propaganda?

— Southern Highlander (@nikwasi) October 10, 2018

If USA Today was pitched an oped from any other columnists with this many outright falsehoods and exaggerations I think the editors there would have refused to run it. The president obviously gets some special consideration but where is the editorial line drawn?

— Sam Stein (@samstein) October 10, 2018

This piece is riddled with factual errors, mischaracterizations and outright lies.

What a slap in the face to every journalist at ⁦@USATODAY⁩ that works hard to get it right. This piece should not have been run. https://t.co/bJhCSDTguc

— Brianna Wu (@Spacekatgal) October 10, 2018

That is seriously gross, USA Today, and it reflects terribly on the good, responsible journalists on that staff.

It has, however, captured someone’s attention.

President Trump writes in an op-ed for @USATODAY on Wednesday that “the centrist Democratic Party is dead.” Reacting to that, former Vice President Joe Biden, who hasn’t confirmed whether he’ll run in 2020, told me in London just now: “Tell Trump he should hang on” #Breaking pic.twitter.com/GxIXY118r8

— Kim Hjelmgaard (@khjelmgaard) October 10, 2018