Politicos and media pundits wasted no time weighing in with over-the-top hyperbole worthy of a street corner end times preacher.
"[T]his is the day that the United States resigned as the leader of the free world," said noted plagiarist and CNN host Fareed Zakaria.
Serial fabricator and MSNBC host Brian Williams described the announcement as "dark," adding that the more you looked at the president's address, the more it was like "four or five dark speeches."
More interesting than the commentary handwringing, however, is that several hard-news reporters weighed in Thursday with likeminded opinions, dropping all pretense of detachment and objectivity.
"Pope Francis, Ivanka, Tillerson, U.S. CEOs, Merkel, Macron and science could not convince Trump to stay in Paris climate accord," the Washington Post's Philip Rucker opined in a ham-fisted note.
Axios' energy reporter, Amy Harder, suggested ahead of the announcement that climate change was responsible for her iPhone overheating.
"Flood the swamp flood the swamp flood the swamp flood the swamp flood the swamp flood the swamp flood the swamp flood the swamp flood the sw -- ," said the Post's Brian Fung.
The Huffington Post's front page went with the none-too-subtle headline: "TRUMP TO PLANET: DROP DEAD."
HuffPo congressional reporter Jennifer Bendery also quipped, "America First, Planet Second Trump's message, in sum #ParisAgreement."
Her colleague, Michael Calderone, quipped, "Trump could've issued a statement or take over the airwaves with rambling justification of reckless decision to leave climate accord."
Many in the press also latched onto the talking point that the U.S. would join smaller, less wealthy nations in not backing the accord:
YES TO PARIS:- China- France- Germany- Russia- United Kingdom- 190 other members NO TO PARIS:- Nicaragua- Syria- United States Ryan Struyk (@ryanstruyk) June 1, 2017 |
There has been little daylight between the responses from reporters and commentators. The reactions have varied, of course, but they've mostly skewed towards being extremely unhappy about the president's announcement.
It's okay for people in the press to have opinions. Everyone has opinions! In fact, it'd be better if journalists publicly aired their opinions more often. Let everyone know exactly where you stand!
The annoying thing is when the same people who preen and puff themselves up about being supposedly detached fact-loving firefighters who rush into hell to report the news are also the same ones who devolve into snarling bags of commentary rage whenever something doesn't go their way.
Just be upfront with your positions! Drop the pretense of objectivity and save everyone the time. It's all we're asking.