Famous historian Ron Chernow delivered a keynote address on Saturday evening at the annual White House correspondents dinner, where he defended journalists who often receive the president’s ire.
By: David Freiberg
Mr. Chernow referenced a play called “an enemy of the people,” adding, “I had no idea the president was a fan of Norwegian literature.”
“We now have to fight hard for basic truths that we once took for granted,” he said at another point through his remarks.
Mr. Chernow said that when President Trump calls journalists the “enemy of the people,” that they should “think of it in the Norwegian sense and wear it as a badge of honor.”
“This is a glorious tradition — you folks are a part of it, and we can’t have politicians trampling on it with impunity,” he added, to which he received a standing ovation from attendees.
He went on to compare President Trump to George Washington, saying that Mr. Washington was “deficient in the art of the deal — the poor man had to settle for being the father of his country.”
Mr. Chernow then talked about Washington’s relationship with the news media.
“Like every great president, Washington felt maligned and misunderstood the press, but he never generalized that into a vendetta,” he said.
Mr. Chernow said that journalists are on “Team USA, not members of enemy camps.”
Last year, the President and senior administration officials slammed Michelle Wolf for making crude jokes.
“I actually really like Sarah. I think she’s very resourceful. She burns facts, and then she uses that ash to create a perfect smoky eye. Like maybe she’s born with it, maybe it’s lies. It’s probably lies,” Mrs. Wolf said last year referring to White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee-Sanders. “And I’m never really sure what to call Sarah Huckabee Sanders, you know? Is it Sarah Sanders, is it Sarah Huckabee Sanders, is it Cousin Huckabee, is it Auntie Huckabee Sanders? Like, what’s Uncle Tom but for white women who disappoint other white women?”
Mrs. Wolf also said last year that reporters assigned to cover the White House had become “obsessed” with President Trump.
“You helped create this monster, and now you’re profiting off of him,” she said last year.
After her speech at the annual dinner, in an interview with NPR, Mrs. Wolf said that she “wouldn’t change a word” regarding her performance.
“I’m very happy with what I said, and I’m glad I stuck to my guns,” she told NPR.
