Hello my lovely readers!
I bought this book while on my books about journalism kick. I'm not someone who is particularly interested in politics. I vote in my local elections and the presidential election, but I don't necessarily care to talk about politics or anything like that. But it's mainly focused on the role the media plays in each U.S. president's term. Let's get into it!
SUMMARY
From George Washington to Donald Trump, presidents have attacked, manipulated, denigrated the press.
Washington groused about his treatment in the newspapers. Thomas Jefferson used a reporter to find dirt on his rival Alexander Hamilton, only for that same reporter to expose his own affair with his slave Sally Hemings. Andrew Jackson rewarded loyal newspapers with government contracts and Abraham Lincoln shuttered critical papers and imprisoned their editors without trial.
Readers are guided through the clashes between chief executives and journalists, showing who won these battles and girding us for a new fight to protect the nation's greatest institution: a free and functioning press.
MY THOUGHTS
I really enjoyed this book. I love reading about my profession, so this book was a treat. As someone who doesn't keep up with politics beyond voting and knowing candidates platforms, it was nice to be able to delve deeper into the selected presidents and get context on who they were and what they did for the country.
I definitely noticed a bit more biased approach against the press in how Holzer wrote about the presidents from Clinton to Trump, but aside from that the book was an interesting read.
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