Retired Navy admiral: Trump's remark about media 'the greatest threat to democracy'

[highplainsdem]

Source: The Hill

Will McRaven, a retired U.S. Navy admiral and University of Texas system chancellor, is pushing back on President Trump’s description of the media as “the enemy of the American people.”

Speaking to a communications college at UT-Austin on Tuesday, McRaven praised the work of the press as necessary to hold others accountable, according to reports.

“We must challenge this statement and this sentiment that the news media is the enemy of the American people,” McRaven said. “This sentiment may be the greatest threat to democracy in my lifetime.”

-snip-

McRaven, who advised former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama and oversaw the mission that killed Osama bin Laden, has previously pushed back against Trump's ideas, most recently releasing a statement opposing his immigration order.

-snip-

Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/320763-retired-navy-admiral-trumps-remark-that-news-media-is-the-enemy

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2014 CNN article on McRaven:

The man who hunted bin Laden, Saddam and the pirates

http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/30/opinion/bergen-mcraven-special-forces-influence/

[fountainofyouth]

1. Not just any admiral

Bill McRaven is a legend in the special forces world. Glad that people like him and Mike Mullen are speaking out for democratic values.

[Zambero]

2. Are book turnings and political censorship next?

By demonizing the free press as the "enemy to the people", Trump is opening up a Pandora's Box that is chilling in its potential consequences. The Steve Bannon effect of deliberately creating chaos, confusion, and anger is not subtle by any means.

[highplainsdem]

3. If they ever think they can get away with it...

[uppityperson]

4. K&R

[colsohlibgal]

5. So True

It is right out of the playbook of Hitler and Goebbels and spewed out by a guy with the maturity of a petulant 13 year old.