Re: "Bannon Says News Media Should 'Keep its Mouth Shut'" — Letters that should have been in the new york times

To the editor:  

Stephen Bannon (NYT, 1/27/17, Bannon says news media should ‘keep its mouth shut’) unsurprisingly fails to recognize and respect the crucial role of journalism in our democracy. His unapologetic contempt is chilling. What exactly does he mean when he says of the NY Times ‘They got it 100% wrong?’ Presumably he is referring to the polls predicting a Clinton victory. What else? What we are currently witnessing with President Trump is thoroughly in line with the in depth substantive reporting by the vast majority of news outlets, including the New York Times, leading up to the election.

 The fact that so many Americans were uninterested in the facts, pinning their hopes on a motto of making American great again and informed by fake news says more about the electorate than journalism. Our democratic way of life is being assaulted and journalists are in the front line fighting for our democratic way of life.  

Respectfully

  Larry S. Sandberg