Topic: Newsmax
Newsmax's defend-and-attack strategy over Donald Trump's fourth indictment unsurprisingly continued well after the indictment itself. This is what it published in Aug. 16 and 17, a few days after the indictment was announced:
- Trump Lawyer Halligan to Newsmax: Give Feds Ga. Case
- Alina Habba to Newsmax: Trump Charges in State Court 'By Design'
- Pence: Trump 'Entitled to Presumption of Innocence'
- Nunes to Newsmax: Democrats, DOJ, FBI Real RICO Conspirators
- Mike Huckabee to Newsmax: Biden, DOJ 'Trampling' Bill of Rights
- Lt. Gov. Burt Jones to Newsmax: Questioning Election Was My Duty
- Ga. State Sen. Calls for Emergency Fani Willis Inquiry
- Pam Bondi to Newsmax: Fani Willis 'Way Over Her Head'
- Newt Gingrich: Willis Rushed to Cover Weiss 'Mistakes'
There were a few more articles noting the other side of the story than usual:
- Ga. Prosecutor Seeks March Trial Date for Trump, 18 Others (wire article)
- Trump Trial Would Draw Super Bowl-Like TV Ratings
- Trump, Co-defendants to Be Booked at Notorious Atlanta Jail
- Authorities Probe Threats to Ga. Grand Jurors Who Indicted Trump (wire article)
- Trump Cancels Press Conference on Election Fraud Claims (wire article)
Newsmax slowed the pace a bit over the next few days, focusing more on highlighting Trump's whining about the indictment. It did, however, publish a wire article noting that members of the Georgia grand jury that handed up the indictment of Trump and his cronies were facing threats. But it also published an article touting how "A new Newsmax/McLaughlin national survey shows former President Donald Trump maintaining his strong national lead over Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in the 2024 Republican presidential primary" while failing to disclose that McLaughlin is Trump's campaign pollster -- which would suggest a certain amount of bias in the polling.
As arraignment time arrived -- which coincided with a Republican presidential debate Trump refused to take part in -- defend-and-attack mode returned:
- Donald Trump Jr. to Newsmax: Dems Aim to 'Jail,' 'Silence' Opponents
- Attorney Schoen to Newsmax: Trump Case Should Be in Federal Court
- Kerik to Newsmax: Legislators 'Fearful, Quiet, Cowardly' on Ga. Case
- Trump Blasts Indictments as Contributions to 'Crooked Joe'
- Habba to Newsmax: Fake News Media Permeating Justice System
- Giuliani to Newsmax: Mug Shot Symbolizes 'Chance to Fight for My Country'
- Lara Trump to Newsmax: Trump Mug Shot Will Be Most Famous in History
Newsmax also upped the number of more balanced articles it published as well:
- Jenna Ellis, Fmr Trump Attorney, Released on $100K Bond
- Judge Allows Trump's Georgia Arraignment to Be Televised
- Giuliani Turns Himself In on Ga. Charges; Bond Set at $150,000 (wire article)
- Georgia DA: Keep Trump Admin Cases in State Court
- Judge: Meadows, Clark Face Arrest; Requests Denied
- Trump Ally Powell Surrenders in Ga. Election Case (wire article)
On Aug. 24, the day Trump traveled to Georgia to turn himself in and have his mugshot taken, Newsmax did its usual ramping up of attacks (with the occasional smattering of more balanced accounts):
- Trump Replaces Lead Attorney Before Georgia Surrender
- Sekulow to Newsmax: Trump Should Not Smile for Mugshot
- Dershowitz to Newsmax: 'Unlikely' Ga. Case Tried Before Election
- Rep. Jordan Opens Probe Into Trump's Georgia Indictment
- Georgia Prosecutor Wants October Start for Trump Trial (wire article)
- Meadows Surrenders in Atlanta on Election Charges (wire article)
- Trump Motion Opposes DA Willis' Oct. 23 Trial Date Request
- Throngs Outside Georgia Jail in Support of Trump (wire article)
- Trump to Surrender in Ga. at 7:30 PM ET
- Dick Morris to Newsmax: Indictments Making Public Favor Trump
- MTG: Will Vote for Trump From Jail If I Have to
- Trump Officially Booked, Denounces 'Travesty of Justice' (wire article)
- Trump Posts Mug Shot in Return to X: 'Never Surrender!' (no mention of the fact that the mug shot was taken while he was literally surrendering to authorities)
- Rep. Owens to Newsmax: Trump Is 'Middle Finger' to Radical Left
- Giuliani to Newsmax: America No Longer a 'Just Country'
- Dick Morris to Newsmax: Indictments Making Public Favor Trump
- Rep. Issa to Newsmax: Georgia Case a 'Carpet-Bombing Indictment'
But there was also a dissenting columnist in the midst of all this. Michael Reagan took a break from saying crazy things by spending his Aug. 18 column trying to warn people that Trump is not doing himself any favors as a presidential candidate by continually getting indicted:
But when the indictments keep rolling in — aren’t we up to four now? — it’s time to stop thinking with your heart and start thinking with your head.
In 2024 instead of being on the campaign trail, Trump is going to be spending a great deal of his time in the courtroom trying to stay out of prison.
That’s a DEFCON Level One distraction.
Rallies and news conferences on the courthouse steps do not a campaign make.
Another huge distraction are the legal bills entailed with his effort to stay among the free.
Trump must hire four different legal teams in four different jurisdictions.
That is a Ukraine-summer-offensive-level expense right there.
[...]
The best strategy for people who love Trump and/or who feel Trump is being persecuted is to nominate a candidate who can actually convert the 53% anti-Trump voters into pro-GOP voters in 2024.
A viable Republican candidate, without all Trump’s baggage — fair and unfair — has a chance to win undecided voters who will never pull the lever for our naion's 45th commnader in chief.
That victory spares the country four more years of disastrous leftist rule and allows Trump to devote all his attention to this, unprecedented, third world variety legal persecution targeting him.
On the other hand, a Trump nomination means gloom was the correct response.
We all lose. Trump, Republicans, and the United States of America.
Needless to say, the pro-Trump management at Newsmax felt the need to stick an editor's note at the top stating that "The following column does not constitute an endorsement for any political party or political candidate on the part of Newsmax."
